Michigan Tribe Podcast

COVID, Catering, and Building a Business with Your Spouse — What Nobody Warns You About with Elise Houston.

What happens when a pandemic eliminates both of your jobs on the same day — and your response is to launch a catering business? That's exactly what Elise Houston and her wife Allison did when March 2020 turned their carefully laid plans upside down. In this episode, Alex and Amanda sit down with Elise, co-owner of Sylvia's Catering in Napoleon, to talk about the kind of entrepreneurship story nobody puts in a brochure. From delivering individually packaged dinners by pontoon boat during lockdown, to naming their business after a grandmother who ran a restaurant for 50 years, to navigating the beautifully complicated reality of working alongside your spouse every single day — this conversation is equal parts inspiring, hilarious, and refreshingly honest. Elise opens up about the real financial pressures of running a food business right now (hello, skyrocketing food costs), why saying no to business is sometimes the smartest move you can make, the surprising joy of launching a lesbian coloring book on Amazon, and what it's actually been like building a life and a thriving business as a same-sex couple in Jackson, Michigan. In this episode: * Launching a catering company in the middle of a pandemic (yes, really) * The Sylvia's story — honoring a 50-year legacy and the signs that keep showing up * What it's actually like to run a business with your spouse (and how a hallway saves marriages) * Pivoting, knowing your numbers, and learning when to say no * Planning rest into your business before burnout plans it for you * Finding your community and building a business that fuels your whole life

Knowing Your Numbers, Staying Connected, and the Truth About Why Businesses Fail with Shawn Preissle.

What separates the businesses that make it from the ones that don't? In this episode, Alex and Amanda sit down with Shawn Preissle -- a retired business consultant with over a decade of experience and roughly 2,500 entrepreneurs under her belt -- to get real about what it actually takes to survive (and thrive) in business ownership.  Shawn breaks down the common thread she saw in successful entrepreneurs: they came in prepared, knew their numbers, and -- most importantly -- they stayed connected to support even after launch. She shares why so many business owners wait too long to ask for help, what your financials are actually trying to tell you, and how to build a simple "scorecard" that tracks the health of your business in a way that actually makes sense to you.  Whether you're a spreadsheet lover or someone who breaks out in a cold sweat at the sight of a balance sheet, this episode is packed with practical wisdom that meets you where you are. Plus, the ladies get candid about leaning on your people, knowing your gaps, and why the Jackson County business ecosystem means you truly don't have to go it alone.  In this episode: * Why preparation (not passion) is the #1 predictor of success * The financial benchmarks every business owner should know  * How to build a business scorecard that works for you * Why staying connected to your consultant after launch is everything  * The real cost of waiting too long to ask for help

Talking Crime, Justice, and Community with Jackson's First Female Prosecutor, Kelsey Guernsey.

She walks into the room and people notice. Not because she's trying to make a statement -- but because she already made history.  This episode, Alex and Amanda sit down with Kelsey Guernsey, the first female prosecuting attorney in Jackson County. Let that land for a second. The. First. In a role that has existed for generations, Kelsey is the women who broke the ceiling -- and she's here to talk about what that actually looks like from the inside.  This isn't a fluff piece. Kelsey gets into what it means to carry that "first" title every single day, what it costs, and what it feels like to walk into rooms that weren't built with you in mind -- and command them anyway. She talks about the cases that stay with you, the pressure of being watched, and why she keeps showing up even when the weight of it is real.  This episode is for every woman who has ever been the only one in the room. The first one. The one people are watching to see if she'll fail. Kelsey's story is proof that not only do you belong there -- you might just be the one who changes everything.  What we cover:  * What it means to be the first female prosecuting attorney in Jackson County.  * How Kelsey navigated a male-dominated field without losing herself.  * The reality of prosecuting cases in a community you live in.  * What she wishes more people understood about the criminal justice system.  * The "first" pressure -- what it feels like and how she carries it.  * Her message to women who are walking into spaces that weren't made for them.

They Found Out They Were a Cult via Netflix! The Story Behind Michigan Tribe.

Every movement has an origin story. Ours involves a cult -- and honestly, we wouldn't have it any other way.  In this debut episode, Michigan Tribe co-founders Alex and Amanda sit down together for the first time on the mic to pull back the curtain on how this whole thing started. Spoiler: it wasn't a perfectly crafted business plan. It was a weird, wild, slightly unhinged moment that turned into something none of us could have predicted.  They're getting into the real story -- the messy middle, the cult that accidentally became the blueprint, and the moment they looked at each other and decided to stop playing it safe and build something that actually meant something to women in Jackson.  This is the episode where you meet your hosts and fall a little bit in love with the chaos that built Michigan Tribe. Welcome to the Michigan Tribe. We saved you a seat.  What we cover:  * How Michigan Tribe actually started (no sugar coating).  * The cult story you've probably never heard before.  * What it means to build a brand rooted in real community.  * Why Alex and Amanda said "screw it" and went all in.  * The moment Michigan Tribe stopped being an idea and became a movement.

Talking Secret Jobs, Events During COVID, and Friendships That Make Entrepreneurship Possible with Yvette Wilkie & Tonja Worthey.

What does it actually take to build something from scratch in Jackson, Michigan? Two women who did it are here to tell you -- and they are not holding back.  This week, Alex and Amanda welcome two powerhouse entrepreneurs to the Michigan Tribe table: Tonja Worthey, the visionary behind Worthy Occasions, and Yvette Wilkie, the force running RJ's Burgers and Ice Cream Co. These two women have built businesses rooted in joy, community, and the kind of grit that doesn't come with a business degree -- it comes from doing the work anyway, even when every voice in your head (and sometimes around you) says don't.  From the first wild idea to the first real moment of "holy sh*t, this is actually working" -- Tonja and Yvette share the stories they don't always tell. The fear. The pivots. The people who showed up. The people who didn't. And why, despite all of it, they'd do it again in a heartbeat.  If you've ever thought about starting something -- a business, a side hustle, a whole new chapter -- this episode is your sign.  What we cover:  * Tonja's journey building Worthy Occasions and what "worthy" really means to her.  * Yvette's story behind RJ's Burgers and Ice Cream Co and the community it's created.  * What it's really like to be a female business owner in Jackson.  * The moments that almost broke them (and what kept them going).  * Advice for women who are sitting on a dream and waiting for permission.  * What Michigan Tribe means to them as women building in this city.