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When was the last time you really stopped and listened to what your body was telling you?

We're talking about more than eating healthy, exercising, or squeezing a little self-care into an already busy schedule!

On this episode of the Entrepreneur Like ME Podcast, Courtney sits down with Ashley Jones, founder of Ask Ashley Advisement, for a thought-provoking conversation about holistic wellness, entrepreneurship, finding your purpose, and what it truly means to BE WELL.

From graduating as valedictorian and earning a degree in physics with a pre-med focus to navigating motherhood and discovering her passion for holistic wellness, Ashley's journey is anything but traditional.

We dive into the connection between physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being, explore the importance of slowing down and becoming more aware of ourselves, and discuss how everyday habits, stress, and lifestyle choices can influence how we feel.

But this conversation goes beyond wellness!

Ashley opens up about building a business rooted in helping others, overcoming the fear of putting yourself out there, finding your voice as an entrepreneur, and how participating in CMURC's Lift ME program is helping her strengthen the foundation of Ask Ashley Advisement.

And you already know Courtney has some questions! From meditation and overthinking to finding balance in the middle of life's chaos, this conversation will have you thinking about your own wellness journey.

Because sometimes the first step toward change isn't doing MORE. It's becoming more aware of what you need.

🎙️ Join the movement. Be the inspiration. Be an Entrepreneur Like ME!

Sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) – Make it in Michigan with the support of a robust partner network designed to help entrepreneurs succeed. Learn more at michiganbusiness.org.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of the ELM Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to subscribe for more inspiring conversations with entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Connect with us:

• Follow us on Instagram: @cmuresearchcorp
• Visit our website: www.cmurc.com/elm

Don't forget to leave us a review and share this episode with your friends. Stay tuned for our next episode where we continue to explore the journeys of extraordinary individuals in the world of business and innovation. Until next time, keep exploring, learning, and making an impact!

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Your hairstylist sees the version of you that shows up before the win, before the confidence, and sometimes before you even believe in yourself. Courtney Garrett sits down with Kentoyia Harris, her longtime hairstylist and the owner of Growing Hands Salon And Academy, for a real conversation about natural hair care, entrepreneurship, and the work people never see behind a finished style.

Kentoyia shares what it took to become a licensed cosmetologist with limited support, including the grind of long commutes and the “okay, now what?” moment after getting licensed. We talk about why cosmetology is a business, not just a service, and how retail management taught her leadership, customer service, and standards she now brings into the salon. She also opens up about humbling early mistakes, learning who she wants to serve, and why education is at the center of her brand.

If you care about healthy natural hair, you’ll love the myth-busting and mindset shift: clean hair helps hair grow, trims matter, and negative talk about hair keeps people stuck in “cover it” culture. We also get into salon ownership realities like ambiance, self-care, and how social media has changed client expectations, plus Kentoyia’s vision for a training center that teaches people to maintain their hair and carry old school value forward.

Listen all the way through for her advice to aspiring salon owners: do it scared, and learn the business side as seriously as the art. If this conversation helps you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more entrepreneurs can find it.

Sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) – Make it in Michigan with the support of a robust partner network designed to help entrepreneurs succeed. Learn more at michiganbusiness.org.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of the ELM Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to subscribe for more inspiring conversations with entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Connect with us:

• Follow us on Instagram: @cmuresearchcorp
• Visit our website: www.cmurc.com/elm

Don't forget to leave us a review and share this episode with your friends. Stay tuned for our next episode where we continue to explore the journeys of extraordinary individuals in the world of business and innovation. Until next time, keep exploring, learning, and making an impact!

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She Started With a Pen… Then Built a Business

What happens when an unexpected life change pushes you to rediscover your creativity—and that creativity turns into a business?

In this episode of Entrepreneur Like ME, I sit down with Sandra Crosby Robinson, founder of Just Pen It and creator of Journey by Journaling, to talk about what happened when retirement came earlier than she expected and she had to figure out what was next.

What started with Sandra creating one-of-a-kind jeweled pens grew into journals, workshops, and an experience designed to help people slow down, reflect, create, and tell their own stories. Along the way, Sandra learned an important lesson: just because one chapter ends doesn't mean your gifts stop with it.

