Your Best Friends in Business en © Copyright 2026 Stacie & Madie. All Rights Reserved. What happens when two best friends who’ve built multiple businesses together decide to stop keeping the good stuff to themselves? Join co-founders Stacie Staub and Madie Linder — the team behind West and Main Homes and a growing roster of businesses they’ve built from scratch — for the kind of conversations most founders only have behind closed doors. Each episode opens with a real-time business update (the wins, the chaos, the things that are very much still in progress), then brings in a founder who’s building for the long game for an honest, unfiltered conversation about the decisions that actually shaped their company. Part strategy, part survival guide, and entirely the kind of conversation most business owners desperately need, Your Best Friends in Business blends candid interviews, opinionated debates about what works and what definitely doesn’t, and the kind of practical takeaways that only come from people who are still in it. No TED Talk polish. No highlight reel. Just real founders, real decisions, and real talk. Come for the strategies. Stay for the honesty. Leave with a reminder that there’s no perfect way to build a business so just build it! https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/4e91da24-6ff0-11f1-845c-8724c630d84c/image/49c72454ac3e8326820708358d9914a5.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress Your Best Friends in Business episodic Stacie & Madie | Pod People What happens when two best friends who’ve built multiple businesses together decide to stop keeping the good stuff to themselves? Join co-founders Stacie Staub and Madie Linder — the team behind West and Main Homes and a growing roster of businesses they’ve built from scratch — for the kind of conversations most founders only have behind closed doors. Each episode opens with a real-time business update (the wins, the chaos, the things that are very much still in progress), then brings in a founder who’s building for the long game for an honest, unfiltered conversation about the decisions that actually shaped their company. Part strategy, part survival guide, and entirely the kind of conversation most business owners desperately need, Your Best Friends in Business blends candid interviews, opinionated debates about what works and what definitely doesn’t, and the kind of practical takeaways that only come from people who are still in it. No TED Talk polish. No highlight reel. Just real founders, real decisions, and real talk. Come for the strategies. Stay for the honesty. Leave with a reminder that there’s no perfect way to build a business so just build it! What happens when two best friends who’ve built multiple businesses together decide to stop keeping the good stuff to themselves?

Join co-founders Stacie Staub and Madie Linder — the team behind West and Main Homes and a growing roster of businesses they’ve built from scratch — for the kind of conversations most founders only have behind closed doors. Each episode opens with a real-time business update (the wins, the chaos, the things that are very much still in progress), then brings in a founder who’s building for the long game for an honest, unfiltered conversation about the decisions that actually shaped their company.

Part strategy, part survival guide, and entirely the kind of conversation most business owners desperately need, Your Best Friends in Business blends candid interviews, opinionated debates about what works and what definitely doesn’t, and the kind of practical takeaways that only come from people who are still in it.

No TED Talk polish. No highlight reel. Just real founders, real decisions, and real talk.

Come for the strategies. Stay for the honesty. Leave with a reminder that there’s no perfect way to build a business so just build it!

