Welcome to Stumblin' Forward! The podcast about figuring out life one misstep at a time. Listen in as we talk to entrepreneurs, goal-setters, and big dreamers who are in the trenches, learning day-by-day, and simply stumblin' forward.
Kristin Herman and Monica Ortega
Ceser Cardona is the creator, singer, songwriter, musician, and overall heart of the band The Clew. Most recently he has been hard at work on his new album The Heart Part Is The Hard Part. You can find Ceaser's new album on all music streaming platforms!https://www.facebook.com/TheClewMusic/
Chris Patrick is a real estate consultant and founder of The Patrick Group, a premier real estate firm in Las Vegas. With over $100 million sold since 2013, he was named in the top 1% of all Las Vegas Realtors and the number one top producer for Signature Real Estate Group. Previously, he owned three successful businesses and spent 15 satisfying years in sales, marketing, and customer service. A hard-partying snowboard bum turned successful businessman, Chris's rise to success was hard-earned and well-deserved. From a young age, he faced adversity as the son of an abusive father in a struggling family. At age 12, he was wrongly accused of and arrested for a horrible crime that destroyed his reputation, leaving him to deal with the trauma in the aftermath of the accusation. Through trials and tribulations, Chris persevered despite setbacks on the road to his eventual success, such as business failures, loss, and heartbreak. He hopes to inspire others to see the opportunity within their own failures, rather than shame and defeat, and overcome their serious hardships, traumatic events, or struggles in order to live their absolute best lives. Chris currently lives in Las Vegas with his wife Erin, daughter Jameson, and three dogs. Learn more at chrispatrick.net
Stephanie Schultz holds degrees in Business and Art History. She began her career as an art consultant in Winter Park Florida. Her background also includes work with the auction house Sotheby's Beverly Hills, focusing on the Arts and Business Development departments. Much of her career was spent in Museum Development and Fundraising and a directorship for a children's art education gallery. Stephanie founded Blue Blood Metal jewelry in 2013 and joined Sallie Hirshberg, a successful art dealer, in building SH Modern Art, fine art consulting business. Stephanie is passionate about her volunteerism, through Junior League, Fort Myers Woman's Community Club, and Alliance for the Arts.
After graduating from Michigan State University, Tom Griffith moved to Fruita, CO with his wife Kara and spent 8 years in public education. Their son, Arlo, was born in 2015, and less than a year later, in a fit of lunacy, he left teaching to take a dive into the specialty coffee world as owner of Bestslope Coffee Company. The shop opened in 2016, was awarded the Best Coffee Shop in the Rockies by Elevation Outdoors Magazine in both 2019 and 2020, and today continues to serve the good people of Western Colorado!
Cally Raduenzel is a Chicago business owner with Cally's Curls and Company.Cally is also a novelist, singer/songwriter and tropical enthusiast. Not only has she been in the salon business for 20 years but she has seen the curly trends and products come and go. She has a service industry background dealing with the public via restaurant and high end catering also organizing music and theater events. She worked for esteemed universities and graduated with a BA from Purdue University
We are back!The world is constantly changing and evolving. Things have slowly started becoming more “ normal”? And with that we both have started new adventures and have been running around. But we are back! This episode will catch everyone up on what we have been up to and what we would like with the upcoming episodes. Tell us what you like and what you don't like, Tell us what questions you want us to ask, and tell us if you have someone you think would be perfect on Stumblin' Forward!
