Small Business Bestie

Send us Fan Mail Most people see the stage lights and hear the finished songs. We want you to see the part that actually makes it sustainable: the spreadsheets, the contracts, the delegation, and the decisions that protect your creativity from burnout. We’re joined by Lucy Becker , band leader, lead singer, and violinist of Lucy and the Love Letters , to talk about what it looks like to build a re...

Send us Fan Mail A restaurant dream doesn’t always start with a business plan. Sometimes it starts with a side hustle, a community connection, and a door that opens a little too easily to ignore. We sit down with Carrie Gabrielson , who went from the coaching world and a clever micro catering concept to co-owning Soul on Main in Nicholasville with her husband CJ, a classically trained chef with a...

Send us Fan Mail Most “self-defense” advice sounds confident until you picture a real moment of fear and realize you might freeze. That’s why we sat down with Chip Sebastian , a Lexington-based Arthur Murray dance instructor, martial arts teacher, and longtime mobile massage therapist, to get specific about what actually holds up under stress and what falls apart when adrenaline hits. If you’re a...

Send us Fan Mail Your personal brand follows you into every room, every comment thread, and every sales conversation whether you planned it or not. I sit down with Lexington, Kentucky marketing pro Rabiya Syed to talk about what “personal branding” really looks like when you’re building a career, representing major brands, and still showing up as a real human in your community. We get into how Rab...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Monica Owens and Josh Miller join me for a dynamic conversation that flows easily from dancing, to nutrition, to community engagement and back again.  Monica Owens is the reigning "Dancing with the Lexington Stars" Overall Champion from 2025, and inspires everyone she meets with her heart for leadership. She is a true champion, not just because of her mad...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Small Business Besties, host Michelle Smock interviews Hunter Lisle , an accomplished entrepreneur and dance instructor. Hunter shares his journey from a shy child to a successful dance teacher and studio owner. The conversation delves into themes of overcoming imposter syndrome, building a supportive community at Arthur Murray, and the origins of the popular ch...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Small Business Bestie, Michelle Smock interviews Kim Johnson about the Dancing with the Lexington Stars event , its mission, and the role of the Rotary Club in the community. They discuss the importance of fundraising for local charities, the evolution of the Rotary Club, and opportunities for business owners to get involved. Kim shares insights on the event&apo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Small Business Bestie , Michelle sits down with Kim and Sherry for a heart-filled, laughter-packed conversation about sisterhood, purpose, mindset shifts, and the power of women truly showing up for each other. From building community online and in real life, to rewriting the stories we tell ourselves about confidence, beauty, and worth — this conversation is a...

Send us Fan Mail Tech is essential for all small businesses, but many entrepreneurs overlook critical IT security measures until it's too late. Tina Watson, IT consultant with 25 years of experience, shares how proper technology planning can protect your business from devastating data loss and security breaches. • Small businesses are prime targets for hackers precisely because they often lac...

Send us Fan Mail In this heart-to-heart episode, financial strategist Tremaine Wills of Mind Over Money joins Michelle to unpack the messy, magical world of small business finances. Tremaine shares her FREE Indeed framework and gives a candid look at how pricing too low almost derailed her success. We talk about: The lies we believe about money (and how to unlearn them) The secret to charging what...

Send us Fan Mail She’s a coach, a marketer, and a relentless champion for her community. Meet Tora Carter , who’s leading the charge to restore one of Lexington’s most historic buildings—the Robert H. Williams Cultural Center. 🎙️ In this episode: The extraordinary story of 15+ Black women who founded an orphanage in 1892 How Tora blends roles at Guide Realty, Transy Athletics & the Cultural Ce...

Send us Fan Mail Kelli Gabat, owner of Wildfire Yoga , shares her eight-year journey from corporate worker struggling with anxiety to successful studio owner, teacher trainer, and wellness entrepreneur who recently expanded her business. • Started yoga to help with anxiety and depression while working corporate jobs for over a decade • Beginning with an 800 square foot subleased space before expan...

