Conejo Valley Visionaries

Today's episode is a replay from earlier this season featuring Brittany Brouhard, the heart and soul behind Naughty Pine Brewing Co., a female-owned and family-operated brewery in Westlake Village, CA that's been redefining the craft beer scene in the Conejo Valley since opening in 2021. Britt started her brewing adventure with a simple Christmas gift, a brew-in-a-bag kit for her husband, Justin....

Ep. 20: In today's episode you'll hear from Beau Daniels, co-founder of Body Dynamix and Sports Academy in Newbury Park, CA . Beau shares his journey from a childhood passion for sports and engineering to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the field of sports medicine and youth athletics. He discusses his early influences, the transition from volleyball to chiropractic, and the founding of Body...

Ep. 19: In this episode, we hear from Sean and Amber about their journey opening Five07 in Thousand Oaks, CA. They discuss their early career aspirations, the inspiration and "why" behind Five07, opening a second location at the beginning of 2024, and the challenges they faced and overcame throughout. We also talk about the importance of community engagement, collaboration with local vendors, and...

Ep. 18: In today's episode, you’ll meet Giana and Antonio, the charming couple and owners behind Made in Italy Bistro in Thousand Oaks. Get ready for a heartfelt discussion about authenticity, customer connection, and the joys and challenges of entrepreneurship in the culinary world! Giana and Antonio share insights from their educational backgrounds, the vital role of community, and how the pande...

To honor the intention of Thanksgiving, we're throwing it back to someone I'm extremely grateful for -- Luis Sanchez, chef owner of Mouthful Eatery in Thousand Oaks, CA. Just shy of one year ago, Luis took a chance and agreed to be my first interviewee for the podcast. I'd always loved Mouthful - the Lomo Saltado sandwich was my guilty pleasure during pregnancy - and I was so impressed with what h...

Ep. 17: Today, we’re joined by Dr. Gerhard Apfelthaler, the Dean of the School of Management at Cal Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California. Gerhard is an accomplished professor of International Business and a dynamic leader who has transformed the landscape of business education in the Conejo Valley and beyond.  From founding successful community initiatives like Hub101 to launching the...

Ep. 16: In today's episode, you’ll hear from Collin and Vicki, the dynamic duo behind Moody Rooster and Moody Market & Provisions in Westlake Village. Known for their delicious, locally sourced dishes and warm, inviting atmosphere, they’ve turned their passion for food into a beloved gathering spot for locals and visitors alike. In this episode, we’ll explore their culinary journeys, the inspi...

Ep. 15: Today you'll meet Brittany Brouhard, the heart and soul behind Naughty Pine Brewing Co., a female-owned and family-operated brewery in Westlake Village, CA that's been redefining the craft beer scene in the Conejo Valley since opening in 2021. Britt started her brewing adventure with a simple Christmas gift, a brew-in-a-bag kit for her husband, Justin. Fast forward to 2013 when Britt and J...

Ep. 14 Today you’ll hear from Tyler Cusick, the founder and CEO of Westlake Yoga Co. in Westlake Village. Tyler’s journey from a passionate hot yoga student to a successful studio owner is nothing short of inspiring. Tune in for an uplifting discussion that highlights the profound impact of yoga, the resilience of local businesses, and the journey toward personal and professional fulfillment. We t...

Ep. 13: In this engaging conversation, Brittaney Carpenter shares her journey from aspiring fashion merchandiser to successful business owner of Face and Soul Studios. She discusses her early aspirations, the transition into the beauty industry, and the challenges she faced while establishing her business. Brittaney emphasizes the importance of community, work-life balance, and trusting one's inst...

12: In today's episode, we’re talking to Danielle Borja, President and CEO of the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce .  As President and CEO, Danielle leads one of the largest Chambers in the state of California with over 700 business members, serving the cities of Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, and Agoura Hills.  I thought it was fitting to end season 1 with Danielle as she adds a di...

11: In today's episode, we’re talking to Juliet Tabbara, board certified holistic coach, owner of Nourish Within Wellness and founder of the Conejo Valley Wellness Community. After studying psychology in college, Juliet’s first job was in recruiting. She quickly learned that life was not for her. It was a serendipitous move to Phoenix with her then boyfriend, and an entry level job at a health...