]]> Stacie & Madie | Pod People production@podpeople.com Everybody Deserves Something Beautiful with Sarah Ortega Sarah Ortega grew up behind the counter at her mother's Albuquerque jewelry boutique, watching her mom sell out of a literal shoebox at swim meets. She opened her own small shop on Tennyson Street in Denver in 2006 with $800 and no inventory budget, and has since built Sarah O. Jewelry into two showrooms, a global online community, and a brand built on the idea that everyone deserves to feel seen. Stacie Staub and Madie Linder sit down with Sarah to talk about the hard decision to close her first store to focus on what she really loved, watching Tennyson Street change around her, and the moment one of her pieces landed on the red carpet at the Oscars. In this episode (00:00) Show intro & hosts introduce the podcast  (03:00) Sarah Ortega intro: growing up behind the counter at her mom's jewelry store  (06:00) Opening her own shop on Tennyson Street in 2006 with $800 and her mom's leftover inventory  (10:00) What she'd have done differently: hiring sooner and learning bookkeeping earlier  (16:00) Letting go of Ooah to focus fully on fine jewelry, and the year the two stores overlapped  (24:00) Founder to founder: where she lands on the lab-grown vs. natural diamond debate  (32:00) The Oscars red carpet moment: a handmade turquoise brooch made in under a month  (35:00) Her vision for Sarah O. in the next 5 to 20 years, including expansion to new cities  (40:00) Mantra of the week: "To get what you've always wanted, you have to do something you've never done" Show Notes:  Follow Sarah O. Jewelry on Instagram Sarah O. Jewelry Your Best Friends in Business is produced by West + Main Homes in partnership with Pod People Stay Connected:  Follow ⁠Your Best Friends In Business⁠ on Instagram Follow ⁠Stacie and Madie⁠ on Instagram ⁠⁠Your Best Friends In Business⁠⁠⁠ Wed, 05 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0000 full 1 5 Stacie & Madie | Pod People Sarah Ortega grew up behind the counter at her mother's Albuquerque jewelry boutique, watching her mom sell out of a literal shoebox at swim meets. She opened her own small shop on Tennyson Street in Denver in 2006 with $800 and no inventory budget, and has since built Sarah O. Jewelry into two showrooms, a global online community, and a brand built on the idea that everyone deserves to feel seen. Stacie Staub and Madie Linder sit down with Sarah to talk about the hard decision to close her first store to focus on what she really loved, watching Tennyson Street change around her, and the moment one of her pieces landed on the red carpet at the Oscars. In this episode (00:00) Show intro & hosts introduce the podcast  (03:00) Sarah Ortega intro: growing up behind the counter at her mom's jewelry store  (06:00) Opening her own shop on Tennyson Street in 2006 with $800 and her mom's leftover inventory  (10:00) What she'd have done differently: hiring sooner and learning bookkeeping earlier  (16:00) Letting go of Ooah to focus fully on fine jewelry, and the year the two stores overlapped  (24:00) Founder to founder: where she lands on the lab-grown vs. natural diamond debate  (32:00) The Oscars red carpet moment: a handmade turquoise brooch made in under a month  (35:00) Her vision for Sarah O. in the next 5 to 20 years, including expansion to new cities  (40:00) Mantra of the week: "To get what you've always wanted, you have to do something you've never done" Show Notes:  Follow Sarah O. Jewelry on Instagram Sarah O. Jewelry Your Best Friends in Business is produced by West + Main Homes in partnership with Pod People Stay Connected:  Follow ⁠Your Best Friends In Business⁠ on Instagram Follow ⁠Stacie and Madie⁠ on Instagram ⁠⁠Your Best Friends In Business⁠⁠⁠ Sarah Ortega grew up behind the counter at her mother's Albuquerque jewelry boutique, watching her mom sell out of a literal shoebox at swim meets. She opened her own small shop on Tennyson Street in Denver in 2006 with $800 and no inventory budget, and has since built Sarah O. Jewelry into two showrooms, a global online community, and a brand built on the idea that everyone deserves to feel seen.

Stacie Staub and Madie Linder sit down with Sarah to talk about the hard decision to close her first store to focus on what she really loved, watching Tennyson Street change around her, and the moment one of her pieces landed on the red carpet at the Oscars.

In this episode

(00:00) Show intro & hosts introduce the podcast 

(03:00) Sarah Ortega intro: growing up behind the counter at her mom's jewelry store 

(06:00) Opening her own shop on Tennyson Street in 2006 with $800 and her mom's leftover inventory 

(10:00) What she'd have done differently: hiring sooner and learning bookkeeping earlier 

(16:00) Letting go of Ooah to focus fully on fine jewelry, and the year the two stores overlapped 

(24:00) Founder to founder: where she lands on the lab-grown vs. natural diamond debate 

(32:00) The Oscars red carpet moment: a handmade turquoise brooch made in under a month 

(35:00) Her vision for Sarah O. in the next 5 to 20 years, including expansion to new cities 

(40:00) Mantra of the week: "To get what you've always wanted, you have to do something you've never done"

Show Notes: 

Your Best Friends in Business is produced by West + Main Homes in partnership with Pod People

Stay Connected: 

