I absolutely loved having Carrie Ermence on this episode of Heart of the Hustle! Carrie is the powerhouse behind Lone Star Roots—a boutique Texas lifestyle brand that blends heart, humor, and hometown pride in every product.

Carrie and I started our businesses around the same time, and I’ve admired her from day one. In this episode, we talked about how she went from teaching first grade to building an award-winning retail brand, all while staying deeply involved in her community. Her story is full of heart—and hilarious merch.

We also filmed this one in-studio, and Carrie brought some of her best-selling products (yes, I’m still laughing about the “Sorry About My Husband” hat). If you’ve ever thought about turning your passion into a product—or you want to see what authentic community-driven entrepreneurship looks like—this one’s a must-watch.

💡 In this episode, we dive into:
-How Lone Star Roots started with a heart-shaped Texas logo and a love of storytelling

-What it takes to build a merch brand that resonates with both native and new Texans

-Why community involvement (Frisco Chamber, Refresh NTX, and beyond) is essential for real business growth

-How Carrie won Entrepreneur of the Year—and nearly missed the gala!

-The power of turning personal loss into purpose, and entrepreneurship into impact

🎧 Watch the full episode on YouTube or on your favorite podcasting platform.

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📍 Featuring her shop, her top-selling merch, and even a few business bloopers (hello, emergency hair appointment before a gala award night), this episode is a must-watch for any entrepreneur balancing humor, hustle, and heart.
🔗 Shop Lone Star Roots: https://lonestarroots.com
📸 Follow Carrie: @lonestarroots
🎧 Listen to More Episodes: Search “Heart of the Hustle” on your favorite podcast platform or watch full episodes on YouTube!
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Timestamps:
00:00 Building Community Through Business
01:08 Introduction to Today's Heart of the Hustle
02:06 The Origin Story of Lone Star Roots
02:44 From Teaching to Entrepreneurship
03:04 Creating a Relatable Brand
07:45 Expanding Through Mercantile Spaces
09:49 Humor and Texas Pride in Merchandise
13:03 Popular Products and Market Presence
15:12 Fun and Versatile T-Shirts for All Seasons
16:13 Community Involvement and Business Growth
20:04 Awards and Recognitions
23:40 Supporting Local Nonprofits
25:24 Leadership Programs and Future Plans
29:01 Family Business and Future Endeavors
30:49 Where to Find Lone Star Roots Products

#TexasPride #HeartOfTheHustle #LoneStarRoots #CarrieErmence #TexasEntrepreneur #WomenInBusiness #CommunityDriven #SupportLocalTX #MerchWithMeaning #FriscoBusiness #HeartCenteredLeadership

🎯 Want to Walk Away With a Month of Content in Just One Hour?

✨ Be a guest at the Heart of the Hustle Studio and leave with more than a great interview. You’ll get:

-Short-form reels and audiograms
-Done-for-you captions and pull quotes
-A full SEO blog post
-Strategy-backed content that builds authority and connection

📩 Apply now at https://www.sherrysutton.com/heartofthehustlevodcastapplication and let us turn your story into your most powerful marketing asset.

#HeartOfTheHustle #WomenInLeadership #SherrySutton #LeadershipWithHeart #DoneForYouContent #MarketingStudio #ContentThatConnects

What happens when a 74-year-old Marine, retail executive, and mortgage mogul decides to take on the Texas Supreme Court?

You get Nelson A. Locke.

In this episode of Heart of the Hustle, Nelson shares the wild ride of how he went from managing hundreds of employees in retail and mortgage banking to building a thriving federal law practice—and why the Texas Bar initially said “no” simply because he studied online. He didn’t just take the hit—he fought back. And he won.

This one’s for the rule-breakers, the lifelong learners, and anyone who's been told they’re “too late” or “not enough.” Nelson’s story will inspire you to keep pushing, even when the system says no.

⏰ What You’ll Hear:
00:00 Introduction to Heart of the Hustle
01:19 Nelson Locke's Journey: From Retail to Law
04:02 The Decision to Pursue Law
11:49 Challenges with the Texas Bar
18:45 The Fight for Online Education Recognition
20:36 Non-Profit vs. For-Profit Legal Education
21:14 Quality of Online Legal Education
22:40 Challenging the Texas Board of Law Examiners
24:29 Legal Mechanisms and Supreme Court Rulings
30:23 Current Status and Future Plans
38:49 Advice for Online Law School Graduates
39:57 Impact on Other Regulated Industries
41:41 Conclusion and Contact Information

🎥 Watch the full episode right here on YouTube or tune in on your favorite podcasting platform—Apple, Spotify, Amazon, all the places.

UPDATE: Just 24 hours after the release of this podcast, Nelson received official word that he has been admitted into the Texas Bar! Congratulations Nelson!!

