In this episode, the founders of Martin and Muir, Lauren Muir and Renesha Martin, discuss their journey from high school aspirations to becoming successful entrepreneurs in the mental health field. They delve into their personal challenges, professional experiences, and the pivotal moments that led them to start their own counseling practice. They also share how their practice grew exponentially due to their unique approach during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Breonna Taylor protests. Additionally, they talk about their expansion into consulting and other entrepreneurial ventures. Lastly, they provide insights into their current operations, which include various therapeutic services and community involvement.

00:00 Introduction and Welcoming Guests
00:59 High School Reflections: Lauren's Journey
03:04 High School Reflections: Ranisha's Journey
05:58 College Years and Early Career: Lauren's Path
10:50 College Years and Early Career: Ranisha's Path
17:06 The Birth of Martin and Muir Counseling
22:11 The Birth of a New Business
22:43 Community Outreach and Growth
23:42 Official Launch and Expansion
25:38 Challenges During the Pandemic
26:43 Supporting Protestors and Community
28:14 Rising to the Occasion
32:40 Becoming Community Leaders
39:28 Current State and Future Plans
44:08 Entrepreneurial Ventures
47:30 Additional Business Ventures
50:21 Conclusion and Contact Information

Ellie and Maggie are joined by a special guest on today’s episode - Jill Wilcox. At age 18, Jill started her banking career and now leads Kentucky for JPMorganChase as a Commercial Banking Market Executive.

Join us to talk about her career, break down banking lingo and explain what JPMorganChase can do for you.

00:00 Introduction

00:17 High School Dreams and Aspirations

02:18 Journey into Banking

03:41 Climbing the Banking Ladder

05:36 Leadership and Mentorship

08:40 Building Relationships with Your Banker

12:51 Navigating JP Morgan Chase Services

18:01 The Importance of Liquidity in Business

18:19 Building a Strong Relationship with Your Banker

18:58 Strategies for Business Growth

20:27 Understanding Capital Expenditures (CapEx)

21:15 Leveraging Your Balance Sheet

25:00 Navigating Uncertain Times

26:56 Supporting Small and Women-Owned Businesses

28:10 Jill's Personal Journey and Vision

30:20 Expanding the Team and Future Goals

34:21 Connecting with JP Morgan Chase

Jill Wilcox on LinkedIn

Ellie Puckett, CEO of Resonate Recordings, shares her journey into acquisition entrepreneurship, discussing her transition from technology startups to buying a portion of Resonate Recordings. She introduces two other entrepreneurs, Brian and Lydia, who have also made the switch from startups to acquisitions. Brian, a traditional software entrepreneur, and Lydia, an expert in tech systems and team building, share their experiences and criteria for selecting businesses to acquire. They highlight the importance of understanding personal and professional goals, leveraging strengths, and focusing on specific industry criteria. Both emphasize the unexpected challenges and learning experiences in acquisition entrepreneurship, while underscoring the significance of maintaining community-based businesses. The discussion is aimed at demystifying acquisition entrepreneurship and encouraging individuals to explore this rewarding pathway.

In this episode of Renegade Ventures, co-hosts Ellie Puckett and Maggie Harlow welcome business leader and recruiter Renee Fulton, founder of Talis Group. What begins as a conversation between longtime colleagues unfolds into a thoughtful exploration of career pivots, values-based leadership, and the courage it takes to follow your own path.

Renee shares her early passion for accounting, nurtured by working alongside her father in his bookkeeping practice. She reflects on how this formative experience shaped her career ambitions and instilled a deep appreciation for the structure and problem-solving inherent in accounting—a skill set that would later become essential in her entrepreneurial journey.

The conversation moves into Renee’s experience in public accounting, where the demands of the profession and a challenging work environment led her to reassess her goals. Renee opens up about her decision to leave that world behind and step into entrepreneurship, a transition encouraged by her husband and fueled by a desire to create something more aligned with her values. The discussion explores themes of leadership, mindset, mental health, and managing the complexities of running a business with a spouse. A key influence in this stage of her journey: Loving What Is by Byron Katie, which offered clarity and perspective during moments of self-doubt.

Today, Renee leads Talis Group, a recruiting firm known for its personalized approach and exceptional client service. She reflects on what it means to grow a company with integrity, mentor a high-performing team, and define success beyond industry benchmarks. Renee’s story is a powerful reminder that entrepreneurship is not about chasing someone else’s version of success—it’s about building a business that reflects your values, solves meaningful problems, and supports the people around you.