]]> 2691 3,000 Women and The One Question That Started It All with Mercy Tucker Mercy Tucker co-founded Project I See You in 2009 with a counselor's instinct and a farmer's work ethic. Seventeen years later, the organization has supported thousands of women in the Dominican Republic and Denver, launching the Shared Power Initiative to help women become first-time homeowners and business owners. Stacie Staub and Madie Linder sit down with Mercy, the only nonprofit founder featured in Season One, to talk about what happens when you stop asking "how can I help" and start asking "what do you need," how the organization's grants work with almost no red tape, and why she believes real change means sharing power, not just handing out checks. In this episode (00:00) Show intro & hosts introduce the podcast  (01:00) Group chat catch-up: a Vegas realtor conference and a color-drenched restaurant reveal  (03:00) Mercy Tucker intro: growing up on a farm in Eden, Idaho  (05:00) Studying psychology at Pepperdine, backpacking through India, and meeting Mother Teresa  (06:00) Getting a master's in counseling in Colorado, and how that set up everything that came next  (07:00) Moving to the Dominican Republic for four years with her husband and two kids  (08:00) How listening to local women shaped Project I See You's approach to economic development  (10:00) The kinds of businesses women are building in La Victoria, from furniture-making to catering  (12:00) Meeting the West & Main team, and how the Shared Power Initiative partnership came together  (14:00) How the grant process actually works, from application to closing (16:00) Why there's no bureaucracy or red tape, and how that builds trust (19:00) The history behind why women couldn't own property without a man's signature until 1974  (21:00) Founder to founder: how to support a cause without turning it into a marketing moment  (23:00) Her family: four kids, one adopted from the Dominican Republic, and watching generational change in real time  (27:00) Looking five years ahead: expanding Shared Power to other cities (32:00) The basic requirements to apply for a Shared Power grant  (36:00) What it feels like to hand someone the keys to a home they didn't think was possible  (39:00) How to support Project I See You: captains, giving, expertise, and the annual Boots & Bling event  (41:00) Mantra of the week: "It's all within you" Show Notes:  ⁠Project I See You  Follow Project I See You on Instagram Don't miss an episode! Subscribe or Follow @ Your Best Friends in Business: Your Best Friends in Business is produced by West + Main Homes in partnership with Pod People Stay Connected:  Follow Your Best Friends In Business on Instagram Follow Stacie and Madie on Instagram ⁠Your Best Friends In Business⁠⁠  Wed, 29 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0000 full 1 4 Stacie & Madie | Pod People Mercy Tucker co-founded Project I See You in 2009 with a counselor's instinct and a farmer's work ethic. Seventeen years later, the organization has supported thousands of women in the Dominican Republic and Denver, launching the Shared Power Initiative to help women become first-time homeowners and business owners. Stacie Staub and Madie Linder sit down with Mercy, the only nonprofit founder featured in Season One, to talk about what happens when you stop asking "how can I help" and start asking "what do you need," how the organization's grants work with almost no red tape, and why she believes real change means sharing power, not just handing out checks. In this episode (00:00) Show intro & hosts introduce the podcast  (01:00) Group chat catch-up: a Vegas realtor conference and a color-drenched restaurant reveal  (03:00) Mercy Tucker intro: growing up on a farm in Eden, Idaho  (05:00) Studying psychology at Pepperdine, backpacking through India, and meeting Mother Teresa  (06:00) Getting a master's in counseling in Colorado, and how that set up everything that came next  (07:00) Moving to the Dominican Republic for four years with her husband and two kids  (08:00) How listening to local women shaped Project I See You's approach to economic development  (10:00) The kinds of businesses women are building in La Victoria, from furniture-making to catering  (12:00) Meeting the West & Main team, and how the Shared Power Initiative partnership came together  (14:00) How the grant process actually works, from application to closing (16:00) Why there's no bureaucracy or red tape, and how that builds trust (19:00) The history behind why women couldn't own property without a man's signature until 1974  (21:00) Founder to founder: how to support a cause without turning it into a marketing moment  (23:00) Her family: four kids, one adopted from the Dominican Republic, and watching generational change in real time  (27:00) Looking five years ahead: expanding Shared Power to other cities (32:00) The basic requirements to apply for a Shared Power grant  (36:00) What it feels like to hand someone the keys to a home they didn't think was possible  (39:00) How to support Project I See You: captains, giving, expertise, and the annual Boots & Bling event  (41:00) Mantra of the week: "It's all within you" Show Notes:  ⁠Project I See You  Follow Project I See You on Instagram Don't miss an episode! Subscribe or Follow @ Your Best Friends in Business: Your Best Friends in Business is produced by West + Main Homes in partnership with Pod People Stay Connected:  Follow Your Best Friends In Business on Instagram Follow Stacie and Madie on Instagram ⁠Your Best Friends In Business⁠⁠  Mercy Tucker co-founded Project I See You in 2009 with a counselor's instinct and a farmer's work ethic. Seventeen years later, the organization has supported thousands of women in the Dominican Republic and Denver, launching the Shared Power Initiative to help women become first-time homeowners and business owners.

Stacie Staub and Madie Linder sit down with Mercy, the only nonprofit founder featured in Season One, to talk about what happens when you stop asking "how can I help" and start asking "what do you need," how the organization's grants work with almost no red tape, and why she believes real change means sharing power, not just handing out checks.

In this episode

  • (00:00) Show intro & hosts introduce the podcast 
  • (01:00) Group chat catch-up: a Vegas realtor conference and a color-drenched restaurant reveal 
  • (03:00) Mercy Tucker intro: growing up on a farm in Eden, Idaho 
  • (05:00) Studying psychology at Pepperdine, backpacking through India, and meeting Mother Teresa 
  • (06:00) Getting a master's in counseling in Colorado, and how that set up everything that came next 
  • (07:00) Moving to the Dominican Republic for four years with her husband and two kids 
  • (08:00) How listening to local women shaped Project I See You's approach to economic development 
  • (10:00) The kinds of businesses women are building in La Victoria, from furniture-making to catering 
  • (12:00) Meeting the West & Main team, and how the Shared Power Initiative partnership came together 
  • (14:00) How the grant process actually works, from application to closing
  • (16:00) Why there's no bureaucracy or red tape, and how that builds trust
  • (19:00) The history behind why women couldn't own property without a man's signature until 1974 
  • (21:00) Founder to founder: how to support a cause without turning it into a marketing moment 
  • (23:00) Her family: four kids, one adopted from the Dominican Republic, and watching generational change in real time 
  • (27:00) Looking five years ahead: expanding Shared Power to other cities
  • (32:00) The basic requirements to apply for a Shared Power grant 
  • (36:00) What it feels like to hand someone the keys to a home they didn't think was possible 
  • (39:00) How to support Project I See You: captains, giving, expertise, and the annual Boots & Bling event 
  • (41:00) Mantra of the week: "It's all within you"