Ryan Yamashita is an LA native, community builder, doer, and connector.He currently works as an Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement at his alma mater, LMU - Loyola Marymount UniversityHe's an active volunteer with many different surf and skate organizations including Youth Mentoring Connections, Surfrider LA, Life Rolls On, and Boards for Bros (just to name a few). And through those, he's able to share his passion and love of the outdoors with others, and help make those spaces more inclusive and welcoming.Like many of us, he leveraged the downtime of the pandemic to pursue a new side hobby, launching his own resin art business and is now creating ocean resin art on the side to bring a little piece of the ocean into others' homes. Join him on his journey at @ry.oceanresinart on Instagram!@youthmentoring@surfriderla@liferollsonfoundation@boardsforbros
Jordana Michelle Gutman is a sustainable startup founder, coach and attorney. She is co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Garden Island Robotics - producers of The GrowBot: automated hydroponics gardens for busy people that want to have a garden without having “to garden.” Each GrowBot can grow a salad a day, effortlessly. They are solar-powered, self-watering, self feeding, and they use less water and less fertilizer than any other hydroponics system on the market. Jordana is also the host of the Women Wanting Women Podcast: a personal development, self-actualization and relationship advice resource for a queer female audience. She is deeply passionate about growing food everywhere, reducing waste, and helping everyone believe in love.https://www.mygrowbot.com
Sarah St John is an entrepreneur, podcaster, online course creator, and author. She has created several startups throughout her entrepreneurial career of over a decade. She currently owns a podcast production agency called PodSeam. She is also the podcast host of “Frugalpreneur: Building a Business on a Bootstrapped Budget” which aims to show people how to launch and manage an online business on a budget.
Dr. Lori Baker-Schena, MBA, EdD, CEO and founder of Baker Schena Communications, is a leadership coach and professional speaker who works with individuals, academic institutions, entrepreneurs, small businesses and large corporations to strengthen their management and team-building skills. Her goal is to help clients achieve high levels of excellence, productivity and profitability by reclaiming passion and expertise in their industries. Dr. Baker-Schena brings to her clients 35 years as a healthcare public relations and marketing consultant, and 25 years as a tenured university professor teaching public relations and journalism. Dr. Baker-Schena holds a bachelor's degree in Journalism and a MBA from California State University, Northridge, and a doctorate in Organizational Leadership from the University of La Verne.
Don Markland is the CEO and owner of Accountability Now™, an Executive Coaching and Business Strategy company out of Jacksonville, Florida. As a Forbes contributor for Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and Sales, he has over 20 years of experience in the world of sales, marketing, leadership and business growth. Currently, he is leading the sales efforts for one of the most successful digital marketing agencies in the US, 411Locals. In addition to building businesses with clients, he was the Chief Revenue Officer for MoneySolver™, a private equity financial services company, where he lead the nationally recognized company of over 350 employees. As CRO, Don has spearheaded the radical growth of MoneySolver™ where they have become the nationally recognized and largest Tax Resolution digital marketing financial services company in the U.S. Prior to MoneySolver™, Don spent time as a Global Customer Care Executive for working with Amazon in Jamaica and Guatemala. He has also managed $100M Care Centers for State Farm Insurance, All State, and Geico. Don spent time in the startup world as an Owner and Chief Operating Officer for Launch Leads, a marketing startup in Salt Lake City, Utah where he helped them achieve record performance in both client and revenue growth and was named to Utah Business Magazine's Top 40 under 40 for leading businesses executives in the entire state. Prior to Launch Leads, Don spent the previous 12 years with Focus Services, helping them grow from $7M to over $45M, and into four different countries, in under five years.
An author, speaker and founder of DM Consulting LLC, Dawn Marcotte loves to share her insights in building a successful online business. As a mother who worked full time in the corporate world while being a freelance writer as a side gig, Dawn combines the lessons learned from both worlds to create processes that are repeatable and reliable. Her passion is to teach women entrepreneurs the skills they need to get clients and build a successful business while staying true to their values and being authentic.
Splash of Ash LLC is a multimedia company that seeks to empower individuals to nurture their mind, body and soul in order to achieve a greater self worth. Ashley Parker, the founder, has made it her mission to inspire individuals to live their best life while being their best self. With her master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, she shares actionable mindset shifts to help you to change your every day, which in turn, will change your life. Ashley has a podcast out on Apple Podcast and Spotify, A Splash of Ash, a blog, a newsletter and some merch available for purchase on her website!
Chelsea Baldwin is a multi-business entrepreneur and founder of BusinessBitch.com and The Business Bitch Podcast. She helps new and starting entrepreneurs go from $0 to $300k per year as soon as possible with her unique coaching methods that are rooted in the idea that impatience is a virtue. If you make moves today, you'll be closer to your goals today: instead of taking a month or more to procrastinate.