We get into the real side of building a business—knowing when your hobby has become something more, listening to your customers, pivoting when the opportunity changes, managing your time and finances, and staying connected to the thing that made you start in the first place. Sandra even shares her big vision for a mobile Journey by Journaling experience that could take her workshops on the road.

And if you've ever bought a journal with every intention of using it...and it's still sitting there blank 👀—this conversation is definitely for you.

Sometimes you don't need to have the whole next chapter figured out. You just need to put something on the page and start. 🎙️✨

Sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) – Make it in Michigan with the support of a robust partner network designed to help entrepreneurs succeed. Learn more at michiganbusiness.org.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of the ELM Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to subscribe for more inspiring conversations with entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Connect with us:

• Follow us on Instagram: @cmuresearchcorp
• Visit our website: www.cmurc.com/elm

Don't forget to leave us a review and share this episode with your friends. Stay tuned for our next episode where we continue to explore the journeys of extraordinary individuals in the world of business and innovation. Until next time, keep exploring, learning, and making an impact!

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What happens when you take a material known for aerospace, automotive and high-performance applications and bring it into industries that have relied on steel for decades?

On this episode of the Entrepreneur Like ME Podcast, Courtney sits down with Willie and Eli Rytlewski of CF SPAN to talk about CarbonBar, their carbon fiber solution designed to bring strength, durability and lightweight performance into new industries and everyday applications.

But this conversation is about much more than carbon fiber.

Willie and Eli share the story behind CF SPAN, what it takes to introduce a new product into established industries, the importance of understanding your customer before going to market, and why even the best innovation still has to make business sense.

We also get into the realities of manufacturing and scaling, building the right team, listening to customer feedback, becoming cost competitive, and creating systems that allow a growing company to move from a great idea to a sustainable business.

Whether you're developing a new product, trying to disrupt an established industry, or simply figuring out how to turn your idea into something customers will actually buy, this conversation is a reminder that innovation isn't just about creating something new—it's about solving a real problem and building the business around it.

Learn more about CF SPAN and CarbonBar:
www.cfspan.com

Sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) – Make it in Michigan with the support of a robust partner network designed to help entrepreneurs succeed. Learn more at michiganbusiness.org.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of the ELM Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to subscribe for more inspiring conversations with entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Connect with us:

• Follow us on Instagram: @cmuresearchcorp
• Visit our website: www.cmurc.com/elm

Don't forget to leave us a review and share this episode with your friends. Stay tuned for our next episode where we continue to explore the journeys of extraordinary individuals in the world of business and innovation. Until next time, keep exploring, learning, and making an impact!

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From Visibility to Viability: Building Marketing Systems That Convert

Getting people to notice your business is only half the battle—turning that attention into paying customers is where the real work begins. In this episode of Entrepreneur Like Me, I sit down with Angela Carter, founder of Angela M. Carter Services, to talk about the strategy behind sustainable business growth and why successful entrepreneurs build systems, not just social media posts.

After making an unconventional transition from entertainment law to digital marketing, Angela now helps coaches, consultants, product-based businesses, and service providers create sales funnels, lead generation systems, and customer journeys that consistently convert interest into revenue. She shares why trust must be earned before a sale is ever made, how entrepreneurs can simplify their marketing, and why every customer interaction should have a purpose.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why visibility alone doesn't grow a business
• The difference between a website and a sales funnel
• Building trust through intentional messaging and video marketing
• Creating lead generation systems that work while you sleep
• Using email marketing to nurture relationships and increase sales
• How AI is helping entrepreneurs work smarter—not harder
• Practical steps to stop chasing algorithms and start building predictable growth

Whether you're just starting your business or looking to create a more consistent customer acquisition strategy, this episode will challenge you to think beyond marketing tactics and start building a business that scales with intention.

Sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) – Make it in Michigan with the support of a robust partner network designed to help entrepreneurs succeed. Learn more at michiganbusiness.org.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of the ELM Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to subscribe for more inspiring conversations with entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Connect with us:

• Follow us on Instagram: @cmuresearchcorp
• Visit our website: www.cmurc.com/elm

Don't forget to leave us a review and share this episode with your friends. Stay tuned for our next episode where we continue to explore the journeys of extraordinary individuals in the world of business and innovation. Until next time, keep exploring, learning, and making an impact!

