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Consider the Source

Consider the Source

Written by: Sarah Smiles
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About this listen

Sarah Smiles interviews women from all walks of life to uncover the stories behind their ideas, businesses, and movements. Through candid, empowering conversations, the show creates a space for mentorship, inspiration, and the celebration of female voices. New episodes drop every Wednesday.

Sarah Smiles 2022
Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Samantha Maye | Denver Female Owned Small Business Series | Elopement Photography
    Jan 12 2026

    In this episode, Sarah Smiles, host of Consider the Source, sits down with Samantha, the photographer and creative force behind Maye.Be Take A Photo, a Colorado-based elopement and adventure wedding photography and planning brand. Through an honest and inspiring conversation, Sarah and Samantha explore what it means to design a wedding day that feels intentional, personal, and rooted in experience rather than tradition.

    Samantha shares how her business grew from a playful idea into a full-scale creative practice centered on elopements, microweddings, and intimate celebrations in nature. She explains her philosophy of documenting real moments while encouraging couples to be fully present — a mindset that aligns with the brand’s mantra: live the moment first, then take the photo.

    Sarah guides the conversation into Samantha’s role beyond photography, highlighting how she supports couples through location scouting, timeline creation, and elopement planning, making the process approachable and stress-free. Together, they discuss why more couples are choosing non-traditional paths and how intentional celebrations can feel more aligned, meaningful, and joyful.

    Throughout the episode, Sarah Smiles brings her signature curiosity and warmth, creating space for a conversation about creativity, entrepreneurship, and redefining what milestone moments can look like. This episode is an inspiring listen for anyone drawn to adventure, storytelling, or building a business that reflects their values.

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    58 mins
  • Chelsea Stewart | Denver Female Owned Small Business Series | HAVN Hot Pilates
    Nov 19 2025

    In this episode, Sarah talks with Chelsea Stewart, owner and founder of HAVN Hot Pilates, a boutique studio based in the Denver area. Chelsea has spent over 15 years cultivating her expertise in Pilates, strength training, and body mechanics and she brings that depth to every aspect of her studio.

    Chelsea shares her wellness journey: how she discovered her passion for movement, what led her to build a Pilates and strength studio, and why she chose to make it a hot experience. She breaks down the HAVN method, which fuses contemporary mat Pilates with weight-based strength work, all practiced in a heated room to maximize both cardiovascular and muscular engagement.

    Listeners hear Chelsea’s philosophy around her “Core Four” values: Excellence, Expertise, Embodiment, and Engagement. Through those pillars, HAVN is more than a workout it’s a space where people can push physical boundaries while also cultivating mental and emotional growth.

    Chelsea also reflects on building her coaching team, her role as both an instructor and business owner, and how she designs classes that feel both efficient and deeply intentional.

    The conversation also touches on how heated Pilates amplifies the mind-body connection. Chelsea explains that the heat isn’t just for sweat: it intensifies awareness and encourages a deeper focus on breath, alignment, and strength.

    More than anything, Chelsea’s story is about creating a community. HAVN is a place for people to feel strong, challenged, and supported a sanctuary where physical and mental resilience are built in tandem.

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    57 mins
  • Grace Howland | Evoquer | Quitting Private Equity to Create a Fragrance Brand
    Nov 18 2025

    In this episode, Sarah sits down with Grace Howland, founder of Evoquer, to explore her unconventional leap from the world of private equity to the art of fragrance creation. Grace opens up about the inspiration behind Evoquer, the time she spent developing the brand, and the deeply personal process of translating memory and emotion into modern, wearable fragrances. She offers a transparent look at the realities of entrepreneurship from walking away from a prestigious career path to navigating self-doubt, building a product-based business from scratch, and learning to trust her own creative instincts.

    Listeners will hear how Grace blends structure with artistry, how she defines success on her own terms, and why fragrance can be one of the most intimate forms of self-expression. This conversation is an honest, empowering reminder that it’s never too late to pivot, pursue your curiosity, and create something that feels true.

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    1 hr and 6 mins
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