Send us Fan Mail Michelle shares the process of conducting a mini CEO retreat, offering a framework for small business owners to reset their vision, values, and goals to realign their business with their deepest aspirations. • Taking intentional time to pause and reflect on what's working and what's not in both business and personal life • Creating a values-based decision-making framewor...

Send us Fan Mail Mickaylyn Conrad shares her vision for Mick's Pot Spot, an accessible and inclusive plant shop designed to be a welcoming space for people with disabilities and their caregivers. Through her personal experience as a special needs mom and her work with the nonprofit A Different World, Mickaylyn recognized the need for spaces where families with disabilities can simply exist wi...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever wondered what happens when business partners who are married decide to separate? Or how successful entrepreneurs actually manage the chaos behind their seemingly perfect Instagram feeds? This raw and honest solo episode pulls back the curtain on real entrepreneurial life. Michelle Smock delivers a refreshingly transparent update on major transitions happening in both...

Send us Fan Mail Diana Keating shares her journey as both co-owner of Close to Perfection flower shop and a media executive at WKYT, demonstrating how to successfully balance creative side businesses with full-time careers. Through her partnership with childhood acquaintance Erin Graf, Diana reveals how complementary skills and clear communication create business harmony. • Originally from Illinoi...

Send us Fan Mail Executive coach Katie Neal shares insights on confident communication for women leaders and the importance of understanding your core values to navigate career and life transitions. • Transitioning from PR and communications to executive coaching after 20+ years in the field • Creating "What The 40s" (WTF) - a small group coaching program for women navigating mid-life ch...

Send us Fan Mail Stephanie Greene, founder of HealthBridge Consulting, shares her journey from 25 years in healthcare leadership to entrepreneurship after hitting burnout and receiving a life-changing ADHD diagnosis at age 49. • Reaching a breaking point at age 50 when comparing her life to her mother's cancer diagnosis at the same age • Realizing her leadership position as Chief Operating Of...

Send us Fan Mail Terri Paige shares her journey from corporate accountant to healthcare innovator as co-founder of Medical Transformation Center (MTC), a practice focused on cellular medicine and finding root causes of health issues rather than just treating symptoms. After experiencing her own health crisis, Terri's quest to understand gut health, hormonal balance, and cellular function tran...

Send us Fan Mail Graphic designer Lizzy Wolfe shares practical strategies for creating professional branding on a small business budget, emphasizing the importance of consistency and thoughtful customization. • Come to designers with your mission statement and brand strategy already prepared to reduce costs • Balance your personal brand with your business brand, especially important as your compan...

Send us Fan Mail Anna Shulgina transforms a wellness gap in Louisville into Bodhi Salt Center , a mind-body balance center where families experience holistic health solutions together without compromising relaxation for either parents or children. Her journey from multinational corporate executive to wellness entrepreneur demonstrates how strategic business principles combine with genuine care for...

Send us Fan Mail Dasha Grankina's journey from Soviet-born philosophy professor to Louisville wellness entrepreneur reveals the fascinating intersection of Eastern European health traditions and American innovation. With a background managing schools and businesses in Russia, Dasha brings scientific rigor and practical experience to Bodhi Salt, the wellness center she co-owns with Anna Shulgi...

Send us Fan Mail A rising star in tech entrepreneurship joins the Small Business Besties podcast today - and he happens to be the host's son! Fifteen-year-old Azra shares his remarkable journey as the youngest participant ever accepted into the Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurism at the University of Kentucky's Gatton Business School. This ambitious high school student has already deve...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a business interview transforms into a soul-nourishing conversation about life's most challenging transitions? Michelle Smock sits down with Davonna Saier of Davonna INClusive  for what quickly becomes an intimate dialogue on navigating personal change, standing in your values, and finding strength during politically turbulent times. This raw and unfiltered...

Send us Fan Mail Selling your business might be the furthest thing from your mind right now, but the steps that make a business sellable are exactly what create profitability and freedom today. Leslie Hassler, founder of Your Biz Rules and business consultant with 17+ years of entrepreneurial experience, joins the show to shatter common misconceptions about business valuation. She explains why emo...