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Building a Business That Leaves a Legacy

What starts as making custom treats for a child's birthday party can grow into something much bigger. In this episode of Entrepreneur Like Me, I sit down with Devonya Brown, founder of Sparkle Tees, to talk about building a business rooted in creativity, family, and legacy. From custom apparel and personalized gifts to empowering messages that inspire confidence, Devonya shares how she's creating more than products—she's building something her children can one day carry forward.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Pivoting from baking to custom apparel during the pandemic
• Teaching yourself design and growing through trial, feedback, and persistence
• Creating products that celebrate identity, confidence, and community
• Pricing your work with confidence and knowing your value
• Overcoming stage fright through Lift ME and the BET on Black Pitch Competition
• Rebranding your business to match the vision for its future
• Why entrepreneurship is about building a legacy, not just earning a living

Whether you're a creative entrepreneur, maker, or anyone working to turn passion into purpose, Devonya's journey is a reminder that every great business starts with believing in yourself—and staying committed to the vision even when the path isn't easy.

Sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) – Make it in Michigan with the support of a robust partner network designed to help entrepreneurs succeed. Learn more at michiganbusiness.org.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of the ELM Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to subscribe for more inspiring conversations with entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Connect with us:

• Follow us on Instagram: @cmuresearchcorp
• Visit our website: www.cmurc.com/elm

Don't forget to leave us a review and share this episode with your friends. Stay tuned for our next episode where we continue to explore the journeys of extraordinary individuals in the world of business and innovation. Until next time, keep exploring, learning, and making an impact!

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Building a Business That Gives People Time Back

What does it take to grow a service business from an idea into a company people trust? In this episode of Entrepreneur Like Me, I sit down with Lisa Mayo and Ashley LaVigne, co-founders of Scrubbydubs Cleaning Service, LLC, to discuss building a business founded on systems, exceptional customer service, and a culture that empowers both employees and clients.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Making the leap from corporate careers to entrepreneurship
• The pivot that transformed their business model
• Building a team through culture, accountability, and leadership
• Using technology and AI to improve the customer experience
• Why they believe they're not just cleaning homes—they're giving people their time back

Whether you're growing a service business or just starting your entrepreneurial journey, this conversation is full of practical lessons and real-world insights.

Sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) – Make it in Michigan with the support of a robust partner network designed to help entrepreneurs succeed. Learn more at michiganbusiness.org.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of the ELM Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to subscribe for more inspiring conversations with entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Connect with us:

• Follow us on Instagram: @cmuresearchcorp
• Visit our website: www.cmurc.com/elm

Don't forget to leave us a review and share this episode with your friends. Stay tuned for our next episode where we continue to explore the journeys of extraordinary individuals in the world of business and innovation. Until next time, keep exploring, learning, and making an impact!

Send us Fan Mail

What does it really take to build a thriving downtown?

In this episode of Entrepreneur Like Me, Courtney Garrett sits down with Ann Marie Batkoski-Sullivan, Executive Director of Positive Results Downtown Saginaw (PRIDE), to explore how community development and economic development go hand in hand. From organizing the beloved Friday Night Live concert series to leading a volunteer-powered nonprofit, Ann Marie shares what it takes to create a downtown people want to visit, invest in, and call home.

You'll hear about her leadership journey—from construction project management to workforce development and now downtown revitalization—and why relationships, partnerships, and showing up for your community are the foundation of lasting impact.

Courtney and Ann Marie also discuss:

• The behind-the-scenes work of producing Friday Night Live and other downtown events
• How volunteers, sponsors, and community partners make free events possible
• Why a vibrant downtown is essential for entrepreneurs and small businesses
• The misconceptions people have about Downtown Saginaw
• How creating memorable experiences helps transform the narrative of a community

Whether you're an entrepreneur, community leader, volunteer, or someone who simply wants to see their hometown thrive, this conversation is a reminder that meaningful change starts with people willing to show up.

Listen now and discover why building a stronger community may be the best investment we can make.

Sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) – Make it in Michigan with the support of a robust partner network designed to help entrepreneurs succeed. Learn more at michiganbusiness.org.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of the ELM Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to subscribe for more inspiring conversations with entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Connect with us:

• Follow us on Instagram: @cmuresearchcorp
• Visit our website: www.cmurc.com/elm

Don't forget to leave us a review and share this episode with your friends. Stay tuned for our next episode where we continue to explore the journeys of extraordinary individuals in the world of business and innovation. Until next time, keep exploring, learning, and making an impact!