Show Notes: 

Don't miss an episode! Subscribe or Follow @ Your Best Friends in Business:

Your Best Friends in Business is produced by West + Main Homes in partnership with Pod People


Stay Connected: 


]]> 2679 Say Yes First Then Figure Out the Rest with Rachael King Rachael King was a podcast obsessive before most brands even knew what a podcast was. In 2017, she shut down her PR firm, bet on a hunch, and launched Pod People, a content studio that now produces award-winning shows for Netflix, Vogue, Marvel, CNN, and more. Stacie Staub and Madie Linder sit down with Rachael to talk about building a company solo before finding the right co-founder, why she still won't touch the bookkeeping, and what it really takes to convince the world's biggest brands that podcasting is the best format to share their story and reach their audience. They also dig into how AI is reshaping podcast discovery, and where Rachael draws the line on which clients she'll take. In this episode (00:00) Show intro & hosts introduce the podcast  (01:00) Group chat catch-up: expanding a coffee shop into a full restaurant and bar  (03:00) Rachael King intro: a podcast fan before brands had figured out podcasting  (04:00) Rachael's first two companies: an early-stage tech PR firm and a fiction rom-com podcast LLC  (06:00) Growing up in central Massachusetts, and the "bossy little girl" energy that never left  (08:00) Her grandfather's dairy farm, and where her work ethic really comes from  (11:00) Working at TGI Fridays through high school, and why she doesn't require a college degree to work at Pod People  (14:00) Why 2017 felt like the moment to bet on podcasts as a business (16:00) Searching for a co-founder, and how she found Anne through a stand-up comedy class  (19:00) How she and Anne split the business: both in sales, different strengths elsewhere  (22:00) Landing the first three clients: Samsung, Twitter, and Medium (26:00) Is branded podcasting really about reaching an audience, or an expensive way to feel heard? (31:00) Why word of mouth is still the number one way people find a podcast (38:00) Deciding which AI clients to take on, and where Pod People draws the ethical line  (44:00) Imposter syndrome, funding payroll out of her own pocket, and starting with just a Squarespace site  (47:00) Mantra of the week: "It gets messy in the middle" Show Notes:  Follow ⁠Pod People on Instagram ⁠Pod People⁠⁠  Don't miss an episode! Subscribe NOW @Your Best Friends in Business Your Best Friends in Business is produced by West + Main Homes in partnership with Pod People Stay Connected Follow ⁠Your Best Friends In Business⁠ on Instagram Follow ⁠Stacie and Madie⁠ on Instagram Your Best Friends In Business⁠⁠⁠  Wed, 22 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0000 full 1 3 Stacie & Madie | Pod People Rachael King was a podcast obsessive before most brands even knew what a podcast was. In 2017, she shut down her PR firm, bet on a hunch, and launched Pod People, a content studio that now produces award-winning shows for Netflix, Vogue, Marvel, CNN, and more. Stacie Staub and Madie Linder sit down with Rachael to talk about building a company solo before finding the right co-founder, why she still won't touch the bookkeeping, and what it really takes to convince the world's biggest brands that podcasting is the best format to share their story and reach their audience. They also dig into how AI is reshaping podcast discovery, and where Rachael draws the line on which clients she'll take. In this episode (00:00) Show intro & hosts introduce the podcast  (01:00) Group chat catch-up: expanding a coffee shop into a full restaurant and bar  (03:00) Rachael King intro: a podcast fan before brands had figured out podcasting  (04:00) Rachael's first two companies: an early-stage tech PR firm and a fiction rom-com podcast LLC  (06:00) Growing up in central Massachusetts, and the "bossy little girl" energy that never left  (08:00) Her grandfather's dairy farm, and where her work ethic really comes from  (11:00) Working at TGI Fridays through high school, and why she doesn't require a college degree to work at Pod People  (14:00) Why 2017 felt like the moment to bet on podcasts as a business (16:00) Searching for a co-founder, and how she found Anne through a stand-up comedy class  (19:00) How she and Anne split the business: both in sales, different strengths elsewhere  (22:00) Landing the first three clients: Samsung, Twitter, and Medium (26:00) Is branded podcasting really about reaching an audience, or an expensive way to feel heard? (31:00) Why word of mouth is still the number one way people find a podcast (38:00) Deciding which AI clients to take on, and where Pod People draws the ethical line  (44:00) Imposter syndrome, funding payroll out of her own pocket, and starting with just a Squarespace site  (47:00) Mantra of the week: "It gets messy in the middle" Show Notes:  Follow ⁠Pod People on Instagram ⁠Pod People⁠⁠  Don't miss an episode! Subscribe NOW @Your Best Friends in Business Your Best Friends in Business is produced by West + Main Homes in partnership with Pod People Stay Connected Follow ⁠Your Best Friends In Business⁠ on Instagram Follow ⁠Stacie and Madie⁠ on Instagram Your Best Friends In Business⁠⁠⁠  Rachael King was a podcast obsessive before most brands even knew what a podcast was. In 2017, she shut down her PR firm, bet on a hunch, and launched Pod People, a content studio that now produces award-winning shows for Netflix, Vogue, Marvel, CNN, and more.

