Heart + Head Work

What happens when the identities you've spent a lifetime building begin to fall away? Brooke Lark joins Rocky and Tessa for a conversation about entering what Hindu philosophy calls the forest-dweller stage—a season of turning inward, loosening your grip on who you've been, and discovering who you might become next. For Brooke, that has looked like becoming an empty nester, selling her s...

What if your body isn't betraying you? What if it's trying to communicate? In this episode of Heart + Head Work, Rocky Donati and Tessa Arneson step away from their usual conversations around business and real estate to talk about something underneath nearly everything they do: wellness, intuition, and learning how to listen to your own body. Both Rocky and Tessa have experienced seasons...

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, Rocky Donati and Tessa Arneson sit down with Jackie Zenner—investor, philanthropist, entrepreneur, former Goldman Sachs partner, farmer, line dancer, and, apparently, rapper—for an honest conversation about women, money, power, and what financial freedom actually means. Jackie shares her journey from a small town in British Columbia to Wall Street, where she b...

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, Rocky Donati and Tessa Arneson sit down with venture capitalist, entrepreneur, and Beta Boom co-founder Kimmy Paluch for a conversation about risk, inequity, criticism, resilience, and what it actually means to choose to be part of the solution. Born and raised in Jamaica, Kimmy eventually built a career in Silicon Valley before she and her husband made a mass...

What if collaboration isn't compromise? What if it's actually one of the most creative acts we can practice? In this episode of Heart + Head Work, Rocky Donati and Tessa Arneson sit down with filmmakers Amy Redford and Skye Emerson, the creative duo behind Red Sky Stories, for a conversation about storytelling, identity, creativity, leadership, and what happens when we make space for cur...

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, Rocky Donati and Tessa Arneson sit down with Dr. Sidni Shorter—President & CEO of the Utah Black Chamber—for a conversation that quickly moves beyond leadership and into identity, self-worth, authenticity, service, grief, and the lifelong work of becoming who we already are. Together, they explore how childhood experiences shape our beliefs about love, ach...

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, Rocky and Tessa sit down with Angela H. Brown—publisher of SLUG Magazine and Executive Director of Craft Lake City—for a conversation about leadership, creativity, vulnerability, and living a life with nothing left unsaid. Angela shares the philosophy that has quietly guided her life: "I want to die on empty." It's an invitation to use your gift...

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, Rocky and Tessa turn the tables and invite Maven podcast producer Lo Titensor and her daughter Denali into the conversation. What begins as a playful discussion about joy quickly unfolds into something much deeper—a conversation about intuition, self-trust, healing, motherhood, and the moments that crack us open to become more fully ourselves. Lo shares a pers...

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, Rocky and Tessa explore one of the most universal human experiences: the feeling of being alone, not belonging, or somehow being too much—or not enough. Through personal stories and honest reflection, they unpack the childhood moments that shaped their identities, the protective patterns they developed to stay safe, and the ways those same patterns can follow...

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, Rocky and Tessa sit down with Laura Hurtado, Executive Director of the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, for a conversation about art, identity, leadership, and what it means to consciously author your own life. Laura shares her journey through the worlds of contemporary art, curation, and cultural leadership—and how art has become a lens through which she unde...

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, Rocky and Tessa sit down with Lavanya—entrepreneur, community leader, and founder of multiple purpose-driven ventures—to explore what it really means to build a life rooted in identity, impact, and intention. Lavanya shares her journey from growing up within traditional cultural expectations to carving her own path in a completely new environment. What unfolds...

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, Rocky and Tessa sit down for a deeply personal and honest conversation about abortion, motherhood, and the complexity of choice. What begins as a reflection on a recent guest conversation opens into something much more intimate—Tessa shares her own experience with pregnancy loss and abortion, and the emotional, physical, and psychological realities that follow...

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, we sit down with Ali, a journalist and community voice deeply embedded in the flow of information, culture, and change. Together, we explore what it means to stay engaged in a world that feels overwhelming—how to care deeply without burning out, and how to move from reactive outrage into something more grounded, sustained, and meaningful. Ali offers a powerful...

