Inspirational stories, strategies, and tips from and for American Markers and Handmade Entrepreneurs.
Subscribe:.rss.atom.json.md.m3u.pls
Live Last read · last published · next check
Saves to your Listen queue, to pick up on another day or another device.
Welcome to the Indie Business Lifestyle Podcast! If you've been with me for a while, you know that our podcast has been part of the Indie Business community for more than two decades. While the name has evolved from Indie Business Podcast to Indie Business Lifestyle , the mission remains the same: to encourage, equip, and inspire you to build and lead a meaningful business that complements your…
Welcome to Episode 100 of the Indie Business Podcast! On this episode, you'll meet Hannah Hon of Ruministics in St. Louis, Missouri. Do you remember the blockbuster film The Perfect Storm ? Today’s guest, Hannah Hon, describes her entrepreneurial journey as the perfect storm convergence of fragrance, creativity, and entrepreneurship. In this episode, Hannah and I discuss how these passions came…
Welcome to Episode 99 of the Indie Business Podcast! On this episode, you'll meet Robbin Turner of Violet Botanical Skincare in Los Angeles, CA. One of the first things you might notice about the Violet Botanical brand is the gorgeous violet blue bottles in which each product is carefully packaged. The bottles are not only beautiful, but they are also reflective of Robbin's deep Gullah cultural…
Welcome to Episode 98 of the Indie Business Podcast! On this episode, you'll meet Larissa Lewis of Jargon Gist in Pasadena, CA. This episode is chock full of fantastic tips to help you boost your content creation chops. It's also special to me because it's an introduction to the wonderful daughter of IBN's very first member, Kathleen Lewis. Larissa was a toddler in tiny tutus and pink ballet…
Welcome to Episode 97 of the Indie Business Podcast! I'm excited to introduce you to Catherine Robinson of Wildwood Aromas in Springfield, Missouri. A self-described introvert, Catherine started her business after she began making aromatherapy products for people who wanted to use essential oil blends to enhance their daily lives but didn't have, a reputable source to purchase them. She began…
Welcome to Episode 96 of the Indie Business Podcast! On this episode, you'll meet Kimberly Cross of Zhi Bath & Body in Charlotte, North Carolina. From the time she was a child, Kim has been in the beauty industry. She started out as a hair dresser in middle school. Later, after retiring from the military (thank you for your service!!), Kim began creating bath and body products containing goat milk…
Welcome to Episode 95 of the Indie Business Podcast! On this episode, you'll meet Rachel Beyer of Artist Apothecary in Portland, Oregon. For Rachel, art has always been a passion. Her mother and grandmother taught her how to sew, and growing up, she took extra art classes every chance she got. So it's no surprise that her business is an outgrowth of a combination of her passion, training and…
Welcome to Episode 94 of the Indie Business Podcast! In this episode, you'll meet Chelsea Selby Randazza of Witch Baby Soap in Cranford, New Jersey. It was nearly a decade ago when, in her kitchen, baby strapped to her chest, Chelsea first started making and selling soap and bath bombs and realized there was a market for products for what she calls “weird and witchy” people like her. As she began…
As you know, IBN's proprietary entrepreneurial framework, the Maker Method , contains four sequential phases you must past through on the road to building a profitable business that makes you happy and successful and can generate income for life. Those phases are: Emerge > Engage > Evolve > Expand. Welcome to Episode 93 of the Indie Business Podcast, where we introduce you to a member who is…
According to a 2020 report from the American Psychiatric Association*, 46.6 million Americans (nearly 1 in 5 adults!) live with a mental health condition, depression in particular, and suicide rates are rising. Welcome to Episode 92 of the Indie Business Podcast, where we shine a spotlight on one woman's mental health challenges, and how the intersection of aromatherapy and entrepreneurship help…
Welcome to Episode 91 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Indie Story introduces you to Tiana Coats of Winding Wick Candles, in Garland, Texas. Once upon a time, Tiana considered her position as a pharmacy technician to be her dream job. She eventually grew weary of doing the same thing every day, and began daydreaming about what she could sell to make a living online. This led to selling books…
Welcome to Episode 90 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Indie Story introduces you to Jennifer Watt of Jenny the Hemp Goddess, in Armada, Michigan. Jenny's story perfectly illustrates the fact that a supportive spouse or partner is key to business success. Several years ago, Jenny and her family moved to a 10-acre farm and started selling eggs and produce. They phased that out once Jenny and…
