Making Good

44: Reneé Blanchard, Before the Net Appears

In this solo episode, I talk in greater detail about my decision to close Church Alley Cafe. I get rather raw about how I make huge decisions like this, how this impacted my thoughts on my identity, and how I am navigating the messy middle before the net of the next chapter appears. 

All my planning over the past two years fell apart but I know I'm not alone. So many of us are navigating new situations that we couldn't have anticipated. But here we are! Making it work anyway. 

43: Kait Austin, MBA student, New Orleans Native

I've known Kait for 13 years. Kait and her sister were one of my first customers of Church Alley. I spoke to Kait about her decision to step away from an organization she founded and how she navigated that decision. During this time of her founding the organization, quitting her job, moving to the UK, and starting an MBA program, the world was grabbling with COVID and it's aftermath. We discuss the process of big change. 

42: Vera Lester, Spiritual Pastor, Meaningful Work Coach

"Sometimes the world starts to eclipse the things that are most important." Vera Lester is a Spiritual Pastor, Meaningful Work Coach, and a yoga instructor. A Jill of all trades. 

We discussed the messy middle. The things all these business podcasts and storytellers seem to leave when they talk about their return to themselves and their work. We talk about our own journey's from endings to new beginnings. 

41: Monika Kunz, The Springboard, Founder

Monika Kunz is a coach, activator, and Founder of The Springboard, a coaching practice designed to help visionary professionals build bold, authentic careers and lives they love.

Known for her grounded, intuitive approach, Monika supports innovators, change-makers, and dreamers as they navigate transition, clarify who they are now, and step confidently into what’s next.

She founded The Springboard to serve entrepreneurial spirits ready to take risks, reimagine success, and create their next chapter with purpose. Drawing from her experience as a seasoned leader in values-driven companies, Monika blends business savvy with deep personal insight — helping clients overcome challenges, move from stuck to strategic, and build dynamic futures rooted in authenticity.

Whether you're reinventing your career, launching something new, or craving more alignment in your work, Monika is the kind of thought partner who helps you see clearly, act boldly, and trust your inner momentum.

Connect with Monika on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monikavikunz/, on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespringboard_/ or visit her website (www.wespringboard.com) to learn more. 

40: Arianne Craig Jolla, Author & Entrepreneur

National speaker, women’s leadership mentor, and high-performance guide, Arianne is dedicated to helping high-performing women shift from survival mode to strategic momentum.

Arianne's passion for equipping women across the country has led her to become a sought-after speaker, providing guidance and mentorship to women across various industries. Her unique approach resonates with her audiences as she combines the experience she's gained in business with the lessons she's learned in life.

We discussed what happens when the big thing you have put everything into doesn't work out. Arianne is insprising and full of wisdom in this conversation. She also just released a new book! The Power of Pressure- From Stuck to Unstoppable. It's available via this link and on Amazon Kindle. 

You can also learn more about Arianne's work here - https://www.ariannecraigjolla.com/

 

39: Dr. Tanya Radecker, PhD, LPC, NCC, RN

Dr. Tanya Radeck is a certified EFT Therapist and supervisor. She is also the author of the book, Perspectives of Divorced Therapists: Can I Get it Right for Couples. 2018. 

Dr. Tanya discusses the patterns and experiences that we often need to let go of as we enter new chapters. She offers advice on what happens when we want to make significant changes in our lives and how we can move forward without succumbing to toxic positivity or denial. 

 

38- Carbs: The No Good Very Bad Macronutrient, You Really Need

Welcome to the first episode of my series on Macronutrients! 

Many of my clients at Church Alley Nutrition avoid carbs for a dozen reasons that can be read in a women's magazine. The thing is, we NEED carbohydrates to have a healthy life. And most of us don't really know what a carb is, can't pick it out in a grocery aisle, and/or have no idea what they do for our bodies. Hint: Your brain and every single cell in your body NEEDS carbs to function properly. 

And that's why I'm doing a series on macronutrients to help us all get the basics of why these nutrients are important, what they are, how much to include in each meal, and where do find them. We get a lot of information thrown out at us online and most of it is junk that only confuses us. 

I'm also publishing on Substack, where I go into detail about nutrients, body image, and my research on climate change and autoimmune diseases. You can follow along by clicking here: 

 

37 - Laura Sanders, Comedian & Illustrator

Laura Sanders is a comedian and illustrator. We spoke about her journey into comedy and how real life, even the hard parts like grieving the loss of a parent, can sometimes be really funny. We also discussed how one becomes a comedian and why it is called a comedy album. She also illustrates coloring books that you can tear apart and send as postcards, books, and you can rent her for a day for a makeover montage as your personal in-house illustrator, designer, and biggest fan. 

You can learn more about Laura by visiting:

https://laurasanders.fun/

 

 

36- Nicole Eiden, Poet

Nicole Eiden is a local poet, writer, and former pie maker. Nicole and I have known each other for close to 15 years.  You will probably hear our mutual fondness for each other's work in this episode. I spoke with Nicole about her writing because it's beautiful, and she even read some of her poems as well as a couple of her favorite poems written by others. While recording this episode, my lawn guy came through, an ambulance was outside, and we had a few other interruptions, so you may notice a few of these. But you know the conversation was so good, and we just kept going! 

You can learn more about Nicole at: 

https://www.nicoleeiden.com/

35 - Jaqueline Blanchard, Coutelier & Bar Sukaban

Jacqueline Blanchard is the owner of Coutelier and Bar Sukaban in New Orleans. While we are not related (that we know of), we do hail from the same Cajun roots as our families, who both left Nova Scotia and ended up in the bayous and rivers of Southern Louisiana. Jacqueline received her bachelors in Culinary Arts from Nicholls State University just after Hurricane Katrina hit our coast. 

In this episode, we discuss Blanchard's journey to owning a specialty knife shop and nearby restaurant in Uptown New Orleans. She even offers some ideas for keeping delicious food on hand when you have no idea what to cook for dinner. 

You can learn more about Jacqueline by visiting:

Coutelier Website: https://couteliernola.com/

Bar Sukaban website: https://www.barsukeban.com/

and their corresponding Instagram handles: https://www.instagram.com/barsukeban/ https://www.instagram.com/couteliernola/