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weVENTURE HerStory Podcast

weVENTURE HerStory Podcast

Written by: weVENTURE Women's Business Center
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About this listen

HerStory is the podcast where we share the real, behind-the-scenes journeys of founders who are shaping our Space and Treasure Coast communities.

Hosted by Darcy and KyAlea, each episode feels like a coffee shop conversation, honest, empowering, and deeply relatable. We sit down with founders and small business leaders to talk about where they started, what they’ve overcome, and what it really takes to build something meaningful.

This show is about the stories that don’t always make it to social media. The turning points. The risks. The lessons learned. The moments that quietly change everything.

HerStory is produced in partnership with weVENTURE Women’s Business Center to elevate small businesses, grow community, and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs. Along the way, we spotlight the powerful local resources available to help you take your ideas from vision to reality.

Whether you’re a business owner, a dreamer in the early stages, or someone who loves supporting local small businesses, this show is for you.

You don’t have to build alone. Let’s get into today’s conversation.

© 2026 weVENTURE WBC
Economics Leadership Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Why Stacey Clark Walked Away From Corporate to Lead Senior Living Forward
    Jan 31 2026

    Stacey Clark, RN, co-founder of Virtuous Senior Living and Nested Story Assisted Living, shares her 30-year journey in senior living, starting at age 15 as a volunteer playing piano for residents. From nursing director to executive director, to a national leadership role, Stacey saw firsthand what it takes to create real quality care, and where the system falls short. In this episode, she reveals why she walked away from corporate to lead a new standard: hire for heart, build trust through staff relationships, and create the kind of care every resident deserves.

    Episode Highlights

    00:00 Intro

    01:03 Meet Stacey Clark: Senior Living is in Her Blood

    01:46 The Happy Hour Spark: From Talk to Action

    03:17 Virtuous Senior Living: Doing the Right Thing on Purpose

    05:58 The People First Standard: What Corporate Got Wrong

    08:31 Hiring for Heart: The Culture Filter That Changes Everything

    15:17 Nested Story: Building a Boutique Home Where Care Feels Personal

    16:36 The Property Twist + The Yes: How the Dream Got Funded

    21:15 Brand, Story, and Meaning: Creating a Place That Feels Like Family

    36:34 Leadership + Partnership: How Stacey and Jamie Make It Work

    40:15 The Hard Parts: Staffing, Loss, and Carrying the Weight

    42:31 Lessons Learned: Systems, Growth, and What She’d Do Differently

    46:29 weVENTURE + Support: Don’t Build Alone

    49:57 Final Advice: Don’t Wait, Stay Humble, Make Memories

    Get Connected

    Stacey Clark, RN Co-founder of Virtuous Senior Living and Nested Story Boutique Assisted Living Websites: virtuoussl.com nested-story.com Instagram: @virtuousseniorliving @nestedstory

    Episode Sponsors

    Valley Bank Local business banking partner helping you start, grow, and scale with confidence. https://valley.com/business

    Harbour House Oceanfront Venue Florida’s premier private oceanfront destination for weddings and special events. https://www.harbourhouseevents.com/

    About weVENTURE WBC

    weVENTURE Women’s Business Center supports entrepreneurs and small business owners through education, mentorship, consulting, and a powerful network of resources. Their mission is to strengthen the local economy by helping businesses launch, grow, and thrive in Florida's Space Coast and Treasure Coast communities.

    Co-Hosts + Production Credits

    Darcy Manning | THE DARCYMM COLLECTIVE Luxury beauty agency serving Central Florida (bridal, business portraits, private lessons).

    https://linktr.ee/darcymm IG: @makeupbydarcymm | @darcymmcollective

    KyAlea Monma | HOKU Design Group Award-winning brand and media design agency recognized by USA Today and DesignRush for excellence in brand storytelling. https://www.hoku.design LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyalea/ IG: @hokudesigngroup

    Brand + Production: @hokudesigngroup | https://www.hoku.design

    Location: Harbour House Oceanfront Venue

    Show More Show Less
    56 mins
  • She Left Aerospace for Mom Life… and Built a Global Award-Winning Brand
    Jan 31 2026

    Twelve years ago, Sarah Smith left a secure aerospace career while pregnant to become a stay-at-home mom and start a small side hustle. That side hustle became Southern Caramel, now an internationally awarded gourmet caramel brand selling on Amazon. In this episode, Sarah shares the journey of building her dream alongside her father as her business partner, and navigating the bittersweet tension of reaching her biggest wins after losing him to cancer.

