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We’re told that running a small business is “hard,” but no one really explains how messy, humbling, and human those first few years can be.

In this conversation, I talk with Dannah Boston about the real behind-the-scenes of business ownership: the ugly first five years, the pressure of providing for a team, and the identity shift that comes with juggling life as a provider, parent, and entrepreneur.

Dannah Boston, the founder of The Esthetic Co, brings over 15 years of experience in the esthetics industry and a drive for results for all skin. With the support of her husband, they have a full house: three little humans, three dogs, a cat, 10 hens, and a rooster. When Dannah isn't working on the business, you can find her with her family on a mountain snowboarding in the winter, on a lake with the kids in the summer, or at one of the local wineries with friends.

Learn more about The Esthetic Co here.

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On this episode, discover how Ryan transitioned from a career in education to opening a thriving vegan eatery, Botanical, amidst the challenges of the pandemic. You'll hear about the importance of community, the power of confidence, and the joy of creating a supportive environment for both staff and customers.

Ryan Becklund is the owner of Botanical in Charlottesville and Bar Botanical in Crozet, Va. Both restaurants are 100% vegan and serve a variety of vegan fare, pastries, craft cocktails, coffees, and uncommonly found vegan products.

Ryan lives in Crozet with her partner, dog, and cats (and usually a foster cat or two). She loves the challenging pace of the food service industry, becoming part of the rare community here in Cville, and spending her tiny amounts of free time with her friends and animals.

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This episode originally aired on Feb. 5, 2024. The show notes have been updated to reflect Yolonda's current offerings. Enjoy!

Yolonda Coles Jones is a visionary coach, healing-centered facilitator, homeschooling mama, and community-rooted leader based in Charlottesville, VA. She leads two distinct yet deeply aligned entities—each with its own purpose, structure, and offerings.

Through her LLC, Empowered People® Coaching & Consulting

(→ www.YolondaJonesCreative.com), Yolonda supports high-impact individuals, families, and teams in reclaiming calm, clarity, and confidence. Her offerings include:

• Calm Coaching™

• 1:1 Private Custom Coaching

• Parenting Support & Consultation

• In-Person Grounding & Clarity Sessions

• Workshops + Public Speaking for Conscious Leaders & Organizations

Empowered People® is built for those ready to lead and live with presence, purpose, and unapologetic self-trust.

She is also the Founder and Executive Director of The RESTORE Project, a fully independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit

(→ www.TheRESTOREProject.org), which offers trauma-informed, community-based care—particularly centering Black women and mothers in Charlottesville–Albemarle. RESTORE is a home for:

• Culturally responsive, mindfulness-based programming

• Restorative coaching and wellness pathways

• Community partnerships for healing, parenting, and collective care

Engage with Empowered People® (LLC)

→ Book a coaching package, clarity session, or workshop https://ycjcreative.as.me/

→ Invite Yolonda to speak at your event or facilitate for your group https://forms.gle/PV8n9t5mMXNLg4wW8

Engage with The RESTORE Project (501c3)

→ Donate to sustain participant care and community-rooted leadership https://therestoreproject.org/

→ Partner to co-create or fund healing experiences email: admin@theRESTOREproject.org

→ Participate if you’re local and aligned with the mission email: yolonda@theRESTOREproject.org

Follow Yolonda’s journey and leadership at @Yolonda_J on Instagram.

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Snail Mail is a brand specializing in hand painted stationery and products featuring Carrie's original artwork. The products she creates are rooted in the joys of our every day and bring a smile to many of the little moments throughout our lives.

Snail Mail's stationery line is painted by hand on 100% recycled paper, making each one unique to the customer while also being good for the earth!

Additionally, a portion of each card purchase is donated back to local organizations across Virginia helping to welcome our refugee neighbor, aiming to create more inclusive communities. Really and truly, Snail Mail's whole business is rooted in loving our neighbors without conditions.

Complementing the cards, Carrie offers recycled beer can ornaments, stickers, bandanas, art prints, and paint palette originals. She also has a wide portfolio of freelance work with folks like Dukes Mayo, James River Association, Independence Golf Club, and more.

https://cheathamsnailmail.com

https://instagram.com/cheathamsnail_mail

https://facebook.com/cheathamsnailmail

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Lauren is a UVA graduate and former elementary educator who spent 13 years teaching (in room 13) in Charlottesville before transitioning into roles as a private educator and a family assistant.

She now runs Curated Concierge, a thriving personal concierge business that supports busy professionals and families by managing the details of life. Her goal? To help her clients feel supported, reduce their mental load, and give them the freedom to focus on what they love.

From organizing homes to coordinating seasonal tasks, her services are designed to reduce stress and maximize joy. An advocate for asking for help and delegating tasks, Lauren combines practical expertise with a personal touch, always prioritizing connection and care.

Her newsletter, Curated Connections, provides a mix of relatable stories and actionable advice, making it a favorite among clients and followers alike. Whether it’s hosting friends and family at her home or sharing ideas on Instagram, Lauren believes in fostering relationships and building supportive networks. She's excited to share her journey as an entrepreneur and what it means to run a business built on helping others.

Website: www.ccbylaurensantana.com

Instagram: @ccbylaurensantana

Facebook: Curated Concierge by Lauren Santana

Newsletter: Curated Connections

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Lune Wynyard had already been cutting what they call "unwashed hair" for over a decade before founding 'Intuitive Dry Cutting' in 2016. Their teaching career began when they opened a dedicated salon in New York in 2017, and in 2018 Lune traveled to LA to teach their first workshop.

With the onset of the pandemic in 2020, Lune's focus shifted to becoming a certified life coach and developing an online program for hair stylists, interrupted by the birth of their daughter and subsequent relocation to Charlottesville as a single parent.

Now, Lune has been cutting independently at The Strand, a salon in the heart of Belmont, and establishing a clientele, some of whom travel from an hour or more away to experience an Intuitive Dry Cut.

Lune enjoys promoting 'radical self acceptance' through the belief that all hair is beautiful in its natural expression, and that a haircut that allows it to do what it wants can transform someone's relationship with themself. They never stop learning from each head they encounter, and even though they resisted the idea of becoming a professional hair stylist for years, they find deep satisfaction in their work and can't imagine a life without it.

Lune dreams of revolutionizing the way our culture relates to beauty and hair, one head and one student at a time.

www.intuitivedrycutting.com
IG @intuitive.dry.cutting
tiktok @intuitive.dry.cutting
youtube @intuitivedrycutting
facebook @Intuitive Dry Cutting

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Kelly Cox is a 500 RYT, registered prenatal yoga instructor, birth doula, and licensed clinical social worker. For the last 15 years, she has supported expectant and new mothers and it is through this work she became aware of the stress and depression that surround feeding infants. As a breast cancer survivor, she is committed to making sure all survivors have access to human milk for their babies.

Listen in as Kelly shares more about this revolutionary app, her journey from being a pre- and post-natal yoga studio owner to app developer, and how she takes care of herself through the boundaries she sets and the people she shares her energy with.

Learn more about Share the Drop here, and follow on Instagram here!

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Molly Braswell runs Sidecar: a team of folks interested in some work, but not full time work, who support small businesses and non-profits who need some help, but not full time help. It's a win-win!

Molly lives in Lexington, Virginia with her husband and three small children where she is learning that a "normal week" is a hoax and she's committed to finding folks interesting and dynamic work that fits in with their real, actual, "never-normal" lives.

Check out Sidecar here, and connect with Molly on Instagram.

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