Stacie Staub and Madie Linder sit down with Rachael to talk about building a company solo before finding the right co-founder, why she still won't touch the bookkeeping, and what it really takes to convince the world's biggest brands that podcasting is the best format to share their story and reach their audience. They also dig into how AI is reshaping podcast discovery, and where Rachael draws the line on which clients she'll take.

In this episode

  • (00:00) Show intro & hosts introduce the podcast 
  • (01:00) Group chat catch-up: expanding a coffee shop into a full restaurant and bar 
  • (03:00) Rachael King intro: a podcast fan before brands had figured out podcasting 
  • (04:00) Rachael's first two companies: an early-stage tech PR firm and a fiction rom-com podcast LLC 
  • (06:00) Growing up in central Massachusetts, and the "bossy little girl" energy that never left 
  • (08:00) Her grandfather's dairy farm, and where her work ethic really comes from 
  • (11:00) Working at TGI Fridays through high school, and why she doesn't require a college degree to work at Pod People 
  • (14:00) Why 2017 felt like the moment to bet on podcasts as a business
  • (16:00) Searching for a co-founder, and how she found Anne through a stand-up comedy class 
  • (19:00) How she and Anne split the business: both in sales, different strengths elsewhere 
  • (22:00) Landing the first three clients: Samsung, Twitter, and Medium
  • (26:00) Is branded podcasting really about reaching an audience, or an expensive way to feel heard?
  • (31:00) Why word of mouth is still the number one way people find a podcast
  • (38:00) Deciding which AI clients to take on, and where Pod People draws the ethical line 
  • (44:00) Imposter syndrome, funding payroll out of her own pocket, and starting with just a Squarespace site 
  • (47:00) Mantra of the week: "It gets messy in the middle"

Show Notes: 

Don't miss an episode! Subscribe NOW @Your Best Friends in Business

Your Best Friends in Business is produced by West + Main Homes in partnership with Pod People

Stay Connected

]]> 2515 no From Bark to Business with Meg Meyer What happens when you say yes to a Publix deal and have absolutely no idea how to fulfill it? Meg Meyer, founder of The Bear & the Rat, built a dog ice cream brand the hard way: dog parks, Shark Tank, and a whole lot of frozen logistics nightmares.  Now, she's been in it for 17 years with her husband, and she's not here to make it look easy. This is what building for the long game actually looks like. She’ll discuss the bets that paid off, the ones that didn't, and the moments you just have to laugh at later.  Stacie Staub and Madie Linder sit down with real founders making real decisions, and Meg is one of the best (and first one!) yet. In this episode: (00:00) — Show intro & hosts introduce the podcast (01:00) — Group chat catch-up: opening a bar & bistro, IKEA dinnerware wins (04:00) — Meg Meyer intro: how she and Madie met at ad agency Sukel (05:00) — The origin story: a non-creative label, a NYC conference, and the invention of Square (07:00) — Where the dog ice cream idea came from (spoiler: Matt, age 8, and a sick mini poodle) (08:00) — The Bear & the Rat name, and how two dogs brought Meg and Matt together (09:00) — Shark Tank: early season, the Scrub Daddy moment, what the show really did for the brand (13:00) — The freezer space problem, distribution challenges, and finding a manufacture (17:00) — The Publix story: saying yes before they could deliver (22:00) — Regrets, channel conflict, and the pressure to please everyone (25:00) — Expanding into shelf-stable meal kits and the power of subscription (33:00) — Marketing dog probiotics: science vs. fun, and knowing your customer (36:00) — Working with your spouse: different styles, same desk, and a soundproofed closet (38:00) — Exit plans, investor relationships, and raising entrepreneurial kids (44:00) — Mantra of the week: "It sucks to suck" Show Notes: Follow The Bear & the Rat on Instagram Don't miss an episode! Subscribe or Follow @ Your Best Friends in Business: Your Best Friends in Business is produced by West + Main Homes in partnership with Pod People Stay Connected:  Follow ⁠Your Best Friends In Business⁠ on Instagram Follow ⁠Stacie and Madie⁠ on Instagram ⁠⁠Your Best Friends In Business⁠⁠⁠  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0000 full 1 1 Stacie & Madie | Pod People What happens when you say yes to a Publix deal and have absolutely no idea how to fulfill it? Meg Meyer, founder of The Bear & the Rat, built a dog ice cream brand the hard way: dog parks, Shark Tank, and a whole lot of frozen logistics nightmares.  Now, she's been in it for 17 years with her husband, and she's not here to make it look easy. This is what building for the long game actually looks like. She’ll discuss the bets that paid off, the ones that didn't, and the moments you just have to laugh at later.  Stacie Staub and Madie Linder sit down with real founders making real decisions, and Meg is one of the best (and first one!) yet. In this episode: (00:00) — Show intro & hosts introduce the podcast (01:00) — Group chat catch-up: opening a bar & bistro, IKEA dinnerware wins (04:00) — Meg Meyer intro: how she and Madie met at ad agency Sukel (05:00) — The origin story: a non-creative label, a NYC conference, and the invention of Square (07:00) — Where the dog ice cream idea came from (spoiler: Matt, age 8, and a sick mini poodle) (08:00) — The Bear & the Rat name, and how two dogs brought Meg and Matt together (09:00) — Shark Tank: early season, the Scrub Daddy moment, what the show really did for the brand (13:00) — The freezer space problem, distribution challenges, and finding a manufacture (17:00) — The Publix story: saying yes before they could deliver (22:00) — Regrets, channel conflict, and the pressure to please everyone (25:00) — Expanding into shelf-stable meal kits and the power of subscription (33:00) — Marketing dog probiotics: science vs. fun, and knowing your customer (36:00) — Working with your spouse: different styles, same desk, and a soundproofed closet (38:00) — Exit plans, investor relationships, and raising entrepreneurial kids (44:00) — Mantra of the week: "It sucks to suck" Show Notes: Follow The Bear & the Rat on Instagram Don't miss an episode! Subscribe or Follow @ Your Best Friends in Business: Your Best Friends in Business is produced by West + Main Homes in partnership with Pod People Stay Connected:  Follow ⁠Your Best Friends In Business⁠ on Instagram Follow ⁠Stacie and Madie⁠ on Instagram ⁠⁠Your Best Friends In Business⁠⁠⁠  What happens when you say yes to a Publix deal and have absolutely no idea how to fulfill it? Meg Meyer, founder of The Bear & the Rat, built a dog ice cream brand the hard way: dog parks, Shark Tank, and a whole lot of frozen logistics nightmares. 

