Heather Marianna is back on the podcast to chat with Blair about adult friendships, betrayal and a new way to make genuine adult friends. This is her story, and she is RESILIENT A.F.

Buy the books: https://theglobalresilienceproject.com/books/

Camp Manifest: https://sunshinesecretofoc.com/camp-manifest-retreat

About the Guest:

Heather Marianna is a powerhouse entrepreneur and the visionary founder of Beauty Kitchen, a brand she launched in 2012 after leaving her 9-to-5 job to pursue her passion for skincare, DIY beauty, and natural ingredients. What began as a YouTube series teaching at-home beauty recipes quickly evolved into a full-scale beauty empire—and she’s been trailblazing ever since.

With years of hands-on experience, Heather has built and scaled multiple beauty brands from the ground up, mastering every facet of the business—from product formulation, pricing, and marketing to public relations, manufacturing, business credit, payroll, and retail strategy. She has even taken a company public and remains the majority shareholder, solidifying her reputation as a results-driven leader who not only talks about success but creates it. Her expertise has been featured in numerous books and articles, earning her recognition as one of the top authorities in beauty brand development and manufacturing.

Beyond brand creation, Heather is also the producer of the #1 Celebrity Gifting Lounge for Oscars and Emmys Week—a premier event that connects brands directly with A-list celebrities, influencers, media, and top industry insiders. Her gifting lounges have helped participating brands secure major media coverage, celebrity endorsements, and increased national visibility. Whether representing beauty, fashion, wellness or lifestyle, the brands showcased at these events benefit from unmatched exposure and credibility.

Heather’s work doesn’t stop at startups. She also coaches established beauty and lifestyle brands looking to reignite growth, expand their markets, or refine their strategies. Through her one-on-one coaching and consulting, she helps business owners identify blind spots, improve pricing and marketing, and develop clear action plans for sustainable success.

Widely known as the Queen of Manufacturing, Heather offers low MOQs (minimum order quantities), flexible production options, and access to over 400 white-label formulas, allowing entrepreneurs to launch or expand their beauty brands with ease. She provides a one-stop solution—offering everything from custom product formulation and branding guidance to business strategy and coaching.

Over the past decade, Heather has empowered countless entrepreneurs, celebrities, and TV personalities to launch and scale their own beauty lines. Her deep understanding of what it takes to move a concept from idea to retail-ready success makes her an invaluable mentor for anyone serious about building a thriving brand.

Heather believes success doesn’t happen by accident—it’s the result of smart strategy, expert guidance, and consistent evolution. Through her digital workbooks, mini-courses, product development packages, and private coaching, she offers tailored support for entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey. Whether launching a new brand or scaling an existing business, Heather Marianna helps clients avoid costly mistakes, fast-track their growth, and build brands that stand out in competitive...

This episode dives into the stories of two coauthors featured in RESILIENT A.F. Skin Deep Stories, Helga and BB.

Helga Magdalen had to be resilient when both her mom and sister had terminal cancer diagnoses in the same time period. This is her story, and she is RESILIENT A.F.

BB Gabriel shares the story of the tattoo that she got to represent the relationship with her sisters, Tara and Bryanne and navigating learning that her little sister was terminally ill. This is her story, and she is RESILIENT A.F.

Buy the books: https://theglobalresilienceproject.com/books/

Griefy Gals on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@griefygals

About the Guests:

Helga Magdalen is a mother of two amazing kids, an RN, an intuitive healer and a hypnotherapy intern. She loves to travel, write, spend time in nature, and go on adventures.

Links:

Instagram.com/czechgal1

https://www.facebook.com/helgamagdalen

linkedin.com/in/helga-schoening-a6343885

BB Gabriel is a proud Canadian, a master’s level registered social worker, and an award-winning author with a deep commitment to healing through storytelling. Drawing from her own lived experiences, BB writes powerful narratives that chart the journey from trauma to triumph, exploring the complexities of adversity, grief, and personal transformation. Her work centres on stories of survival and resilience; offering raw, honest reflections on overcoming life’s most difficult challenges.

