Boss Babes of the Bluegrass

Shalanda Smith is a seasoned nurse, yoga instructor, and wellness advocate in Central Kentucky. Shalanda Smith shares her journey from 30 years in long-term care nursing to her current roles at Bluegrass Care Navigators’ Pace Center and as a yoga and Pilates teacher, emphasizing the importance of preventive health, community wellness, and self-care. The conversation explores shifts in healthcare,...

Stephanie Spires, CEO of Spires Strategies, shares about her journey in business, passion for advocating for children and families, and balancing life as a single mother of five. Stephanie shares insights on her unique business model that supports both families—especially executive mothers—and schools, her perspective on educational advocacy and trauma-informed practices, as well as her candidacy...

Rachael Bullock is a longtime Mary Kay entrepreneur who discusses her journey of nearly 29 years in the beauty industry. Rachel shares how she empowers women through confidence-building with makeup, skincare, and entrepreneurship, highlighting the importance of personal relationships and adaptability, especially during challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and her mother’s ALS diagnosis. In this e...

Amanda Woods Hall is founder of The Executive Method, to explore how embracing your authentic self—and understanding the way your brain works—can transform your life and business. Amanda shared actionable strategies for overcoming procrastination, harmonizing the demands of home and career, and cultivating empathy as the heart of leadership. If you’re ready to ditch unrealistic productivity pressu...

Judge Lucy Van Meter shares her inspiring journey from Bourbon County High to becoming Fayette Circuit Court Judge and now running for Kentucky Court of Appeals. We talk about the challenges of making tough decisions, navigating a demanding legal career, and the importance of mentorship, self-care, and lifelong friendships. Judge Van Meter reminds us to embrace change and stay connected with our c...

Ann Marie Spoonamore is an inspiring biology teacher and assistant athletic director at Henry Clay High School. She shares her journey from student to educator, her passion for helping students both in and out of the classroom, and how she balances a busy career with family life. We dive into the changing landscape of education, the impact of AI in the classroom, and the importance of leading with...

Kris welcomes Keary Snapp to discuss her inspiring 20+ year journey in the health and wellness industry. Keary shares how her career evolved from personal training and figure competitions to massage therapy, functional wellness coaching, and life coaching. She talks about overcoming personal challenges including addiction and ADHD along the way. She highlights the importance of self-care, mindset,...

Katie Neal is a certified executive coach, speaker, and communications consultant who shares about her career path from journalism and public relations to launching Katie Neal Coaching and Consulting . Katie opens up about overcoming perfectionism, shares her experiences preparing for a TEDx talk, and discusses how executive coaching is shifting from a remedial service to a tool for growth and dev...

Michelle Smock is a dynamic business coach and state trainer with the Small Business Development Center. Michelle shares her journey from massage therapist and spa owner to her current role supporting entrepreneurs in Lexington, discusses the importance of networking and overcoming imposter syndrome, and offers actionable tips for harmonizing personal and professional life. The conversation highli...

Renee Chew of Paws and Pillows discusses her inspiring journey from a 35-year corporate career to caring for animals and supporting the local community in Kentucky. Renee shares how her business provides loving care for pets and small farm animals, her passion for animal rescue, and her adventures with Marshmallow, her celebrity Nigerian dwarf goat. The conversation also touches on finding work-li...

In this episode of Boss Babes of the Bluegrass, Kris Castle sits down with marriage coach Cristie Cerniglia to discuss her journey from homeschooling mom to transformative relationship coach in Nicholasville, Kentucky. Cristie shares how personal challenges led her to discover and train in intimate relationship skills, ultimately sparking her passion to help women improve their marriages and famil...

Lauren Brooke is a partner at Brooke and Mills Law Firm in Richmond, KY. Lauren shared her journey from New Jersey to Kentucky, her passion for helping others through family and criminal law, and the importance of leading with kindness both in and out of the courtroom. We also talked about the power of women supporting women, balancing work and life, and making a positive impact in the community—w...