    00:00 Intro

    01:03 Meet Sarah Smith + The Sweet Story Behind Southern Caramel

    02:07 The Leap: Leaving Aerospace to Build a Business From Home (2013)

    04:33 Why Caramel Won (And Why It Was the Smart Niche Move)

    07:06 From Home Kitchen to “Real Business” Mode (Inspections + Wholesale)

    08:45 The Family Power Move: Dad Joins and the Vision Gets Bigger (2018)

    12:51 Grief + Growth: Losing Her Dad and Finding the Next Chapter

    17:42 Bite-Size Joy: The Brand Values That Built Customer Love (And 10% Give-Back)

    22:23 The Shelf-Life Disaster That Nearly Ended It All

    25:46 The Breakthrough Recipe Pivot: No Corn Syrup, All Craft

    27:41 From Setback to Standout: 6-Month Shelf Life + Award-Winning Caramel

    30:18 Big League Moment: Amazon Launch + Bigger Space + Bigger Team

    33:18 The Support System: How WeVenture Helped Her Scale Smarter

    47:30 Final Words: “If I Can Do It, So Can You.”

    48:08 Outro

    Sarah SmithSouthern Caramel

    https://southerncaramel.com/

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southern.caramel/

    Episode Sponsors

    Valley Bank Local business banking partner helping you start, grow, and scale with confidence. https://valley.com/business

    Harbour House Oceanfront Venue Florida’s premier private oceanfront destination for weddings and special events. https://www.harbourhouseevents.com/

    About weVENTURE WBC

    weVENTURE Women’s Business Center supports entrepreneurs and small business owners through education, mentorship, consulting, and a powerful network of resources. Their mission is to strengthen the local economy by helping businesses launch, grow, and thrive in Florida's Space Coast and Treasure Coast communities.

    Co-Hosts + Production Credits

    Darcy Manning | THE DARCYMM COLLECTIVE Luxury beauty agency serving Central Florida (bridal, business portraits, private lessons).

    https://linktr.ee/darcymm IG: @makeupbydarcymm | @darcymmcollective

    KyAlea Monma | HOKU Design Group Award-winning brand and media design agency recognized by USA Today and DesignRush for excellence in brand storytelling. https://www.hoku.design LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyalea/ IG: @hokudesigngroup

    Brand + Production: @hokudesigngroup | https://www.hoku.design

    Location: Harbour House Oceanfront Venue

    Show More Show Less
    49 mins
  • What If You Didn’t Have to Pay Just to Get Clarity in Your Business?
    Jan 31 2026

    “No one has to do this alone—and it shouldn’t cost anything just to ask a question.”

    In this episode of HerStory, co-hosts Darcy Manning and KyAlea Monma sit down with Dr. Kathryn Rudloff, Executive Director of weVENTURE Women’s Business Center, to unpack what real support looks like for women entrepreneurs. From idea to launch to scaling and exit, Kathryn shares how weVENTURE’s federally funded programs provide little to no-cost coaching, training, mentorship, and strategy for founders at every stage.

    This conversation is your reminder that asking for help is a power move, and clarity should never come with a price tag.

    00:00 Intro

    01:02 Meet Dr. Kathryn Rudloff + What weVENTURE Does

    03:08 COVID Relief: “Boots on the Ground” Support 04:02 From

    300 Clients to 1,000 in One Year

    05:23 1988 Changed Everything for Women Entrepreneurs

    08:45 The “She-cession” + The Data Behind Solo Entrepreneurship

    11:02 Seasons of Life: Work, Family, and Business

    19:03 Client Win: Southern Caramel (Kitchen to Amazon)

    21:56 “It’s Not a Business Until It Can Run Without You”

    23:47 Programs Breakdown: Ignite 360, CEO Peer Group + More

    35:10 Why Google and AI Aren’t Enough (You Still Need Humans)

    37:20 Why “Free” Coaching Works: Accountability + Honest Feedback

    Dr. Kathryn Rudloff

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-rudloff/

    https://weventure.fit.edu | IG: @weventurewbc

    Become a Sponsor! Contact Kathryn at krudloff@fit.edu

    Episode Sponsors

    Valley Bank Local business banking partner helping you start, grow, and scale with confidence. https://valley.com/business

    Harbour House Oceanfront Venue Florida’s premier private oceanfront destination for weddings and special events. https://www.harbourhouseevents.com/

    About weVENTURE WBC

    weVENTURE Women’s Business Center supports entrepreneurs and small business owners through education, mentorship, consulting, and a powerful network of resources. Their mission is to strengthen the local economy by helping businesses launch, grow, and thrive in Florida's Space Coast and Treasure Coast communities.

    Co-Hosts + Production Credits

    Darcy Manning | THE DARCYMM COLLECTIVE Luxury beauty agency serving Central Florida (bridal, business portraits, private lessons).

    https://linktr.ee/darcymm IG: @makeupbydarcymm | @darcymmcollective

    KyAlea Monma | HOKU Design Group Award-winning brand and media design agency recognized by USA Today and DesignRush for excellence in brand storytelling. https://www.hoku.design LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyalea/ IG: @hokudesigngroup

    Brand + Production: @hokudesigngroup | https://www.hoku.design

    Location: Harbour House Oceanfront Venue

    Show More Show Less
    40 mins
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