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, we sit down with Blake Spalding and Jen Castle, executive chefs and founders of the iconic Hell’s Backbone Grill in Boulder, Utah. For more than 25 years, Blake and Jen have built far more than a restaurant—they’ve built a community rooted in hospitality, advocacy, and a deep commitment to the land and people around them. Their work has become a powerful examp...

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, we explore what it means to advocate — not just in big public moments, but in the quieter, everyday ways we use our voice to influence change. Rocky Donati and Tessa Arneson sit down with business leader and advocate Natalie Caddis and communications strategist Jenna Smith for a conversation about leadership, storytelling, and the surprising ways small moments...

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, we explore what it means to listen — really listen — to the quiet intelligence within. Rocky Donati and Tessa Stuckey sit down with Jennifer Mulholland for a deeply embodied conversation about soul knowing, presence, and the moments in life when we’re called to leap before we have all the answers. Through story, reflection, and lived experience, Jennifer share...

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, we explore the moment you realize something in your life isn’t aligned — and you can no longer pretend it is. Rocky Donati and Tessa Arneson share a candid, behind-the-scenes look at a season when momentum, opportunity, and growth began to pull them away from alignment. What looked exciting and expansive at first slowly became heavy, complicated, and unsustain...

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, we explore sex, fantasy, and desire through the lens of presence, safety, and self-trust. Rocky Donati and Tessa Arneson are joined by Dr. Stormy Hill, a mental health occupational therapist and intimacy coach, and Courtney Stookey, founder of Lovebound Library—Utah’s first romance-only bookstore—for an honest, playful, and deeply grounding conversation about...

In this episode of Heart + Head Work , we explore what happens when everything goes quiet. Rocky Donati shares her experience attending a 10-day Vipassana silent retreat —a meditation practice centered on awareness, equanimity, and learning to see reality exactly as it is. With no phone, no speaking, no reading, and more than 11 hours of meditation per day , the retreat created an environment desi...

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, we sit down with Sarah Duke and Britney Beardmore —the powerhouse sister-in-law duo behind Acrely Farms , a Bloom to Bottle Hemp farm redefining what it means to build a mission-driven business from the ground up. With backgrounds in agriculture and medical research, Sarah and Brit left corporate careers to create a farm rooted in humane, sustainable practices...

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, we sit down with Rae Wright—Fortune 100 executive turned mentor and advisor—whose passion lies in guiding leaders back to themselves. With decades of experience leading major organizations through transformation, Rae now supports entrepreneurs and professionals in living and leading from deep alignment. From spreadsheets and structure to intuition and trust, R...

We’re told self care is selfish—but what if it’s actually the foundation for showing up fully in your business, your relationships, and your life? In this episode, Tessa and Rocky explore how taking care of yourself creates the capacity to care for everyone around you. In this conversation, they unpack: Why guilt often keeps women from putting themselves first The “oxygen mask” and “cup” analogies...

In Part 1, we shared the messy, behind-the-scenes story of how Maven defined its core values. Now in Part 2, we explore what happens next—how those values come to life inside a team and shape the culture we’re building every day. In this conversation, Tessa, Rocky, and Jen unpack: How to weave values into hiring, leadership, and daily work The difference between supporting people and enabling them...

You can’t build a values-led business without naming your values first. In this episode, we sit down with our heart-forward operations Chief Experience Officer, Jen, to unpack how Maven’s core values—love and curiosity—were defined, debated, and eventually embraced as the compass guiding our team, community, and culture. We talk about: — Why defining values required radical candor (and a few tears...

What does it really mean to be resilient in business—not just as a catchphrase, but as a daily practice? In this episode, Tessa and Rocky get honest about what resilience looks like behind the scenes. From personal stories of failure and fear to the small rituals that keep them grounded, they unpack how they've built tenacity in life and leadership. Whether you’re facing burnout, decision fat...