Key Takeaways:

• The book Maggie mentions - "Loving What Is" by Byron Katie
• How foundational skills can shape lifelong professional growth
• The importance of recognizing when it’s time to pivot
• Strategies for balancing business, family, and personal well-being
• How mindset influences leadership and performance
• Why defining success on your own terms leads to more sustainable growth

In this episode, hosts Ellie and Maggie sit down with entrepreneur Tawana Bain to explore her journey of resilience and self-discovery. Reflecting on her high school graduation, Tawana shares feelings of fear and uncertainty, admitting she hadn't yet recognized her own gifts. Despite personal struggles, she recalls an innate ability to solve problems and connect with people. The discussion highlights the challenge of identifying and nurturing unique talents, especially when they don't align with traditional expectations.

After high school, Tawana chose to attend Brockport College, initially without a clear direction. Living in the inner city, she made intuitive choices, eventually majoring in French and minoring in computer science, later swapping them. The conversation delves into her self-directed nature and the challenges it posed within her family dynamics. She reflects on parenting her own grandchildren, recognizing similar traits and striving to nurture them differently. Her early career included a year in France to hone her language skills, followed by work in a call center where she utilized both her French and tech background. Facing career roadblocks, she pivoted to a small design firm, where her problem-solving skills shone in high-level meetings. The hosts discuss the importance of speaking up, unlearning fear, and the value of supportive mentors—or the lack thereof.

Tawana's entrepreneurial journey takes her to Miami for a commission sales job, and later to Louisville, Kentucky. Balancing work and motherhood, she eventually leaves a job to help launch a payroll business for an entrepreneur. After building the business, she departs to start her own company, Back Office Marketing, leveraging her network and skills in telemarketing and lead generation. The group discusses the challenges of control, equity, and incentivizing key team members in small businesses. Tawana shares her philosophy on rewarding dedication and the lessons learned from not having ownership in ventures she helped build. Her ventures expand to include TBA & Co., a company that blends for-profit business with nonprofit values, emphasizing community connection and social impact. She also opens a boutique and purchases Black Jockey’s Lounge, using delayed receivables to fund new ventures.

The conversation shifts to Tawana's role as a Black woman entrepreneur in underrepresented spaces and the importance of visibility for inspiring others. She discusses her latest venture as CEO of American Clean Resources Group, a publicly traded firm focused on building a massive renewable energy industrial park in Nevada. The project aims to generate clean energy while boosting industrial production, economic growth, and job opportunities. Tawana describes the project's scale, innovation, and bipartisan support, as well as her excitement in combining creativity with operational expertise. The hosts and Tawana discuss the tension between leading with social good and articulating a strong business value proposition. Tawana shares her evolution: learning to balance doing good with making money and helping others see the value in both. The episode wraps with encouragement for entrepreneurs to embrace both profit and purpose, with the hosts expressing excitement for Tawana’s future chapters and thanking her for sharing her journey and insights.

On today's episode we Maggie, Ellie, and guest Jen Hartmann founder of NEAT, a boutique PR agency located in Louisville, Kentucky discuss the nature of growth and change as a business owner.

This conversation covers the risk calculus so many small business owners face as growth raises the stakes. From her early like as a BMX champion, to her agency owner, and her life with acquisitions.

Amy Meredith, co-founder and executive director of UP for Women and Children, has transformed her personal and professional experiences into a mission to combat homelessness in Louisville. Drawing from her early involvement in her family's manufacturing business and subsequent roles in marketing and business development, Amy co-founded UP in 2017 with Andrea Scott. Recognizing a critical gap in services for women and children experiencing homelessness, they established Louisville’s first and only women-only day shelter. Since opening its doors in 2018, UP has provided essential services such as showers, secure storage, and case management, serving over 3,000 individuals and assisting more than 500 in securing permanent housing. WLKY

Under Amy's leadership, UP operates as a hub, connecting guests with vital resources including legal aid, housing assistance, and healthcare services. The organization has seen a significant increase in demand, with a 60% rise in service needs reported in 2023. Currently open three days a week, UP plans to expand its hours and physical space to accommodate the growing need. Amy emphasizes the importance of providing a safe and supportive environment, stating, "Sometimes it's just having a safe space to be for the day." WLKY

