Connecting Our Stories

Sharpen your pencils! We two writers talked our way into what we're calling our MATH episode! Charlotte and Lauren explore how basic subtraction can actually ADD to your life, using a simple equation Charlotte learned from one of her favorite artists. (Let’s call it Michelangelo Math.) Lauren sums it up with her own calculation of how taking away can sometimes help us live into our essential selve...

Best friends. Some people are fortunate to have a few. Austin TV news producer and journalist Jose Torres is one of Charlotte's "besties." For nearly 20 years, Charlotte has admired Jose's compassion, quiet confidence, and willingness to join in an entertaining round of "caraoke." Mostly, though, she admires how Jose remained cool and collected while overcoming a life-threatening health scare. In...

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What is in a name? It turns out, so much! There’s even immense power in one letter within a name, as we learn in Part 2 of our conversation with Lori Axler Miranda. Lori is an expert on names, naming practices, and why, for example, an “e” or the meaning behind our middle name can send us spiraling (as it did for Charlotte and Lauren). In this episode, we all share our personal name stories, and w...

Years ago, Lauren and today’s guest Lori Axler Miranda tossed around the idea of creating a podcast for writers to talk about the act of writing—as in, spend time discussing, venting, and ideating about writing (rather than just sitting down and writing). How writing is a blessing and a curse. A creative gift and a stressful chore. That podcast didn’t come to fruition, but Lori’s writing career di...

600,000. Charlotte ruminates on that number a lot right now. According to some statistics, that’s how many Black women have been pushed out of the labor market in recent years. But, as Charlotte discusses with Lauren, when doors close, windows of opportunity open. In this episode, Charlotte delivers a love letter to Black women, which serves as an act of love for herself.

Texas listeners may recognize the distinctive voice of this episode's guest: Joy Diaz. For years, this award-winning journalist reported for Austin's NPR station, KUT, building connections with Texans across the state. Those relationships inspired an audacious move: Joy ran for Texas Governor in 2022, driven by a desire to improve life for all Texans. Though she didn't win, she remains committed t...

Lauren and Charlotte celebrate their “loopier” approach to work and life. No, this isn’t about being under the influence, but in relation to an influential book about achieving our ambitions with an experimental mindset. Perhaps a tiny experiment is on your horizon? Lauren breaks down the steps so you can jump right in!

To be a mindful and spiritually healthy 20-year-old in today’s social climate takes a certain kind of resilience, self awareness, and confidence. Inspiring Gen Z entrepreneur Amber Flowers finds comfort in her deep connections to faith and family—fueled by her fearless curiosity. Train rides and snow cones soothe this special being, too!

Charlotte’s kind of an open book. She’s a self-described oversharer who isn’t afraid to tell our listeners that she has entered her “crone era.” (No worries if you have no idea what that means; it’s just now starting to trend among a certain crowd.) Charlotte breaks it down for Lauren and explains why she is happy to embrace her inner crone.

Corporate Coach Erin Warner shares with Lauren and Charlotte what it feels like to be at the intersection of a tenured coaching career, an entrepreneurial launch, and a calling to learn, practice, and teach self love. What does self love mean to Erin? Her definition will surprise you as it goes far beyond self care and self acceptance. It is active, expressive, and even miraculous.

Sometimes we sign up for things without knowing exactly why. Lauren felt the pull to register for an online course called Mystical Sobriety. What is she looking for sobriety from? What does mystical mean? What does it mean to Lauren? She and Charlotte discuss the possibilities for what this course, and efforts toward a more holistic existence, may bring. Part II is inevitable–stay tuned, friends!

At 18, George Gordon had a promising future ahead. But he fell into drugs and crime. In prison, a horrific incident left him blind and disabled. Now 79, George is a minister who hired Charlotte to help write his memoir. He hopes his story reaches others battling addiction, wondering if their higher power will welcome them home.

You vibe with astrology, or you don't. Charlotte absolutely does. She believes her connection with Lauren was written in the stars. But, Charlotte's a Scorpio and Lauren's a Libra. Just how compatible are these two women when it comes to friendship and creative collaboration? Does Charlotte's emotional intensity match well with Lauren's mental agility? We have opinions about what the stars (and Go...

We four dreamers didn't plan to join forces; it all came about quite naturally over coffee. A desire to help one another shine. Latina entrepreneur and special guest Marcela Andrés calls us co-conspirators in entrepreneurship, community-building, and creative pursuits. We remind each other of the power we possess to manifest what we need. It's magical. We call ourselves the Magic Forming Group.

Writer Anne Lamott once said, “when you tell the truth, it turns out to be universal.” In today’s episode, Lauren shares some hard truths about feelings of regret. Her personal confession morphed quickly into a conversation about regret as a universal experience. Could her story bring you solace? Listen to find out.

“You can’t say PeeWee Smoots without smiling.” Trust us, this episode will leave you smiling. It also invites us to consider the impact we have as we walk by folks every day. Who are we acknowledging and what are we contributing along our route? Postscript: This episode is dedicated to PeeWee’s mother, Savannah, who died shortly after recording this episode. We know Savannah’s love will live on in...

Expressing vulnerability doesn't come easily to many of us, Charlotte included. But in this episode, she opens up to Lauren about a couple of parts of herself that she's aimed to keep private. The final verdict? Being vulnerable is liberating, there's power in noticing someone's pain and jumping in to help, and cake can be the sweet thread that connects us all.

Former middle school principal Matt Pope shares a poignant student story that has stuck with him over the years. (There’s a plot twist!) He later describes the pivot point on his journey from school leader to entrepreneur, and delivers a master class on releasing fear and owning your value to expand into your purpose. Take it straight from the “Pope” about how amazing you are!

"Hard work." It's the American way — so much of our self-worth is tied to how much we can produce. But does that daily grind keep us from leaning into our gifts? Lauren recently heard Brené Brown speak at a conference about team dynamics, why it’s hard to follow what the research points to, and yes, the grind. She knew she had to dig into these ideas and more with Charlotte.

Anne and Victoria join Charlotte and Lauren—four very different women whose wisdom, passion, and talents are woven together to create the Connecting Our Stories team. Hear how Project Runway, Taylor Swift, Hamilton, and evading the Federales have inspired them to work and grow together.

In a world that tells us we must always be moving, it’s hard to get rolling sometimes. And, that’s okay. Charlotte and Lauren discuss how embarrassingly small steps can build momentum so that before you know it, you’ve created something pretty big.

Lauren and Charlotte get to bask in the aura of Austin pastor, convener, and artist Pastor Jennifer Cumberbatch, founder of Full Measure—an organization that uses teaching, counseling, and the arts to foster mental and spiritual well-being. This sage truth-teller shares her thoughts about moral beauty, collective effervescence, the power of inspiration, and why she’ll never stop creating.

Lauren and Charlotte connected a decade ago, forging a friendship rooted in honesty and anchored in deep, meaningful conversations. Now, they’re launching a podcast! Who are these free-spirited storytellers? What poignant verse inspires them in their creative, entrepreneurial life? And, why they believe thrashing down a raging river with the current can sometimes bring peace.