Now, she's been in it for 17 years with her husband, and she's not here to make it look easy. This is what building for the long game actually looks like. She’ll discuss the bets that paid off, the ones that didn't, and the moments you just have to laugh at later. 

Stacie Staub and Madie Linder sit down with real founders making real decisions, and Meg is one of the best (and first one!) yet.

In this episode:

(00:00) — Show intro & hosts introduce the podcast

(01:00) — Group chat catch-up: opening a bar & bistro, IKEA dinnerware wins

(04:00) — Meg Meyer intro: how she and Madie met at ad agency Sukel

(05:00) — The origin story: a non-creative label, a NYC conference, and the invention of Square

(07:00) — Where the dog ice cream idea came from (spoiler: Matt, age 8, and a sick mini poodle)

(08:00) — The Bear & the Rat name, and how two dogs brought Meg and Matt together

(09:00) — Shark Tank: early season, the Scrub Daddy moment, what the show really did for the brand

(13:00) — The freezer space problem, distribution challenges, and finding a manufacture

(17:00) — The Publix story: saying yes before they could deliver

(22:00) — Regrets, channel conflict, and the pressure to please everyone

(25:00) — Expanding into shelf-stable meal kits and the power of subscription

(33:00) — Marketing dog probiotics: science vs. fun, and knowing your customer

(36:00) — Working with your spouse: different styles, same desk, and a soundproofed closet

(38:00) — Exit plans, investor relationships, and raising entrepreneurial kids

(44:00) — Mantra of the week: "It sucks to suck"


Show Notes:

Don't miss an episode! Subscribe or Follow @ Your Best Friends in Business:

Your Best Friends in Business is produced by West + Main Homes in partnership with Pod People


Stay Connected: 

