Welcome back to Small Business School! In today’s episode, Staci sits down with registered dietitian, entrepreneur, and founder of Fraiche Living and Fraiche Table, Tori Wesszer, for an honest conversation about failure, resilience, motherhood, and building a business that actually aligns with your life.

Tori shares the very public crash and burn of her first business venture, what it taught her about business fundamentals and visibility, and how she rebuilt from the ground up — first as a blogger, then as a content creator, and now as the CEO of a growing meal planning software company. This is a powerful conversation about what it really costs to build something meaningful and why sometimes the long road is the right road.

Key topics covered:

• The lessons learned from a very public business failure
• Why understanding the fundamentals matters more than chasing trends
• The transition from blogger to software founder
• Navigating entrepreneurship through motherhood and evolving priorities
• Rebuilding confidence after setbacks
• The importance of long-term vision over short-term wins
• Growing sustainably instead of rushing scale
• What it actually looks like to build a mission-driven company

Failure doesn’t disqualify you — it prepares you. And sometimes the most powerful thing you can do in business is rebuild with wisdom instead of ego.

Visit fraichetable.com and use code SMALLBUSINESS20 at check out to get 20% off Tori’s meal plan

Connect with Tori:

Instagram: @fraichetable and @fraicheliving

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.

Welcome back to Small Business School! In today’s episode, Staci sits down with mindset coach and founder of the Sparkle Entrepreneur Network, Ashley Dawn, to talk about authenticity, community, and the courage to pivot. Ashley shares the bold decision to leave her master’s program with only practicums remaining, how she rebuilt her confidence during a difficult season of life, and why real connection (not curated perfection) is what truly grows a business.

Key topics covered:

• The brave decision to walk away from a nearly finished degree to pursue aligned entrepreneurship
• Why community accelerates growth more than isolation ever could
• How celebrating strengths prevents burnout and builds sustainable momentum
• The difference between curated authenticity and truly showing up as yourself
• Why repetition, exposure, and small brave steps rewire confidence over time
• How meaningful connection (not pitching) creates long-term business success

Community isn’t just a nice-to-have in business, it’s often the catalyst for clarity, confidence, and real growth. And sometimes, the most powerful move you can make is choosing alignment over expectation.

Take Ashley Dawn’s free Sparkle Mindset quiz to determine how much you are dulling your sparkle and learn tips and tricks of how you can start sparkling being YOU.

https://tally.so/r/mV7r2l

Connect with Ashley:

Instagram: @therealashleydawn

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.

Welcome back to Small Business School! In today’s episode, Staci sits down with Kristina Bartold, co-founder of The Social Snippet and High Vibe Women, to talk about all things event sponsorships. Fresh off the High Vibe Women brunch in Ottawa, Staci and Kristina share a behind-the-scenes look at what actually makes sponsorships work (and why so many business owners get them wrong). This conversation is all about being intentional, protecting your budget, and choosing opportunities that truly align with your brand and goals.

Key topics covered:

• Who event sponsorships actually make sense for and who should skip them
• How to evaluate whether an event is the right fit for your brand
• What a real return on investment looks like beyond vanity metrics
• Why repetition builds recognition and how your energy in the room matters
• The importance of integrity and alignment in brand collaborations
• How to think strategically about swag bag sponsorships
• What it takes to stand out and succeed as an event vendor
• Why not every opportunity is a good opportunity even if it looks exciting

Event sponsorships aren’t about being everywhere, they’re about being in the right rooms, with the right people, for the right reasons. If you’ve ever wondered whether sponsoring an event is worth it, this episode will help you make smarter, more confident decisions.

Connect with Kristina:

Instagram: @kristina.bartold

Website: https://www.thesocialsnippet.com/

Community Podcast: https://communitypodcast.buzzsprout.com/

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.