Welcome to Episode 89 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Indie Story introduces you to Lakisha McMillian of Simply Unique, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Not only is Lakisha leading her business, but she also works full-time and is earning her master's degree. You'll enjoy learning about how Lakisha organizes her time for maximum efficiency using a basic notebook and pen and paper. You'll also…
Welcome to Episode 88 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Indie Story introduces you to Brittany Hogan of Nefertem Holistic Skincare, in Park Forest, Illinois. For Nefertem co-founders Brittany and her husband, Andre, business is about so much more than money. The brand name itself borrows from Nefertem, the god of beautification in the ancient culture of the Nile Valley region where…
Welcome to Episode 87 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Indie Story introduces you to Rhonda Walters of RareGlo, in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Rhonda has been in the beauty business for over 40 years. She is a cosmetologist, a hair stylist, a salon owner, and a cosmetics formulator. And a mom and a long distance runner. And a long distance runner. Oh, and she recently celebrated her 40th wedding…
Welcome to Episode 86 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Indie Story introduces you to Christie Krasteva of CEVARI, in Charlotte, North Carolina. A self-described “nature girl,” Christie grew up surrounded by all types of entrepreneurs including farmers, auto body shop owners, construction engineers, charter boat owners, horticulturists and more. Having been exposed to entrepreneurship at a…
Welcome to Episode 85 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Indie Story introduces you to Christine Mineart of Sent Nudes, in Oakland, California. Shortly before the pandemic lockdowns, Christine and her friends decided to create a day centered around making their own perfumes and then visiting a local perfume museum. They ordered all of the supplies, set a date, and then BAM, the pandemic hit.…
Welcome to Episode 84 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Indie Story introduces you to Patty Liu of Free Flow Botanicals, in Santa Cruz, California. As an educated herbalist and product formulator, Patty believes in offering a product line that helps people tend to their bodies from the inside out. In addition to a line of skincare, she also offers holistic coaching services and distance Reiki…
Welcome to Episode 83 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Indie Story introduces you to Sara Jennetten of Blank Mason, in Park Ridge, Illinois. With a newly proposed lease in her hand, Sara literally started her business the month the pandemic hit. She made an impressively quick pivot to the Internet and has not looked back. Her brand is all about the personalization and customization of scent.…
Welcome to Episode 82 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Indie Story introduces you to Nadja Renise of FEMMENOIRE, in Alpharetta, Georgia. Nadja's personal business story begins with the low self esteem she once felt, especially where her hair was concerned. Not only did a stylist leave her with a style that can only be described as a painful disaster, but at one point, Nadja became so…
Welcome to Episode 81 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Indie Story introduces you to Ayanna Jackson of Arbria Creations, in San Leandro, California. While Ayanna has a full-time job, which she enjoys, she has always had the itch to have a business of her own. As she encouraged her daughters to pursue their dreams, she realized that she was not pursuing hers. She decided to change all that,…
Welcome to Episode 80 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Indie Story introduces you to Mindy Cheng of Fyve Beauty, in Cupertino, California. In numerology, the number “five” represents humanity, and Mindy's Fyve beauty brand uses five ingredients in every product, “for all of humanity.” Mindy started her business in 2011 after creating a simple formula that helped her daughter's skin…
Welcome to Episode 79 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Indie Story introduces you to Patricia Nizalowski of Green Valley Herbal, in Grand Junction, Colorado. Patricia is a massage therapist and health and wellness coach who purchased her business based more on her enthusiasm for the brand and less on on traditional business and financial considerations. You'll enjoy hearing about how…
Welcome to Episode 78 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Indie Story introduces you to Isabel Alvarez of Albisa Candles, in Los Angeles, California. Isabel makes candles that are reminiscent of her Cuban heritage. After the pandemic, Isabel hopes to hire outside help, but for now, it's truly a family business at Albisa, with Isabel making all of the candles and her husband doing all of the…
Welcome to Episode 77 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Indie Story introduces you to Laura Luther of Olive My Skin, in Oxford, Connecticut. Laura first owned the Southbury Soap & Candle bath and body business business nearly 20 years ago. After closing down following a challenging divorce, Laura launched Olive My Skin in 2012, and since then, has added several complementary brands, including…