]]> 2705 no Earning Authority in the Age of AI with Molly McKinley  Molly McKinley has launched craft kits, pitched Oprah, built a marketing consultancy, and made just about every partnership mistake there is to make along the way. Now she's using AI as her editor, teaching the next generation of women entrepreneurs at Meredith College, and reviving a decades-old dream of a tea house she once put on ice. Stacie Staub and Madie Linder sit down with Molly to talk about the messy realities of business partnerships, how to build real authority instead of gaming the algorithm, and why "done is better than perfect" still applies even when AI can do the work for you. In this episode (00:00) Show intro & hosts introduce the podcast (01:00) Group chat catch-up: delegating as an entrepreneur, and why none of them have ever had an assistant (03:00) Molly McKinley intro: from lemonade stands to a marketing consultancy (04:00) Early ventures: Crafty Girls Keepsake Kits and an appearance on Oprah's Next Million Dollar Idea (05:00) Why the marketing business became the business, even though it wasn't the passion project (06:00) Falling into sales at AdWorks, and why relationship-driven selling never felt like selling (09:00) Redtail: the partnership mistakes, the lessons, and what she'd do differently (11:00) Meeting business partner Shelley Leslie, and designing the "breakup" before signing anything (13:00) Advice for putting a partnership agreement in writing, even without a lawyer (16:00) The AI and visibility debate: can you build genuine authority, or does it favor whoever has more resources? (18:00) Earning authority through content clusters instead of "gaming" AI (20:00) The ethical tension: watching AI replace roles she once paid people to do (22:00) Her current tech stack: Semrush, Claude, and Claude Cowork (23:00) Using AI as an editor while writing her book, "Trust and Authority" (25:00) Teaching entrepreneurship students to problem-solve first, then bring in AI (28:00) The Intentionalities story: a tea house passion project put on ice (29:00) A live case study with Mutt's Sauce founder Charlynda Skills sparks a new idea (30:00) Becoming founding director of the Entrepreneurship and Impact Center at Meredith College (33:00) Deciding to hand the tea house over to students to run and reinvent (38:00) How she landed the entrepreneur-in-residence role at Meredith (39:00) Mantra of the week: "So hum," and "everything great starts as somebody's daydream" Show Notes: Molly McKinley Meredith College Entrepreneurship and Impact Center Don't miss an episode! Subscribe NOW @Your Best Friends in Business Your Best Friends in Business is produced by West + Main Homes in partnership with Pod People Stay Connected:  Follow ⁠Your Best Friends In Business⁠ on Instagram Follow ⁠Stacie and Madie⁠ on Instagram ⁠⁠Your Best Friends In Business⁠⁠⁠  Wed, 15 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0000 full 1 2 Stacie & Madie | Pod People  Molly McKinley has launched craft kits, pitched Oprah, built a marketing consultancy, and made just about every partnership mistake there is to make along the way. Now she's using AI as her editor, teaching the next generation of women entrepreneurs at Meredith College, and reviving a decades-old dream of a tea house she once put on ice. Stacie Staub and Madie Linder sit down with Molly to talk about the messy realities of business partnerships, how to build real authority instead of gaming the algorithm, and why "done is better than perfect" still applies even when AI can do the work for you. In this episode (00:00) Show intro & hosts introduce the podcast (01:00) Group chat catch-up: delegating as an entrepreneur, and why none of them have ever had an assistant (03:00) Molly McKinley intro: from lemonade stands to a marketing consultancy (04:00) Early ventures: Crafty Girls Keepsake Kits and an appearance on Oprah's Next Million Dollar Idea (05:00) Why the marketing business became the business, even though it wasn't the passion project (06:00) Falling into sales at AdWorks, and why relationship-driven selling never felt like selling (09:00) Redtail: the partnership mistakes, the lessons, and what she'd do differently (11:00) Meeting business partner Shelley Leslie, and designing the "breakup" before signing anything (13:00) Advice for putting a partnership agreement in writing, even without a lawyer (16:00) The AI and visibility debate: can you build genuine authority, or does it favor whoever has more resources? (18:00) Earning authority through content clusters instead of "gaming" AI (20:00) The ethical tension: watching AI replace roles she once paid people to do (22:00) Her current tech stack: Semrush, Claude, and Claude Cowork (23:00) Using AI as an editor while writing her book, "Trust and Authority" (25:00) Teaching entrepreneurship students to problem-solve first, then bring in AI (28:00) The Intentionalities story: a tea house passion project put on ice (29:00) A live case study with Mutt's Sauce founder Charlynda Skills sparks a new idea (30:00) Becoming founding director of the Entrepreneurship and Impact Center at Meredith College (33:00) Deciding to hand the tea house over to students to run and reinvent (38:00) How she landed the entrepreneur-in-residence role at Meredith (39:00) Mantra of the week: "So hum," and "everything great starts as somebody's daydream" Show Notes: Molly McKinley Meredith College Entrepreneurship and Impact Center Don't miss an episode! Subscribe NOW @Your Best Friends in Business Your Best Friends in Business is produced by West + Main Homes in partnership with Pod People Stay Connected:  Follow ⁠Your Best Friends In Business⁠ on Instagram Follow ⁠Stacie and Madie⁠ on Instagram ⁠⁠Your Best Friends In Business⁠⁠⁠   Molly McKinley has launched craft kits, pitched Oprah, built a marketing consultancy, and made just about every partnership mistake there is to make along the way. Now she's using AI as her editor, teaching the next generation of women entrepreneurs at Meredith College, and reviving a decades-old dream of a tea house she once put on ice.

Stacie Staub and Madie Linder sit down with Molly to talk about the messy realities of business partnerships, how to build real authority instead of gaming the algorithm, and why "done is better than perfect" still applies even when AI can do the work for you.