Ashley Nunn is owner of Sláinte Public House in Georgetown, Kentucky. Ashley Nunn discusses her journey from falling in love with Irish pub culture to building her own thriving local business, including inventive ways she kept Sláinte afloat during the COVID-19 shutdown through community auctions and creative hot dog sales. She shares insight into her leadership style, striving for balance between...

Libby Cortez is owner of Sassy Wellness, a Latin dance company focused on empowering women and bridging studio-trained and culturally trained dancers in Lexington, Kentucky. Libby Cortez shares her personal fitness journey, the inspiration behind starting her business, and the challenges she faced in building an inclusive dance community. The conversation also touches on wellness trends post-COVID...

Kris Ramsey is Business Development Director at Elder Care Law of Kentucky. Kris Ramsey shares her journey from being an occupational therapist to her current role in elder law, emphasizing the importance of flexibility and being open to new opportunities. The conversation touches on the growing needs of the elder community in Kentucky, the importance of connecting families with resources, and pra...

Nell Anne Gossett explores her inspiring and eclectic career journey—from ropes course trainer and country ham store owner to event venue manager and more! She candidly shares the lessons learned along the way, including the importance of kindness in business, finding the right people for your team, and embracing change with curiosity and resilience. She reflects on her leadership philosophy, the...

Allie Daniel is a dynamic young sales rep from Lamar Advertising who shares her journey from pursuing teaching at Asbury University to diving into sales, inspired by her powerhouse mom. She discusses the importance of finding mentors, harmonizing work-life demands, and being a good steward of your time. Allie also offers tips about embracing positivity, recharging through exercise, volunteering at...

Angela Addington discusses her inspiring journey of reinvention, entrepreneurship, and living life to the fullest. Angela shares how she balances a full-time remote job with a thriving side hustle that includes house/pet sitting across the U.S., international mission work, and her passion projects in travel and photography—recently rebranded as “Lenses and Latitudes.” She offers insights on creati...

In this special “Podiversary” episode of Boss Babes of the Bluegrass, host Kris Castle celebrates one year of amplifying the inspiring stories of women in business from Central Kentucky. Kris reflects on her journey into podcasting—starting from scratch with no experience, the role of mentorship, and the invaluable help of Jennifer Longworth from Bourbon Barrel Podcasting . She shares five key les...

Oz Davis is founder of Peer House, an outsourced accounting firm in Central Kentucky. Oz shares her inspiring journey from corporate controller to successful entrepreneur, describing how she identified a unique industry need and built Peer House into a thriving business with a diverse team and client base. The conversation looks at her leadership philosophy, the importance of passion and mentorshi...

Michele Carlisle is the Executive Director of the Amen House in Georgetown, KY. Michele shares her inspiring journey from running a photography business to leading an impactful nonprofit dedicated to fighting hunger in Scott County. The conversation dives into the "why" behind her work, leadership through building intentional team culture, challenges and opportunities brought by federal food progr...

Heather Finley of Finley's Towing and Recovery discussdx her inspiring journey from working in insurance to co-founding a successful family business in Georgetown, Ky. Heather shares insights on taking calculated risks, balancing motherhood and work, and the importance of giving back to the local community. She candidly recounts the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship and offers empowering...

Vanessa Grossl is the State Representative for Kentucky's District 88. Vanessa shares her journey from growing up in Eastern Kentucky to becoming a legislator, highlighting her passion for education, community service, and problem-solving. She talks about how encouragement from her family and friends—particularly her mother—helped her step into public service, her approachable leadership style, cu...

Jessica Lewis is a former educator turned successful entrepreneur in the direct sales field. Jessica shares her journey from school administrator to stay-at-home mom, and how she found purpose and fulfillment building her business with Neora, a holistic skincare and wellness company. The conversation dives deep into overcoming imposter syndrome, balancing a busy family life with leadership in busi...

Joy Harris-Edwards of Authentic Joy explores her journey from profound grief after her father's passing to finding purpose as a helper, therapist, and leader. Joy shares how personal loss inspired her to launch her business, write a book, and dedicate herself to mental health advocacy, especially for women and families overcoming addiction. The conversation covers practical strategies for balancin...