Amy's dedication to social impact has been recognized through several accolades, including the 2023 Nonprofit Visionary Leader Award from Louisville Business First. She was also nominated for the 2024 Today’s Woman “Most Admired Woman” award in Community and Sisterhood. Her approach to nonprofit leadership mirrors that of running a business, focusing on sustainable staffing, strategic growth, and community collaboration. In 2024, UP received a $100,000 grant from Impact 100 Louisville, enabling further expansion of services to meet the increasing needs of women and children facing homelessness. UP For Women and Children

Looking ahead, Amy and the UP team are preparing to address emerging challenges, such as the maternal health crisis, while continuing to advocate for vulnerable populations. Their commitment to providing comprehensive support and fostering community partnerships positions UP as a vital resource in Louisville's efforts to combat homelessness. Through resilience and innovation, Amy Meredith exemplifies how entrepreneurial skills can drive meaningful change in the nonprofit sector.

Key Topics:

1:08 - Introducing today’s guest Amy Meredith.

2:15 - Amy’s Early Career and Influences.

6:01 - Business Challenges, Loss, Personal Life Struggles.

11:41 - Amy’s Career Shift and Finding New Purpose.

14:16 - The Need for a Day Center for Women and Children.

20:31 - ​​Growth and Expansion Amidst Challenges.

22:59 - Serving Diverse Community Needs.

26:02 - The Growth and Financial Aspects of Nonprofits.

29:09 - Preparing for Future Challenges.

Links:

Learn more about Ellie Puckett and Maggie Harlow.

Learn more about Up for Women and Children.

Welcome to Renegade Ventures, where we explore diverse paths to business ownership. We dive into the world of acquiring, growing, and selling businesses by sharing the real-life journeys of women renegades who transformed the lives of their families, employees, and communities. Hosted by Ellie Puckett and Maggie Harlow—both business owners, acquisition experts, and advocates for women—this show is your guide to business ownership with heart.

Today’s guest is Emily Chandler, a dynamic entrepreneur with an unconventional journey rooted in service, adaptability, and the pursuit of meaningful work. From dreams of veterinary medicine to banking, startups, and personal assisting, Emily’s path reflects the power of following your intuition and embracing change.

Emily shares how her career shifted from corporate roles to launching her own venture, Leave it to E—a luxury concierge and personal assisting service. The inspiration came after a pivotal dinner with a respected couple who offered encouragement and even investment support. Though she initially wrestled with imposter syndrome, Emily took time for self-reflection and realized that her greatest strengths—serving others and building deep relationships—could form the foundation of a purpose-driven business.

Now three years in, Emily discusses the lessons she’s learned, including the danger of stretching her business too thin by trying to be everything for everyone. One of her key takeaways? Say no when something doesn’t align with your mission. Her focus is on building a service that helps people concentrate on what matters most in their lives, whether it’s managing household logistics or easing emotional burdens.

Emily emphasizes the difference between completing tasks and building relationships. From scheduling oil changes to anticipating summer camp signups, her work is proactive, intuitive, and grounded in trust. She also touches on the cultural barriers she’s faced—particularly among women in Louisville who feel pressured to “do it all” without help—versus the openness to outsourcing she sees from transplants.

Hiring has been another challenge, as Emily looks for team members who possess initiative, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence—traits that don’t always show up on resumes. Delegation doesn’t come naturally to her, but learning to let go has helped her grow as a leader. She also shares how her investors gave her the space to lead independently, which has been vital to her confidence and development as a founder.

During onboarding, Emily helps clients identify their biggest stressors—whether it’s laundry, meal planning, or navigating care for elderly loved ones—and shows them how much can be lifted off their plates. What often begins as five hours a week of support grows into a deeper partnership as clients recognize the freedom and peace it brings.

In closing, Emily encourages women to gift support to others—whether it’s time, help, or concierge hours—and help normalize receiving help. She’s passionate about making life easier for others and welcomes conversations with anyone exploring the idea of getting or giving support. Emily’s story is a testament to the power of service, relationships, and doing business with heart.

Key Topics:

1:08 - Introducing today’s guest Emily Chandler.

7:41 - Full-time shift, hiring, mental load support

15:21 - Anticipating needs and forming deep client relationships

21:45 - Leave it to E’s personalized services

23:30 - Cultural resistance, mom guilt, regional differences

26:09 – Outsourcing stigma and positive mindset shifts

30:06 - The intangible skills of support and the power of delegation

40:44 - The importance of support in different life stages

42:12 - The value of outsourcing and overcoming emotional barriers

48:33 - Encouraging others to accept help