This May be a Bad Idea - Conversations on Bravery

In the Season 1 finale of This May Be a Bad Idea, host Nicole Butts sits down with Keisha Effiom, former USAID Mission Director, author, and servant leader, for a conversation that is equal parts grief and grace. Keisha walks listeners through what it felt like to watch a 64-year-old institution come down in a matter of months, and what it means to hold your people together when you're falling apa...

In this episode, host Nicole Butts sits down with Lyla Bashan, diplomat, author, and founder of Bashan Impact Solutions, for a deeply honest conversation about what happens when the life you built disappears overnight. After nearly two decades of distinguished service with the State Department and USAID, Lyla found herself navigating sudden, unexpected loss with the abolishment of USAID. Rather th...

In this episode of 'This May Be a Bad Idea', host Nicole Butts speaks with Gwen Andersen, co-founder of A Energy Company, about the transformative power of electricity in Africa and its impact on communities. Gwen shares her journey in international development, the importance of building a strong team, and the challenges of letting go of control as a leader. They discuss the significance of empow...

Host Nicole Butts talks with former USAID colleague Erikka Cullum about leaving the U.S. for Albania after USAID’s shutdown created career uncertainty. Erikka shares navigating ambiguity and income uncertainty through fractional project work and leaning on curiosity, faith, and self-trust. She also explains why she self-published a relocation guide built from her TikTok, research, and planning too...

In this final bonus episode of the interviews recorded live at the Made By Her event, host Nicole sits down with Reina, a Filipino-American artist, creator, and community builder. Reina is the founder of Ateh Kuya Creatives, a collective she built to bring together Filipino creatives across the DMV area. Reina opens up about growing up as a shy child who followed her creative dreams, and what it m...

In this live bonus episode recorded at the Made By Her event, host Nicole Butts sits down with Victoria, the founder of Twelve Twenty Coffee a mobile coffee shop serving the DMV area. Victoria shares her 15+ year journey from barista to coffee shop owner, including the painful lessons of her brick-and-mortar location, and how she found her true calling as a mobile coffee experience. She opens up a...

In this live bonus episode, recorded at the Made By Her event, Nicole sits down with Natalie, founder of Paper Crane + Lotus, a handmade semi-fine jewelry business that started not with a business plan, but with a leukemia diagnosis, art therapy, and a mom who bought her daughter her first set of tools. Natalie opens up about the anxiety of pricing her work, the fear that nobody will buy something...

In this bonus episode of This May be a Bad Idea, recorded live at the Made By Her event, Nicole sits down with Keena, the founder of Forever Blooming — a floral design business rooted in artistry, resilience, and the belief that we are always growing. Keena is a 21-year veteran educator, currently teaching 8th grade English, who launched her business during COVID and has been blooming ever since....

What does it look like to start a business in the middle of a pandemic, while caring for a dying parent, at age 22? For Marris, co-owner of Matelna Bakes, that impossible combination of circumstances became the unlikely origin story of a bakery born from love, necessity, and loss. In this bonus episode of This May Be a Bad Idea, Nicole sits down with Marris at the Made by Her event for a raw and t...

Clay, Courage, & Community: A Brave Conversation with Ezrah of Pinwheel Clay This first special bonus episode was recorded live at the Made by Her event — a celebration of women makers putting their creativity and courage on display. Host Nicole Butts sat down with Ezrah, co-owner of Pinwheel Clay, a women-owned handmade polymer clay jewelry company. What makes Ezra's story particularly resona...

In this episode of This May Be a Bad Idea , host Nicole Butts interviews Elizabeth Bellardo, founder of Good Works Endeavors. Elizabeth shares her journey from leading humanitarian efforts at USAID to launching her own coaching and consulting business. She discusses her motivations, the importance of experiential living, and offers insights on leadership and resilience. Tune in for an inspiring co...

In the inaugural episode of This May Be a Bad Idea , host Nicole Butts talks with entrepreneur and writer Annie Leverich about the courage it takes to change direction. Annie shares how she went from working in humanitarian communications at USAID to building First Light Coffee and First Light Media. They talk about fear, vulnerability, resilience, and why storytelling and connection matter.  Webs...