Jason Osborn, is a highly accomplished speaker, coach, and consultant in the fields of digital marketing and mindset. Jason established himself as a life coach, back in 2009 and built his online personal development business and within 18 months was making a full-time income form with clients in 13 countries worldwide. Following this success, he switched gears and became an online marketing consultant and has since become a highly sought after coach and adviser. Headhunted by The Re-Think Academy in 2018, Jason is Head Coach and is steering the company towards becoming the #1 coaching program in the UK. Jason speaking internationally for 26 years now and has had the privilege of sharing the stage with speakers like Jairek Robbins, Paul O'Mahony, Armand Morin, Brian Koz, Mark Anastasi, Mike Bacak, Chris Farrell, and many more.
Finding yourself mid-pivot? I mean who isn't these days?From her journey of wanting to be a country singer, to creating the travel show Monica Goes, to the unexpected divorce that rocked her world, Monica uses humor and wisdom to show you how you can lean into your own pivots, even when they suck.You'll learn how to create opportunities from any situation, even the unexpected ones, and to trust that the universe has amazing plans for you. Harness the power of pivoting, go forth, and create the life of your dreams! YOU'RE A FREAKING ROCKSTAR!
Francesca Trotman is the Managing Director and Founder of Love The Oceans (LTO), a marine conservation charity in Mozambique. She holds a master's in marine biology and likes to stay close to the research and community, overseeing the majority of programs in Mozambique. LTO is working to establish a marine protected area in Mozambique. LTO collects data on humpback whales, ocean trash, megafauna (whale sharks & manta rays), fisheries, coral reefs, and turtles, and runs three community outreach projects. They were recently recognized as 1 of 15 global grassroots #Forcesforchange by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, receiving international recognition for their work.https://lovetheoceans.org
After making a series of bad decisions, with one leading to a friend being shot and killed, Sunil Godse spent thousands of hours on research and interviews to find out that the reason we waste time making bad decisions is because we ignore our intuition, a subconscious phenomenon that we are all born with that helps us make the right decision at the right time in any situation we find ourselves in.Sunil developed a seven step process that shows you how to sharpen your intuition so that the only decisions you make are the right ones in any situation that move your life forward.Intuitionology Link: https://www.intuitionology.com/ref/StumblinForwardThe seven-day challenge: https://www.intuitionology.com/7-day-challenge/ref/StumblinForward
Johanna B. Voss is a talent manager, trusted by social media influencers who want clarity on how to build their brands, grow their businesses, earn their worth and plan strategically for the future. On behalf of her clients, she's closed close to two million dollars of brand deals, partnerships, and speaking engagements. Her clients have partnered with brands such as Kroger, Walmart, AARP, Little Northern Bakehouse, H&R Block, and ALDI. Negotiation is something she thoroughly enjoys be it for her clients, friends or with strangers. Entering her 10th year of working for herself, she understands all about the necessary pivots entrepreneurs take along their journey. Prior to her work in the talent management space, Johanna worked on the Presidential campaigns of Hillary Clinton and John Kerry for more than 7 years. Johanna is a world traveler, lived in Spain three times, can often be found cycling Colorado's mountain ranges, or asking the question "What if you...?" Follow her on Instagram @johannavoss.
From a National Board Certified teacher to Homeschool Mompreneur. Kiyana Thomas teaches and coaches women on how to design a life they love centered around faith, family, and homeschool. Kiyana is a woman of many talents and enjoys providing value through her blog and youtube channel.
For 20 years award winning chiropractor, Dr. Kelly Henry helped his patients live healthier lives. With the foundation of providing exceptional customer service, Dr. Henry grew his clinics into one of the top producing chiropractic offices in the nation with multiple locations and doctors. Since 2018 Dr. Henry has used his system to coach business leaders on improving customer service to create incredible growth and profits.
Jenny Cain is from Nashville Tennessee. She grew up in a small farm town and has made a career out of teaching people how to line dance. Founder of Jenny Cain Productions, her choreography work can be seen in National commercials, motion pictures, and music videos such as Alan Jackson's Good Time.