In this episode

(00:00) Show intro & hosts introduce the podcast

(01:00) Group chat catch-up: delegating as an entrepreneur, and why none of them have ever had an assistant

(03:00) Molly McKinley intro: from lemonade stands to a marketing consultancy

(04:00) Early ventures: Crafty Girls Keepsake Kits and an appearance on Oprah's Next Million Dollar Idea

(05:00) Why the marketing business became the business, even though it wasn't the passion project

(06:00) Falling into sales at AdWorks, and why relationship-driven selling never felt like selling

(09:00) Redtail: the partnership mistakes, the lessons, and what she'd do differently

(11:00) Meeting business partner Shelley Leslie, and designing the "breakup" before signing anything

(13:00) Advice for putting a partnership agreement in writing, even without a lawyer

(16:00) The AI and visibility debate: can you build genuine authority, or does it favor whoever has more resources?

(18:00) Earning authority through content clusters instead of "gaming" AI

(20:00) The ethical tension: watching AI replace roles she once paid people to do

(22:00) Her current tech stack: Semrush, Claude, and Claude Cowork

(23:00) Using AI as an editor while writing her book, "Trust and Authority"

(25:00) Teaching entrepreneurship students to problem-solve first, then bring in AI

(28:00) The Intentionalities story: a tea house passion project put on ice

(29:00) A live case study with Mutt's Sauce founder Charlynda Skills sparks a new idea

(30:00) Becoming founding director of the Entrepreneurship and Impact Center at Meredith College

(33:00) Deciding to hand the tea house over to students to run and reinvent

(38:00) How she landed the entrepreneur-in-residence role at Meredith

(39:00) Mantra of the week: "So hum," and "everything great starts as somebody's daydream"

Show Notes:

Don't miss an episode! Subscribe NOW @Your Best Friends in Business

Your Best Friends in Business is produced by West + Main Homes in partnership with Pod People


Stay Connected: 

]]> 2508 no Why These Two CEOs Keep Building Businesses They Love Join best friends and co-founders Stacie Staub and Madie Linder as they pull back the curtain on building multiple businesses, bringing you inside honest conversations with founders who are doing the same. Each episode blends real-time business updates, candid interviews, and refreshingly unfiltered debates about what actually works (and what definitely doesn't). Part strategy, part survival guide, and entirely the kind of conversation most business owners desperately need. Come for the tactics, stay for the honesty and leave with practical takeaways, fresh perspectives, and the reminder that there’s no perfect way to build a business so just build it! In this episode: 0:00 — Trailer Intro 0:20 — Meet Stacie & Madie 0:45 — How West + Main Homes Started 1:10 — Blue Nest Coffee Origin Story 1:30 — Spring House Pilates & West Way Lending 1:55 — What This Show Is Really About 2:15 — Who This Show Is For Website: ⁠https://www.yourbestfriendsinbusiness.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourbestfriendsinbusiness/, https://www.instagram.com/stacieandmadie/ Mon, 29 Jun 2026 22:23:00 -0000 trailer 1 Stacie & Madie | Pod People Join best friends and co-founders Stacie Staub and Madie Linder as they pull back the curtain on building multiple businesses, bringing you inside honest conversations with founders who are doing the same. Each episode blends real-time business updates, candid interviews, and refreshingly unfiltered debates about what actually works (and what definitely doesn't). Part strategy, part survival guide, and entirely the kind of conversation most business owners desperately need. Come for the tactics, stay for the honesty and leave with practical takeaways, fresh perspectives, and the reminder that there’s no perfect way to build a business so just build it! In this episode: 0:00 — Trailer Intro 0:20 — Meet Stacie & Madie 0:45 — How West + Main Homes Started 1:10 — Blue Nest Coffee Origin Story 1:30 — Spring House Pilates & West Way Lending 1:55 — What This Show Is Really About 2:15 — Who This Show Is For Website: ⁠https://www.yourbestfriendsinbusiness.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourbestfriendsinbusiness/, https://www.instagram.com/stacieandmadie/ Join best friends and co-founders Stacie Staub and Madie Linder as they pull back the curtain on building multiple businesses, bringing you inside honest conversations with founders who are doing the same.

Each episode blends real-time business updates, candid interviews, and refreshingly unfiltered debates about what actually works (and what definitely doesn't). Part strategy, part survival guide, and entirely the kind of conversation most business owners desperately need.

Come for the tactics, stay for the honesty and leave with practical takeaways, fresh perspectives, and the reminder that there’s no perfect way to build a business so just build it!


In this episode:

  • 0:00 — Trailer Intro
  • 0:20 — Meet Stacie & Madie
  • 0:45 — How West + Main Homes Started
  • 1:10 — Blue Nest Coffee Origin Story
  • 1:30 — Spring House Pilates & West Way Lending
  • 1:55 — What This Show Is Really About
  • 2:15 — Who This Show Is For

Website: ⁠https://www.yourbestfriendsinbusiness.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourbestfriendsinbusiness/, https://www.instagram.com/stacieandmadie/

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