The Business of Belonging: NAWBO Columbus Conversations

On this episode of The Business of Belonging, host Rhonda Peterson welcomes Krista Guagenti, founder of Panacea Luxury Spa Boutique, to share the remarkable story behind her business and mission-driven approach to wellness. Krista opens up about the 30-year journey from dreaming about a healing retreat for families impacted by cancer to building one of the few luxury spas in the country with a ful...

Check out resources and events here Bethany George, VP of Roundtables for NAWBO Columbus and founder of The Sales Mystique, sits down with Amy Lahmers, founder and president of Flourishes Consulting, to explore leadership, team alignment, and the realities of building a business. Amy shares her journey from higher education and nonprofit leadership into entrepreneurship, along with the mindset shi...

Check out resources and events here  In this episode of The Business of Belonging, host Maritza “Shay” Nelson sits down with Sheila A. Mixon, President and CEO of The SASH Effect, to explore her decades-long journey in business development, advocacy, and entrepreneurship. Sheila shares how her early experiences shaped her leadership philosophy and why empowering women entrepreneurs remains her lif...

Check out resources and events here  On this episode of The Business of Belonging, host Dr. Courtney sits down with Monica L. Womack, MPA, founder and CEO of MLW Solutions LLC. Their conversation explores Monica’s journey from public service to entrepreneurship, her work strengthening systems that support women-owned businesses, and how intentional infrastructure, partnerships, and access to capit...

Check out resources and events here  On this episode of The Business of Belonging, Yasmine Robles welcomes Kerri Mollard, founder and CEO of Mollard Consulting, for a conversation about nonprofit leadership, board governance, and the role women entrepreneurs play in strengthening communities. Drawing from more than two decades of consulting experience, Kerri shares how strong boards, intentional l...

Check out resources and events here Host Maritza “Shay” Nelson welcomes Karen Sullivan, Founder of Sullivan Solutions, to “put marketing on trial” and unpack Karen’s Marketing from the C-Suite™ framework, an approach that treats marketing as a leadership function, not a department. Together, they explore why founders get stuck chasing “what everyone else is doing,” how clarity and culture drive re...

Check out resources and events here On this episode of Business of Belonging, Bethany George welcomes Tonya Tiggett, author, facilitator, and global advocate for women’s leadership. Their conversation explores what it truly means to belong in business, redefining success beyond revenue, and why boldness, communication, and community are essential for women leaders at every stage. Together, Bethany...

Check out resources and events here In this episode of The Business of Belonging, host Shara Hutchinson sits down with entrepreneur, author, and thought leader Catherine Lang-Cline to explore the realities of navigating “the game of business” as a woman. Catherine shares her path from marketing and creative work to co-founding Portfolio Creative, building a multimillion-dollar brand, earning numer...

Check out resources and events here In this episode of Business of Belonging, Christine Kotic sits down with Jill Frey, second-generation CEO of Cummins Facility Services and founder of multiple ventures driving innovation in facility management. Jill shares her journey of unexpectedly taking over the family business, scaling it nationally, and pioneering smart building technologies. Key Points: J...

Check out resources and events here Christine Kotik, owner of CK ADHD Coaching and Consulting sits down with emotional-intelligence innovator Chelsea Elliott to explore how emotionally healthy, safe spaces can transform families, classrooms, workplaces, and communities.  Chelsea shares the personal journey behind Somocom Lab, why EQ outperforms IQ in the real world, and how belonging through NAWBO...

Check out resources and events here In this inspiring episode of The Business of Belonging, host Dr. Courtney welcomes multi-passionate entrepreneur and community builder Fatima Bouyer, founder of the Bouyer & Associates brands. Together they explore wellness, leadership, aligned purpose, and the power of community for women in business. Fatima shares what drives her, how she built three thriving...

Check out resources and events here In this episode of Business of Belonging, host Ekima Smith, VP of DEIB for NAWBO Columbus, sits down with her longtime friend and powerhouse procurement leader Makeda Matthews, Senior Manager of Supplier Diversity at Delta Air Lines. Together, they unpack what women business owners need to know about procurement, sourcing, supplier diversity, and how to win, and...

In this inspiring episode of The Business of Belonging, host Zulene Adams, CEO and co-founder of Z Promotions, sits down with Deonna Barnett, CEO and Director of Consulting at Aventi Enterprises. Deonna shares her entrepreneurial journey from college ventures to leading a successful consulting firm that helps small and micro businesses secure government and corporate contracts. Together, they disc...

Check out resources and events here In this episode of The Business of Belonging, host Dr. Courtney, Vice President of Corporate Partners at NAWBO Columbus and CEO of The Higher Standard Consulting, welcomes Purba Majumder, founder and CEO of Cybervation, Trailblazer Staffing, Bistro UX, and the nonprofit Cool Tech Girls. Together, they explore Purba’s entrepreneurial journey, her passion for inno...

Host Shara Hutchinson sits down with Casey Brown, TEDx speaker, pricing expert, and author of Fearless Pricing, to unpack how women business owners can stop undercharging and start commanding prices that match their value. They dig into the mindset shifts behind confident pricing, practical frameworks for communicating value, and when (and how) to say yes to discounts without eroding your brand. K...

Check out resources and events here In this episode of Business of Belonging, host Tiffany Meyer sits down with Sharon DeLay, founder of GoHR, to talk about the evolving role of HR in small businesses and how NAWBO Columbus has shaped her entrepreneurial journey.  Sharon shares how she discovered a gap in HR support for small and micro businesses, why investing in managers is essential, and how fl...

Check out resources and events here In this episode of The Business of Belonging, host Shay Nelson sits down with Andrea Harless, Senior Director of Government Affairs at G2G Consulting, to talk about the power of advocacy and how policy directly impacts women-owned businesses. Andrea shares her journey into public service, her role in advancing microbusiness legislation, and why women entrepreneu...

Check out resources and events here Bethany George sits down with Betty Collins, CPA and community leader, to discuss the power of leading where you live. Betty shares her journey from joining NAWBO Columbus and the Gahanna Chamber of Commerce to serving as NAWBO president during the challenging 2019–2020 term. Her practical advice on how to choose the right organizations to get involved in, when...

NAWBO Columbus In this energizing episode of The Business of Belonging: NAWBO Columbus Conversations, host Yasmine Robles welcomes powerhouse speaker, author, and founder of LBB Edutainment, Lachandra "La" Baker, for a dynamic discussion on leadership, culture, and the power of being your own biggest cheerleader. La shares her journey from corporate burnout to purpose-driven entrepreneurship, emph...

NAWBO Columbus In this episode of The Business of Belonging: NAWBO Columbus Conversations, host Yasmine Robles sits down with Jennifer Sconyers, founder of Abundance Leadership Consulting, to explore the intersection of leadership, systems change, and the power of values-driven business. Jennifer shares her entrepreneurial journey, lessons learned in building a people-centered consulting practice,...

NAWBO Columbus In this episode of The Business of Belonging: NAWBO Columbus Conversations, host Yasmine Robles sits down with Rhonda Peterson, incoming president of NAWBO Columbus and an accomplished executive coach, speaker, and facilitator. Rhonda shares her leadership journey, her vision for the chapter, and the importance of intentional engagement, partnerships, and storytelling in strengtheni...

Welcome to the NAWBO Columbus Podcast where women business owners rise together. This podcast is your front-row seat to the stories, successes, and strategies of the powerhouse women behind the Columbus chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners. Each episode features dynamic conversations with NAWBO members, entrepreneurs, leaders, and change-makers who are growing businesses, b...