Heart + Head Work

You Are More Than What You Do

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 is a story not just about entrepreneurship, but about courage—choosing to step outside inherited narratives and redefine success on your own terms. Through her work in hospitality and nonprofit spaces, Lavanya has created more than businesses—she’s created opportunities. Spaces where women can learn, grow, and step into their own sense of agency and worth. This conversation moves from personal story to collective impact, offering a grounded and deeply human look at what happens when we stop chasing external definitions of success and begin listening to something more internal. Together, we unpack: - Growing up within traditional cultural expectations and rewriting your path - The subtle ways systems shape identity and opportunity - Building businesses that center impact over profit - Creating opportunities for women through community and skill-building - Redefining success beyond titles, money, and external validation - The role of small business in solving real-world problems - Listening to your body and honoring moments of necessary change - Why identity is bigger than anything you build Where to find Lavanya: https://www.lavanyamahate.com Follow along Instagram: @the_power_of_ownership Connect with us! 💬 Join the conversation in our private network on BFF  https://links.geneva.com/invite/af6ecd07-9070-43b7-9629-7aaa166aa131 📲 Follow us on Instagram instagram.com/maven.community ✨ And if this episode moved you, sharing it with a friend helps more women find us. More at → mavenslc.com

On Choice, Grief, and the Right to Decide

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 followed. Together, they explore what it means to make decisions in moments of uncertainty, the weight of grief, and the anger that can arise when choice is taken away. This conversation moves between the deeply personal and the collective, touching on systems, language, and the importance of compassion in moments that are anything but simple. At its core, this episode is about autonomy, healing, and the right to navigate our own lives and bodies with dignity. Together, we explore: - The lived experience of abortion and pregnancy loss - Grief, anger, and the emotional aftermath of difficult decisions - What it means to make a choice in moments of uncertainty - The impact of language and systems on personal experience - Why autonomy matters in both motherhood and identity - How we hold space for ourselves and others through complex experiences Resources mentioned in this episode: https://utabortionfund.org Disclaimer: This conversation reflects personal experiences and perspectives. Topics discussed may be sensitive for some listeners. We encourage you to take care of yourself while listening and to seek support if needed. Connect with us! 💬 Join the conversation in our private network on BFF  https://links.geneva.com/invite/af6ecd07-9070-43b7-9629-7aaa166aa131 📲 Follow us on Instagram instagram.com/maven.community ✨ And if this episode moved you, sharing it with a friend helps more women find us. More at → mavenslc.com

Choosing How You Show Up

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 reframe: the difference between anger and outrage—and why one may be essential for long-term change, while the other keeps us stuck in cycles of reaction. This conversation moves from the personal to the collective, touching on media, responsibility, and the deeper systems shaping our lives. At the center of it all is a question many of us are quietly holding: How do we stay in the work—without losing ourselves? Together, we unpack: - The difference between anger and outrage—and why it matters - How outrage cycles can exhaust and distract us - What it means to cultivate sustainable emotional engagement - The idea that our “social contract” may be breaking down - Media consumption, information overload, and staying informed without burnout - Finding your role in the midst of complex societal issues - Why long-term change requires steadiness, not spikes - How community care and small actions still matter Resources mentioned in this episode Utah Abortion Fund A community-based organization providing financial support and access to abortion care in Utah. Hotline + support access: https://utabortionfund.org/ You can also support their work through monthly or one-time donations, helping ensure continued access to care for those who need it. Find Ali Vallarta at https://saltlake.citycast.fm/ Connect with us! 💬 Join the conversation in our private network on BFF  https://links.geneva.com/invite/af6ecd07-9070-43b7-9629-7aaa166aa131 📲 Follow us on Instagram instagram.com/maven.community ✨ And if this episode moved you, sharing it with a friend helps more women find us. More at → mavenslc.com

Living What You Believe

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 example of how business can be used as a platform for values, courage, and collective care. What began as a shared love of food and partnership grew into a restaurant that feeds both the body and the spirit. Along the way, Blake and Jen have used their voices to advocate for environmental protection, community well-being, and the idea that success isn’t measured by profit alone. In this conversation, they share stories of building a values-driven business, navigating activism as business owners, and redefining what it means to lead with integrity in a complicated world. Together, we unpack: - The story behind Hell’s Backbone Grill and how Blake and Jen built their partnership - Using business as a platform for advocacy and environmental protection - The courage it takes to use your voice—even when it’s uncomfortable - Navigating criticism, community pressure, and standing by your values - How food and hospitality can become a space for connection and healing - Redefining success beyond money, status, or traditional metrics - Why small businesses can be powerful centers of culture and change This episode is thoughtful, bold, and deeply human—an exploration of what happens when people choose to lead with integrity, speak up for what matters, and build something that nourishes far beyond the plate. Where to find Hell’s Backbone Grill: Hell’s Backbone Grill https://www.hellsbackbonegrill.com Follow Blake & Jen Instagram: @hellsbackbonegrill Disclaimer This conversation reflects personal experiences and perspectives. Every business, community, and leadership journey is unique. We encourage listeners to reflect on what resonates and explore their own path toward meaningful work and impact. Connect with us! Continue the conversation with us inside the Maven Network, our private space on BFF: https://links.geneva.com/invite/af6ecd07-9070-43b7-9629-7aaa166aa131 Follow us on Instagram @mavenslc More at → https://www.mavenslc.com Connect with us! 💬 Join the conversation in our private network on BFF  https://links.geneva.com/invite/af6ecd07-9070-43b7-9629-7aaa166aa131 📲 Follow us on Instagram instagram.com/maven.community ✨ And if this episode moved you, sharing it with a friend helps more women find us. More at → mavenslc.com

How Speaking Up Creates Change

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 of courage can ripple outward. Through personal stories and lived experience, Natalie shares what it was like to step into leadership of her family’s manufacturing company during a time of uncertainty — navigating real financial pressure while learning how resilience, creativity, and persistence can reshape what’s possible. Jenna brings a communications lens to the conversation, offering insight into how stories, relationships, and follow-up can open unexpected doors — even leading to moments that feel almost impossible. Together, this episode explores the ways advocacy shows up in business, leadership, and daily life. From navigating crises to pitching ideas, connecting with media, and building relationships that matter, the conversation reveals how influence is often built through consistency, curiosity, and the willingness to keep showing up. Rather than presenting advocacy as something reserved for activists or public figures, this episode reframes it as a practice — something we can all cultivate in our work, communities, and relationships. Together, we unpack: - What advocacy really looks like in everyday leadership - How storytelling can shape influence and open unexpected opportunities - The role of persistence and follow-up in building meaningful connections - Why relationships often matter more than credentials or authority - How moments of pressure can reveal the leaders we’re becoming - The small actions that can create surprising ripple effects This episode is an invitation to reflect on the ways your own voice — and your willingness to use it — might shape the conversations, opportunities, and communities around you. Connect with us Continue the conversation with us inside the Maven Network, our private space on BFF Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mavenslc More at → https://www.mavenslc.com ✨ And if this episode moved you, sharing it with a friend helps more women find us. Connect with us! 💬 Join the conversation in our private network on BFF  https://links.geneva.com/invite/af6ecd07-9070-43b7-9629-7aaa166aa131 📲 Follow us on Instagram instagram.com/maven.community ✨ And if this episode moved you, sharing it with a friend helps more women find us. More at → mavenslc.com