Born with a keen eye for beauty, Diem Angie was naturally drawn to faces and the art of makeup at a very young age. At age 16, she attended the Technology Center of Illinois, earning a cosmetology license. Ten years later, her talent and drive have taken her career in many directions including music videos, commercials, print, and TV. Her biggest achievement was working with America's Next Top Model. Even though Diem Angie has done a lot of exciting work on various projects, she was always excited about and drawn towards wedding hair and makeup for real brides. This is where her true passion lies. Nothing gives her greater satisfaction than working with brides on their big day and seeing their excitement at their transformation. She believes that beauty first comes from within and it's her job to complete the picture by making her clients feel beautiful on the outside. Today, her ambition is to make her mark in the beauty industry. She loves the challenging and competitive nature of the business and continues to refine her style and grow as an artist. Diem Angie holds a high standard for her work and continuously push for education and growth. She does not strive for perfection, but rather balance, for it is the key to harmony. She is the master artist and team leader for Diem Angie Co. The artists and stylists in her team are all formally trained by her and have been working with her for numerous weddings and events.
Bryan Chesters grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, IL. He has performed on stage and screen in Chicago, NYC, and Los Angeles. He received both his BA (Music) and MFA (Theater) from UCLA (Magna cum laude). He has taught acting at UCLA, YPS Studio, LA School of the Arts, Arts Camp & LAUSD. You may recognize Bryan from TV/Film acting credits include: WAR DOGS (w/Jonah Hill & Miles Teller), MAD MEN (Dir. Jon Hamm), MODERN FAMILY, ANGER MANAGEMENT, Grey's Anatomy, A Lesson in Love (Starring Kristy Swanson) & Jet Set, Good Trouble (Freeform), A Haunting At Silver Falls: The Return (Netflix).While also owning and teaching his own acting class, Actors Theater Los Angeles Bryan founded and his own DJ/MC company Let's Party LA. This Entertainment is a DJ/MC company that provides “Entertainment for all Occasions”! He created Let's Party LA back in 2001 and has been entertaining So-Cal audiences ever since.
Bardo's mission is simple: shrink the world. Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, Bardo spent much of his childhood living abroad in Italy, Spain and Japan listening to his parents' favorite music like A Tribe Called Quest, Omar Lye Fook and The Roots. His global lens allows him to not only rap and sing in multiple languages, but also draw inspiration from places outside the US. Bardo hopes that his Chicago bred, groovy sound, (provided by his 4 piece band Allied Forces) which has been compared to Outkast and N.E.R.D, can help knock down the barriers and ignorance that exists between different people and places simply by providing contact and a common groove.
Kasia is a marketing guru and writer. She launched the Alpha newsletter for creative entrepreneurs and wrote her second novel in 2020. She's passionate about helping entrepreneurs work toward their biggest dreams with clarity, passion, and focus.
Alice Ford is a stuntwoman and a Telly award winning host, producer, and adventure filmmaker. As well as a NATJA award winning travel writer. In her award winning series Alice's Adventures, she has documented indigenous cultures, National Parks, and World Heritage Sites. She has starred in many movies as a stunt woman and hosted and produced several series on outdoor adventures and National Parks. She is an expert in adventure travel, sustainability and solo travel, she is also the owner of the eco travel platform TravGanic. With a Master's Degree in Environmental Management she is on a mission to share her love for adventure, travel and green living with all she comes in contact with. When she's not performing in some big Hollywood blockbusters as a stunt woman, Transformer 4, Star Trek 3 and Entourage to name a few. She spends her time traveling, filmmaking and writing about some of the more than 30 countries she has visited. You can watch her videos at www.youtube.com/alicelogan1 and read about her travels and tips at www.alicesadventuresonearth.com.
Danny Max is as a News Anchor for KFI. Danny joined the team in 2020. Before hitting the Los Angeles airwaves, Danny worked in TV news as an Anchor/Reporter/Producer at KEYT in Santa Barbara where he anchored breaking news coverage of the Thomas Fire that ripped through Ventura County in 2017 and the deadly Mudslides in Montecito in 2018. Danny also reported live from Thousand Oaks following the mass shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill. Danny got his start in news as a reporter and anchor in Waco, Texas. If Danny looks familiar, it's probably because you've seen him ‘play' a reporter on TV shows including AMERICAN HORROR STORY: 1984, 911: LONE STAR, NCIS, or heard his voice in the Netflix smash-hit BIRDBOX. Danny is also an award-winning screenwriter!