🔗 Want to connect with Nelson?
Check out his practice and incredible work here: https://lockelaw.us

🚀 Here’s the deal—want a full month of social content from one hour with me?
Be a guest on Heart of the Hustle and you’ll walk away with done-for-you reels, captions, blog posts, and email blasts—all pulled from your episode. You focus on telling your story. I’ll turn it into marketing that actually works.
Learn more or reach out: @HeartoftheHustleShow
https://www.sherrysutton.com/heartofthehustlevodcastapplication

#HeartOfTheHustle #SherrySutton #NelsonLocke #TexasBar #OnlineLawSchool #TexasSupremeCourt #EntrepreneurLife #LegalInnovation #PodcastMarketing #MarketingThatWorks #DoneForYouContent #ContentStudioDallas

🎯 Want to Walk Away With a Month of Content in Just One Hour?

✨ Be a guest at the Heart of the Hustle Studio and leave with more than a great interview. You’ll get:

-Short-form reels and audiograms
-Done-for-you captions and pull quotes
-A full SEO blog post
-Strategy-backed content that builds authority and connection

📩 Apply now at https://www.sherrysutton.com/heartofthehustlevodcastapplication and let us turn your story into your most powerful marketing asset.

#HeartOfTheHustle #WomenInLeadership #SherrySutton #LeadershipWithHeart #DoneForYouContent #MarketingStudio #ContentThatConnects

I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Brandon Denmon, the founder of Peak Executive Solutions, for one of the most insightful leadership conversations I’ve ever had on Heart of the Hustle. Brandon’s story is so powerful—starting out in machine shops and dirty factories, learning from bad bosses, and eventually becoming the kind of leader who puts people and culture first.

In this episode, we dive into how real leadership isn’t about titles or boardrooms—it’s about trust, vulnerability, and creating space where your team can thrive. Brandon shares how he helps manufacturing companies align their teams, scale their operations, and build culture that sticks.

Whether you’re a CEO, team leader, or entrepreneur, this episode is packed with wisdom on what it truly means to lead from the heart.

⏱️Timestamps

00:00 – The Essence of Effective Leadership
01:17 – Introducing Brandon Denmon
01:27 – Brandon's Early Life and Career Beginnings
02:52 – Lessons from Barry and Career Growth
03:37 – Transition to Engineering and Family Life
05:58 – Why Brandon Founded Peak Executive Solutions
08:28 – Vulnerability and Trust: Why They’re Essential for Team Success
19:46 – Challenges in Leadership Development in Manufacturing
24:17 – Future of Coaching: Real-Time Feedback, Not PowerPoints
25:30 – From Seminars to Ongoing Coaching and Culture Work
26:29 – Sherry & Brandon’s Personal Coaching Journeys
28:18 – Listening and Feedback: The Missing Keys to Effective Leadership
34:41 – Company Size & Leadership Dynamics: From 20 to 200+ Employees
36:19 – Extreme Sports, Personal Growth, and Leadership Parallels
40:21 – Final Thoughts & How to Work with Brandon Denmon

🔎 Keywords:
leadership coaching, emotional intelligence in business, how to lead a manufacturing team, Brandon Denmon interview, Peak Executive Solutions, team alignment strategy, how to build trust at work, dirty businesses explained, vulnerability in leadership, coaching for CEOs, business culture change, executive coaching podcast, Heart of the Hustle

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

-Why trust and vulnerability are the foundation of high-performing teams
-What Brandon means by “dirty businesses” and how to modernize them
-The coaching techniques that actually work for frontline and mid-level managers
-Why most leadership development programs fail—and how to fix that
-Brandon’s tips for introverts and extroverts on leading together
-How Brandon helps private equity-backed companies scale or sell

📌 Guest: Brandon Denmon – https://peakexecutivesolutions.com
🎙️ Host: Sherry Sutton – @Heartofthehustleshow

📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube
🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcasting platform (Apple, Spotify, Google, and more)

#LeadershipPodcast #HeartOfTheHustle #BrandonDenmon #ExecutiveCoaching #ManufacturingLeadership #AuthenticLeadership #BusinessCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #PeakExecutiveSolutions #TeamTrust #PeopleFirstBusiness #CultureTransformation #EmotionalIntelligenceInBusiness

🎯 Want to Walk Away With a Month of Content in Just One Hour?

✨ Be a guest at the Heart of the Hustle Studio and leave with more than a great interview. You’ll get:

-Short-form reels and audiograms
-Done-for-you captions and pull quotes
-A full SEO blog post
-Strategy-backed content that builds authority and connection

📩 Apply now at https://www.sherrysutton.com/heartofthehustlevodcastapplication and let us turn your story into your most powerful marketing asset.

#HeartOfTheHustle #WomenInLeadership #SherrySutton #LeadershipWithHeart #DoneForYouContent #MarketingStudio #ContentThatConnects