BB believes that storytelling is not only a tool for personal healing, but also a source of strength and solace for readers who find themselves reflected in the pages. By fostering emotional resilience and encouraging others to process, heal, and evolve, BB creates space for connection, growth, and hope. She aims to inspire, empower, and uplift those who are navigating trauma, grief, and profound change with messages of perseverance and possibility.

Through her writing and professional work, BB is dedicated to giving back by supporting others on their healing journeys and reminding us that we are never truly alone. Her stories illuminate the path from surviving to thriving, offering readers the courage to keep going and the belief that transformation is always possible.

Links:

www.bbgabriel.com

https://www.instagram.com/no.ordinary.love_bb.gabriel

⚠️ Content Note: Some episodes may contain themes that could be distressing. Please take care of yourself while listening, and don’t hesitate to seek support from a mental health professional if needed.

About the Hosts:

Blair Kaplan Venables is a British Columbia-based grief and resilience expert and coach, motivational speaker and the Founder of The Global Resilience Project. Her expertise has been featured on media platforms like Forbes, TEDx, CBC Radio, Entrepreneur, and Thrive Global. She is named the Top Grief and Resilience Expert of the Year 2024 by IAOTP. USA Today listed Blair as one of the top 10 conscious female leaders to watch and she empowers others to be resilient from stages around the world. 'MyStory,’ which is a television show available on Amazon Prime...

Kimberly Rich went from surviving to thriving after the sudden death of her mother by turning her loss into her purpose. This is her story, and she is RESILIENT A.F.

Buy the books: https://theglobalresilienceproject.com/books/

About the Guest:

Kimberly Rich received her doctoral degree from Creighton University with a research focus in grief and bereavement. Her journey with grief started following the sudden loss of her mother in 2021. It was then that she first recognized the power of relationship in grief, and also realized the ways that we can fail to support one another as end of life approaches, as well as in times of grief. In the coming months she accepted that her mission would be to improve how we approach death, dying and supporting those who are grieving. She now serves as a death doula, end of life coordinator, and grief educator. She has been published multiple times and has a podcast: The Only Guarantee. Kimberly is based in the suburbs of Chicago, IL but regularly travels to support those in need. You can learn more about her work on Instagram @tomorrowmourningllc or on her website at www.tomorrowmourningllc.com.

⚠️ Content Note: Some episodes may contain themes that could be distressing. Please take care of yourself while listening, and don’t hesitate to seek support from a mental health professional if needed.

About the Hosts:

Blair Kaplan Venables is a British Columbia-based grief and resilience expert and coach, motivational speaker and the Founder of The Global Resilience Project. Her expertise has been featured on media platforms like Forbes, TEDx, CBC Radio, Entrepreneur, and Thrive Global. She is named the Top Grief and Resilience Expert of the Year 2024 by IAOTP. USA Today listed Blair as one of the top 10 conscious female leaders to watch and she empowers others to be resilient from stages around the world. 'MyStory,’ which is a television show available on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ and Google Play, showcases Blair's life story. She is the host of the Radical Resilience podcast and specializes in helping people strengthen their resilience muscle using scientifically proven methods and guides grieving high performers with her Navigating Grief Framework. The Global Resilience Project’s award-winning book series are international bestsellers, and her fourth book, RESILIENT A.F.: Stories of Resilience Vol 2, will be published in January 2025. In her free time, you can find Blair writing, in nature, travelling the world and helping people to strengthen their resilience muscles.

Links:

https://www.blairkaplan.ca/

https://theglobalresilienceproject.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/blairdkaplan

https://www.facebook.com/blair.kaplan

https://www.facebook.com/BlairKaplanCommunications

https://www.instagram.com/globalresiliencecommunity