Welcome to Episode 76 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Indie Story introduces you to Ciara Fritsch, of Pure Body Nantucket, in Nantucket, Massachusetts. A native of Ireland, Ciara arrived in America in 1994 and settled in Nantucket where she met her husband. While she helps him manage an antique store on the island, her personal and entrepreneurial passion is leading Pure Body Nantucket,…
Welcome to Episode 75 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Indie Story is about Lisa Kennally of Wild Air Skincare, in Centerbrook, Connecticut. Lisa makes spa products with ingredients inspired by the beauty and seasons of New England. Her brand is partially inspired by the time as a child she spent with her mom making spa products using ingredients in their kitchen. Lisa discovered Indie…
Welcome to Episode 74 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Maker Story introduces you to Kirsten Conner of Flourish Beauty Lab in White River Junction, Vermont. Kirsten is a retail store owner and product formulator who makes artisan products designed for people who are super sensitive to ingredients and fragrances. Her main focus is on hair care. She sells her products at her Vermont retail…
Welcome to Episode 73 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Maker Story introduces you to Melissa Troupe of MochaWhip in West Palm Beach, Florida. Melissa makes whipped vegan body butter with ingredients like cocoa butter, shea butter, and aloe juice. Mocha Whip products can be found online and at dozens of Whole Foods Market locations throughout Florida. As you'll enjoy learning in this episode,…
Welcome to Episode 72 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Maker Story features Alana Rivera of Etta + Billie in San Francisco, California. As you'll learn in this episode, this is not Alana's first appearance on Indie Business Podcast. After you enjoy this episode, I encourage you to listen to the first episode we did with Alana over five years ago (link below) because it will provide a super…
Welcome to Episode 71 of the Indie Business Podcast, all about how to make your business support your life! If you’ve listened to even just a few of our interviews with amazing Makers and Creative Entrepreneurs, you’ve surely noticed that most of them have one powerful personal entrepreneurial purpose in common. Here it is: they are all determined to grow a business that allows them to maintain a…
Welcome to Episode 70 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Maker Story introduces you to Marissa Bethoney of Precious Skin Elixirs in Boxford, Massachusetts. Marissa left a decade-long career as a jeweler to create a business that allowed her to feel better about simultaneously leading a business and being a mother. As you'll enjoy learning in this episode, Marissa's business is more about how…
Welcome to Episode 69 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Maker Story introduces you to Pam Rodgers of Stella Chroma, a nail polish brand in Richmond, Indiana. Pam started her business in 2012, and today, she manages the business while holding down a full-time job as a nurse practitioner. Since starting Stella Chroma, Pam has taught her husband, her son and her son's fiancé how to make nail…
Welcome to Episode 68 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Maker Story introduces you to Amber Malcom of Shabby Chick Cleaners in Duncan, Oklahoma. After being in business for just over three years, Amber has already appeared on several episodes of a popular home shopping show, entirely dismantled and re-built her business model, and is now completely debt free. Oh, and she owns the only…
Welcome to Episode 67 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Maker Story introduces you to Sandy Engels of The Purple Sage in Ethel, Louisiana. Sandy purchased her brand from another entrepreneur eight years ago, shortly after she discovered that her friends and family members were interested in buying the soap she had been making for fun. As you'll enjoy learning in this episode, Sandy is…
Welcome to Episode 66 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Maker Story introduces you to Zondra Wilson of Blu Skin Care in Los Angeles, California. Zondra started her business after a career as a television news anchor. When she began to feel like something was missing, she left the broadcast world and then, as she says, Blu Skin Care came along — as a result of a message from God himself. So,…
W elcome to Episode 65 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Maker Story introduces you to Joanne Voelcker of Mt. Airy Lavender in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Joanne started her lavender business after a long career in the financial services industry during which time she worked in Belgium. It was then that she fell in love with lavender so much that she decided she had to grow some herself.…