Becca is an actor & model based in Chicago. She began acting at the age of four as a result of her parents' desperate attempt to find an outlet for her high energy. From that initial park district class, Becca caught the acting bug and has been performing ever since. While she's always had a passion for the arts, for many years she didn't believe she could make a career as a performer. Then in 2016, she decided enough was enough and left the security of a full-time job to fully commit to building her entertainment career. Since then she's had the pleasure of working in professional theatre, children's theatre, short films, feature films, commercials, and industrials. She's also had the privilege of working on TV shows such as “Proven Innocent,” “Empire” and “Fargo” as a stand in & photo double. As a model, Becca has posed for a variety of print ads, modeled high fashion, walked the runway, been a hair model, and car model. She loves the artistic freedom and challenges modeling presents and utilizing her acting skills to tell a story through photos. You can follow Becca's journey on Instagram @BeccaMorello and through her website: www.beccamorello.com
Jack has had a knack for telling stories since he picked up his first VHS camcorder as a kid. Little did he know that the short films he was making were actually crafting his skills as an editor and producer. Jack pursued his dream of storytelling at the University of Montana where he created documentaries and short stories centered around his favorite places: the National Parks. Jack later rose through the ranks as a production assistant on Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern and became an associate producer on multiple docu-series including Off Pitch (VH1) and Ghost Asylum (Destination America). This experience would soon lead Jack to co-create and host the Emmy Award winning television show Rock the Park for The CW. Today, Jack is living his dream traveling to national parks seeking thrills and adventure. He and his lifelong best friend, Colton, dive head first into the incredible experiences and challenges that the parks offer. Jack currently resides in Redondo Beach, California where he spends his time exploring and working on new film projects.
Cesar Cardona is a musician, actor, boxing trainer, and Buddhist living in Los Angeles. His band “The Clew” has played all over Los Angeles in the last three and a half years. In this episode we'll talk about his journey in the Los Angeles entertainment industry and how being your own boss and a creative can sometimes make goal-setting and focusing difficult. He'll share how having a strategy changed his life and helped him move forward.
A recovering 9 to 5er follows her passion into a fitness center to be a personal trainer. After building a two-year clientele at what she thought was her dream job, she was suddenly fired. Within a month she started her own business, Sara Barker Fitness. "I had a family to help support. I didn't have time to sit around and feel bad for myself. I'll just be my own boss." Sara Barker Fitness and Nutrition emerged through a journey of risk-taking, soul searching, and working through the struggle to motivate through low points. Being a one-woman business can be a lonely place, especially when you are doubting yourself.
Megan is a visual artist with a niche in multiple mediums. Primarily focused on photography for over twenty years. She is the owner and creator of Sontag Photography, Photos By Blue, and SkyXStone Jewelry. Listen in as we chat with Megan about her journey into owning her own businesses and how she's used being multi-passionate to her advantage.
Maurine is a mom of two (soon to be three) young kids, who started MoMo's Gourmet Cheesecakes in 2015. Maurine started her business out of her home and has grown into a food truck and will soon open into a storefront. She is passionate about her family, relationships, and emotional intelligence. She loves to travel and loves to connect with others. She believes strongly in balance and knows the most important thing in life is people and relationships. She prides herself in helping people connect and get joy from her delicious cheesecakes!
Born just outside the "Chocolate City" of Hershey, Pennsylvania, this Chicago transplant has been making headway in the Midwest Film Industry since 2010. In 2015, Jeremy joined forces with Scotchworthy Productions to write multiple titles, including The Rake (Sony Pictures), Skeletons in the Closet (Cow Lamp Productions), and High on the Hog (Indican Pictures). Silva has also directed award-winning short films, including Watermelon Eyes and Declines with Regret.
Welcome to Season 2!!! In this premiere episode, Kristin and Monica discuss every crazy change that's happened in their businesses and personal lives in the past two years since they recorded their very first episode back in 2018. And yes...they recorded it in a closet! Listen now to find out why!
Laura Long was born and raised in Port Royal, Virginia. As a teenager, she was chosen to be a part of the Governor's School of Performing Arts at the University of Richmond where she began her studies in theatre. Within that time, she was awarded "Best Actress" by the Virginia Theatrical Association two years in a row, in 2009 and 2010 for her stage work. A student at London's Identity School of Acting, she continues her career in working in commercials, television, and film. She's best known for her recurring role as Becky Franks in AMC's "TURN: Washington's Spies" as well as "For All Mankind" and "Criminal Minds"
Jeannette Ceja, is a bilingual Travel Journalist, TV Host, Travel Advisor, and a Global Public Speaker based in Beverly Hills. She combined her love for travel and over 10 years of media experience into an internationally recognized company known as Jet Set with Jeannette.
