Every movement starts long before we realize we’re building one. Mine began on a quiet Iowa farm, long before I had language for things like purpose, visibility, or service. Back then, all I knew was that I loved connection. I loved making people laugh. And I loved the way humor could soften a hard moment or bring someone closer, even if that someone was just my mom watching me perform in the living room.

Growing up as the youngest by a long stretch — with two much-older brothers off in the Air Force and parents who were busy running the farm and their own small businesses — I learned early how to entertain myself. I spent hours with the animals, recorded made-up radio shows on a cassette player, and fell in love with the strong, funny women I watched on TV. Carol Burnett, Mary Tyler Moore, Maude… they were my first examples of women who were confident, expressive, and unapologetically themselves.

Those early threads shaped me more than I knew. They taught me how to listen, how to connect, and how to lead — not from loudness, but from warmth.

The First Big Pivot

Like so many women, I followed the “supposed to” path. Go to school. Get a steady job. Be grateful. And for the most part, I enjoyed and played that part well. I worked hard, I supported teams, and I made sure other people looked good. But somewhere in the mix of meetings, metrics, and marching orders, a whisper kept nudging me: You’re meant for more.

I ignored it until my body stopped letting me. One day in a sales goals meeting, I looked down and realized my resting pulse was over 130 beats per minute. I wasn’t working out. I wasn’t stressed (externally) in the moment. I was just… sitting there. My body was telling the truth I didn’t want to admit. Something had to change.

That whisper became a shout. And that shout led me toward something completely different — a path I never saw coming.

Discovering Joy Again

When Traveling Vineyard popped up (thanks to a little nudge from my dear friend Jennifer), it felt like the universe handing me a permission slip. It was fun again. It was creative. It was people gathered around a table, laughing and learning and discovering new confidence in themselves.

It let me show up as me — the woman who loved connection and storytelling far more than spreadsheets.

What started as a side gig blossomed into something that changed me: I got to witness women find their voice. Their confidence. Their spark. And I realized… this wasn’t about wine. This was about transformation.

When the Culture Shifts

But like many things that start with heart, the culture eventually changed. That masculine hustle-and-grind energy crept in — the kind that rewards urgency over understanding and pressure over people. The joy faded. And even though I tried to make it work, I could feel myself being pulled in a different direction.

I didn’t choose to leave. The company’s sudden closure chose for me. But, like most things that feel so horrible in the moment, this ending became the opening I didn’t know I needed.

The Podcast That Became a Mirror

I actually launched the podcast thinking it would support my Traveling Vineyard business. Instead, it became something else entirely. Week after week, as I spoke with brilliant women who had reinvented themselves, trusted their intuition, and taken brave steps forward, I began to see my own path more clearly.

I wasn’t alone in wanting something deeper. Women everywhere were craving connection over competition, purpose over pressure, and impact over income.

Those conversations reminded me who I was — and why I’d always been so drawn to helping women rise.

The Birth of a Movement

As I rebuilt, new ideas began taking shape: The Sipper Club. Wine Camp. Serving Superstars. Each one rooted in the same heartbeat — joyful community, clarity, and purpose-driven action.

Somewhere along the way, I realized this wasn’t just a business. It was a movement.

A movement for women who want to lead with service, not hustle. A movement for women who want to grow at the pace of peace. A movement for women who are ready to use their gifts with confidence — not apology.

I believe joy is a strategy. Connection is a catalyst. And when women gather, it's magic. We grow. And the ripple effect is real.

Why I’m Here

Today, my mission is simple: To help women reclaim the joy in their business. To create safe spaces for visibility, clarity, and courageous action. To remind women over 45 that they are not behind — they are becoming.

This isn’t just about podcasts or coaching or events. It’s about women remembering who they are… and rising with heart.

If you’re feeling that tug for more — that nudge you keep trying to ignore — I’d love to explore it with you. You can schedule a free Discovery Call at pennyforyourshots.com/call.

You don’t have to figure it all out alone. You just have to take the next brave step.