W elcome to Episode 64 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Maker Story introduces you to Michael McPolin of Birch & Main (now Roote Official ) in Port Jefferson, New York. Michael has tons of professional experience in the retail world. When you combine that with his passion for shopping (he can't stop), it will be clear why his retail store is a huge success. Michael started his business in…
W elcome to Episode 63 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Maker Story introduces you to Kayla Fioravanti of Ology Essentials and Work+Shop Create outside Nashville, Tennessee. For many of you, this may be a re-introduction, since Kayla has been a guest on Indie Business Podcast a few years back when her business was going in a different direction. If you missed it, you can listen to that…
W elcome to Episode 62 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Maker Story introduces you to Valerie Reed of Valana Minerals in Pahoa, Hawaii and San Diego, California. Valerie is the founder, CEO, and lead formulator at Valana Minerals where she creates vegan mineral makeup specifically for women of color. In addition to leading her business, Valerie is also a sociology professor at a California…
W elcome to Episode 61 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Maker Story introduces you to D'Shawn Russell of Southern Elegance Candle Company in Raeford, North Carolina. D'Shawn, a teacher by trade, started making candles as appreciation gifts for her co-workers. Everyone raved about them, so she started selling them at the local farmer's market and craft shows. After teaching for 20 years,…
W elcome to Episode 60 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Maker Story introduces you to Sierra Zamarripa of Lovewild Design in New York, New York. Sierra grew up in the East Village outside her parents' antique shop. Her entrepreneurial instincts were first honed by keeping herself busy doing things like offering shoe shine services in front of the store, or selling 1980's costume jewelry and…
W elcome to Episode 59 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Maker Story introduces you to Dawn Fitch of Pooka Pure and Simple in Newark, New Jersey. While employed as a professional graphics artist nearly 20 years ago, Dawn received a health diagnosis that caused her to change her life. Along with her diet, she decided to alter the types of bath and body products she used. With the encouragement…
W elcome to Episode 58 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today's Maker Story introduces you to Lisa Wynne Salvatore of Purely Lisa in Greenwich, Connecticut. Lisa has 9 certifications in the natural arts arena, and her Connecticut-based offices provide in-person services to help women achieve and maintain health from the inside out. Lisa's product business is a natural deodorant, which as you'll…
W elcome to Episode 57 of the Indie Business Podcast! In this episode, I'll introduce you to Danielle Vincent of Outlaw Soaps in Colfax, California. Danielle started her business five years ago when she became restless at her job at the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). Restless though she was, she's the first to acknowledged that the digital marketing and business planning experiences she enjoyed at…
W elcome to Episode 56 of the Indie Business Podcast! In this episode, I'll introduce you to Hassan Sayyed of Haus Urban and Creative Hustle Podcast . As you listen to Hassan share his story, it's easy to see how he is a natural fit for a career in the performing arts. You'll also get the sense that, for Hassan, one single career path is not enough. Hassan has fully embraced his natural gift of…
W elcome to Episode 55 of the Indie Business Podcast! In this episode, I'll introduce you to Paul Chambers of The Gentleman's Box and The Subscription Summit . A few years back, through his web design company, Paul was asked to design a website for a subscription box company. Seeing more than just a website design gig, Paul offered to design the site in exchange for part ownership in the box.…
W elcome to Episode 54 of the Indie Business Podcast! This time, it's just me. No guest, and I have something fun and exciting to share with you today. Indie Business Podcast has helped so many people gain the skills and confidence, and enjoy the mentoring, they need to be successful as Makers and Handmade Entrepreneurs. My listeners tell me they love the format, and they look forward to each…
W elcome to Episode 53 of the Indie Business Podcast! In this episode, I introduce you to Briar Winters of Marble & Milkweed in New York City. Briar launched her business in 2010 after a career as a pastry chef in a Manhattan hotel. The tagline for Briar's business is “analog beauty,” a mindset that very much represents the simplicity and elegance of her handmade products. On Indie Business…
W elcome to Episode 52 of the Indie Business Podcast! In this episode, I introduce you to Nieves Rathbun of By Nieves in Petrolia, California. Nieves's business started out of an unexplainable passion for skincare products and perfume. She describes her brand as a kind vintage, but also modern, and she's done an exquisite job of creating a special niche for herself at shows and in Indie boutiques…