10: In today's episode, we’re talking to Mike Ashamalla and Shawn Orr, two of the co-founders of Tifa Chocolate and Gelato . In the early 2000s, Denise and Mike (mom & dad) and Shawn and Candace (brother & sister) knew they wanted to do something together that involved food. But they had no idea that a gelato experience during a family trip to Italy would inspire more than 17 years of...

9: In today's episode, we’re talking to Amy Bates, co-owner of West Tasting Room in Thousand Oaks.  Amy’s childhood passion and first career was in the film industry - where she project managed feature films. After over a decade of traveling around the world working on movies, she realized she was burnt out and knew it was time to pursue another of her passions: wine.  In our conversation, Amy...

8: In today's episode, we’re continuing our conversation with Saverio Posarelli, the owner of ⁠Basta⁠ restaurant in Agoura Hills. This week you'll hear about his move to the United States and how Basta came to be - with many ups & downs in between. Plus, Saverio shares his vision for the growing Basta empire including Basta Fatta a Mano opening later this year.  Listen to Part 1 with S...

7: In today's episode, we’re talking to Saverio Posarelli, the owner of Basta restaurant in Agoura Hills. This interview covers so much ground that we broke it into 2 parts. This week you’ll learn about Saverio’s picturesque childhood in the hills of Tuscany, his father and Nonna's influence on his career pursuits, and his early culinary training around Europe and Japan. Next week, we’ll h...

12 episodes. That was my goal when starting the hyperlocal small business podcast Conejo Valley Visionaries. Today marks the halfway point and I'm so proud. In this mid-season solo Q&A, I answer questions about my background, explain the tools and resources I used to get started, and share stories about how the interviews came to be. I talk about the calendar hack that helped me get this p...

6: In today's episode, we’re talking to Drew Pletcher, co-founder of Oak & Iron cocktail bar in Thousand Oaks, CA.  Drew’s path to opening Oak & Iron was not a straight line. From film studies as an undergrad to practicing law, his career moves along the way are not a typical journey to owning a bar but have a common thread: storytelling.   In our conversation, Drew shares how a job at...

5: In today's episode, we’re talking to Marina Edelman, licensed marriage and family therapist and owner of Edelman Counseling .  Marina’s career began in finance where she worked as an analyst at a Fortune 500 company. After having children and relocating to the Conejo Valley, Marina decided to pursue a career change rooted in childhood interests - psychology. After getting her Master of Arts...

4: In today's episode, we’re talking to Alisa Bertram, owner and lead designer of Beam Design and Consulting . Alisa started designing and decorating at a young age when her parents let her design and manage all of their home improvements. When she purchased her first home and realized the true power of interior design and the value it adds to your home and yourself, she created Beam. She now...

3: In today's episode, we’re talking to Darlynn Childress, a life and parent coach, and owner of Calm Mama Coaching .  10 plus years ago, Darlynn was an overwhelmed, confused, and angry mom to 2 young boys. After unsuccessfully trying traditional parenting strategies to calm the chaos, Darlynn took a deep dive into researching and learning calm and compassionate approaches to misbehavior.  Uti...

2: In today's episode, we’re talking to Heather Coe of Mix Up Baking.  If you’re not familiar, Mix Up Baking is a family-run vegan and allergen-free baking company based here in the Conejo Valley. Heather started Mix Up Baking out of necessity when she discovered that her youngest son, Lennon, had severe food allergies. She struggled to find desserts that were both safe for him to eat and tast...

1: In today's episode - our first official episode!! - we’re talking to Luis Sanchez of Mouthful Eatery in Thousand Oaks. If you’re not familiar, Mouthful is the most delicious Peruvian restaurant in Conejo Valley and one of Yelp’s top 100 restaurants in the country.  Luis’s story is just as interesting. As a kid in Lima, Peru, food was an important part of his childhood and cooking up his own...

With Conejo Valley Visionaries, we’re spotlighting the people and stories behind some of your favorite Conejo Valley businesses.  From restauranteurs to coaches, sommeliers to retailers, you’ll hear honest conversations about: how they got started the trials and tribulations of running a business what their vision is for the future Our guests will also share advice for those of you wanting to make...