Molly Franklin is a Chicago based artist who is living her best life because, well, how else are you supposed to live? She has had personal essays published in online magazines such as IAMFEMINISM and Hooligan Magazine, and who regularly performs live literature with Tenx9 and Loose Chicks. After watching her first screenplay come to life at a local showcase, Molly is currently working on her first feature and rediscovering who she is as an artist.
Trevor is a freelance writer who publishes articles about spirituality, culture, philosophy, and science on medium.com and on his blog anewmythos.com. His passion for writing motivates others not to be afraid and to follow their own dreams. As Joseph Campbell once said, "Follow your bliss".
Sarah Dandashy an award-winning concierge and travel expert. In 2015 she won "Best Young Concierge in the World," making her the Miss Universe equivalent of concierge! More than a travel influencer, her many years of working in hotels make her a verified travel expert. People seek her out for her travel tips, advice, and knowledge of trends from the “frontlines of travel.” She has produced over 200 travel videos covering all the best there is to eat, see, and do in Los Angeles and around the world! Sarah has appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show and is a regular contributor on Good Day LA. She has been featured in numerous publications from the New York Times, Reader's Digest, Thrillist, to American Way Magazine. As a content creator, she works with some of the top brands in travel, including Marriott International, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruiseline, and Allianz Travel Insurance. She can be seen speaking at the Travel and Adventure show in various cities across the US, as well as other travel-related conferences. She also consults and trains various companies on enhancing their hospitality and service standards.
Vanessa is a Midwest girl with a California heart! Artist and creator, Vanessa is a voice for freedom and authentic storytelling through multiple platforms. She runs a thriving online business teaching others how to leverage the internet to be their own brand and create cash flow in an aligned and authentic way. She also hosts a thriving Podcast, “Hey World it's Me” now on iTunes, that is a 15-minute dose of unpacking Universal laws and recharging what's already IN us all. Stoked to continue her acting career as well as BE a vessel for making Freedom in the online space the new way. Vanessa looks forward to creating, connecting, and playing with others craving a high-vibing quality of life.. with most likely some inappropriate jokes, but hella fun along the way!
Former talent agent/manager and digital marketing executive, Mike Schibel found his purpose and meaning after buying a one-way ticket to Australia. Traveling for almost a year and interviewing different people along the way. Mike's passion as a traveler has been to encourage, inspire, and support others to travel, share stories, and connect with people from around the world. Born and raised in Pacific Palisades, Mike is an outdoor enthusiast, bathtub, spa and hammock connoisseur, chocolate chip cookie aficionado, open road seeker, community connector, and guru of optimism and instigator of awesome! He lives in Venice Beach with his partner Nicole, dog Barbara, and cat Mija.
Kristin Herman is a videographer and editor. Kristin specializes in visual storytelling and filmmaking. Born and raised in Illinois, she got her start in acting. Since moving back to the Chicagoland area from California she has been working with different companies on wedding videography and event cinematography. Currently, Kristin is working for a successful YouTube show called ‘Monica Goes'. As-well-as Wedding companies including Imagination Designers and Elegante Media Chicago. She recently launched her own production company Creative World Productions.
Monica Ortega is a professional travel host and actress who began her show Monica Goes back in 2015 to inspire others to break out of their comfort zone and go on adventures. As someone who's afraid of everything, she'll put herself through almost anything to show that if an average everyday person like her can do these things, anyone can. She's produced and hosted over 90 episodes, created destination videos and blogs for over 40 DMO's, and been featured on Matador Network, USA Today's 10Best, REI, and more! When she's not traveling, she can usually be found line dancing, singing in cover bands, or on the trail with her adventure dog Millie.
Hey guys thanks for tuning in! Our very first episode was recorded back in 2018 on a road trip. We were so excited as we were coming up with the show. We wanted to share our thought process, even in a noisy car! And going with the theme of the show we were just stumblin' forward.