Renegade Ventures

What if the best business you build is the one built around your life—not the other way around? In this live episode of Renegade Ventures Podcast, Ellie sits down with Toa Green, founder of Crank & Boom Ice Cream, to unpack her unconventional journey from her family’s restaurant to building one of Lexington’s most loved ice cream brands. What started with a $60 ice cream maker and a homema...

What does it actually take to go from running restaurants to building a franchise brand? In this episode of Renegade Ventures, Lauren Coulter shares the evolution of Biscuit Belly—from early-stage growth without a clear strategy to a more intentional, systems-driven approach to scaling. She breaks down the realities of franchising, including what changes as an operator, how to think about partners...

Ellie and Maggie welcome Mary Kay Shields, owner of Triple Crown Dentistry in Louisville, to discuss the often-unspoken reality of owning a business with a spouse and navigating divorce alongside a partnership split. Mary shares her path from starting her dental practice in 2012 to expanding into a larger, purchased 8,000-square-foot building in 2019, and how differing leadership styles created te...

Reinventing First Aid with Green Goo: Rapid Growth, a COVID Pivot, and a Hard-Won Buyback On the Renegade Ventures podcast, Ellie Puckett and Maggie Harlow interview Jodi Scott about building Green Goo, a mission-driven, plant-based first aid company she founded with her mom and herbalist/midwife sister to disrupt chemical-laden OTC first aid by leading with efficacy and family-safe, sustainable i...

What do you do when the system you trained in no longer aligns with how you want to serve people? In this episode of Renegade Ventures, we sit down with Kristina Pohl, founder of Eternity Wellness in Louisville. After years as a NICU nurse and nurse practitioner, Kristina saw the gaps in traditional healthcare — and decided to build something different. With $5,000, a single treatment room, and a...

In this episode of the Renegade Ventures podcast, the hosts discuss the shift from hands-on operator to leader and coach—highlighting the importance of clear “don’t do” goals. They’re joined by Lauren and Pamela of Splendid Events, a mother–daughter event planning team who share how they built their business over 16 years and successfully pivoted during COVID to virtual events through studio partn...

What happens when you intentionally build a business to sell — and actually do it? In this episode of Renegade Ventures, Ellie sits down with serial entrepreneur Diane Prince, who went from failing out of a PhD program to building and selling a staffing agency for $28 million in just six years — and then doing it all over again. Diane walks us through how she and her co-founder engineered their ex...

In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Maggie sits down with Ellie to unpack the deal that didn’t close-one she flew across the world for, fought for, and genuinely believed would reshape her business. The wound is fresh, the emotions are real, and nothing is sugar-coated. Together, they walk through the highs of early hope, the red flags they tried to ignore, and the moment everything unraveled...

In this episode of Renegade Ventures, we sit down with Ronyale Smith, owner of Blak Koffee in Louisville, Kentucky, to talk about what it really takes to build a values-driven business from the ground up. Ronyale shares her journey into entrepreneurship, the vision behind Blak Koffee, and how she’s created more than just a coffee shop—it’s a space rooted in culture, community, and intentional impa...

In this inspiring episode of the Renegade Ventures Podcast, intuitive communications coach and topic expert Tina Bakehouse explores the transformative power of effective communication in both business and personal growth. Invited onto the show for her deep expertise, Tina reveals how shifting our self-perception—especially through intentional and empowering “I am” statements—can help us step into...

In this conversation, entrepreneur Monica Wolfe takes us inside her unexpected journey from corporate consulting to becoming one of the most innovative forces in the bourbon industry. Monica shares how learning the business alongside her father opened the door to a deeper understanding of bourbon, ultimately inspiring her to help reshape how modern whiskey brands are built. She walks us through th...

Join Ellie and Maggie for a special solo episode of Renegade Ventures! This week, it’s just the two of them catching up, reflecting on recent adventures, and sharing honest insights from the frontlines of entrepreneurship.

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Tiffany Nugent, founder of Salt Wellness, as she shares her remarkable journey from C-suite executive to wellness entrepreneur. In this episode, Tiffany opens up about the bold decision to acquire an established business while launching her own, the challenges of blending family and business, and the importance of authenticity in leadership. We dive into...

Dee Dee Taylor turned a personal health challenge into a thriving cannabis business. From discovering the healing power of CBD to building 502 & 812 Hemp, her journey is full of courage, innovation, and perseverance. She shares the highs, lows, and lessons learned along the way. Tune in to hear how she’s changing the hemp and cannabis industry one product at a time.

Step into the world of Phoebe Wood, a trailblazing Louisville executive whose career spans leadership roles on major corporate boards, strategic investments in startups, and advisory work through her firm, KirtleyWood LLC. In this episode of Renegade Ventures, Phoebe shares insights from her path in psychology and finance, her decades of board experience with companies like Invesco and PPL Corpora...

Sisters Colleen and Maggie Clines are the renegade founders of Anchal Project, a Louisville-based social enterprise transforming lives from Kentucky to Kolkata. What started with a trip to India has grown into a platform empowering 500+ women through design, dignity, and independence. In this episode, the Clines share the real story behind building a mission-driven brand—raw challenges, global imp...

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 d...

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 Banki...

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...

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, nurtur...

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 hig...

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 i...

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 i...

In this episode Maggie and Ellie sit down with a rising-star and all around MVP - Olivia Wang of Wang’s Window Washing . From Olivia’s TWO master’s degrees, early itch for entrepreneurship, to her professional women’s tackle football career - Olivia tackles every goal head-on. This episode discusses the long-term goals of starting a small business, and how the lessons can be replicated and scaled....