Episode 18 of the Grit & Grace Podcast is all about laughter, real talk, and those “asking for a friend…” moments we all have 😄
Join us as we sit down with special guests Lori Haraldsen and Jackie Ellerbrock for a completely unfiltered, joy-filled conversation that proves the best episodes are the ones you don’t overprepare for.
From the moment we hit record (maybe a little early 👀), this episode turns into a hilarious and honest girls’ chat, covering everything from awkward social phrases like “let’s circle back,” to hugging boundaries, forgotten birthdays, and the kind of random stories that only come out when you’re truly comfortable.
And yes… somehow we also end up talking about tarantulas, snakes, and the everyday chaos of life 🤣
✨ In Episode 18, we chat about:
“Asking for a friend” questions (the funny, the sarcastic, and the real)
The truth behind common phrases we all use
Friendship dynamics and laugh-out-loud moments
Hugging etiquette—are you a hugger or not?
Midlife moments, mishaps, and everything in between
Why the best conversations happen when you just show up as yourself
This episode feels like sitting down with your girlfriends—messy, funny, honest, and full of joy 💛

👉 Hit subscribe for more real conversations, encouragement, and a whole lot of laughter!

Follow Grit & Grace ⬇️
🌐 Website: https://www.gritandgraceenterprises.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gritandgraceenterprises/
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gritandgraceenterprises
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grit&graceenterprises

#podcastforwomen #funny #womenempowerment #friends #story #shortsfeed #women

This is a conversation many women have lived, but few have ever said out loud.

In Episode 17 of the Grit & Grace Podcast, we talk openly about sexual assault, the confusion around it, and why so many women don’t recognize their experiences until years later.
This episode dives deep into the hidden realities of sexual trauma, breaking down what sexual assault really is—and what it isn’t. Through real stories and honest conversation, we explore the silence, shame, and self-doubt that often follow.

If you’ve ever questioned your story or wondered, “Was it really that serious?”—this conversation is for you.

✨ In this episode, we cover:
What sexual assault can actually look like (and why it’s often misunderstood)
Common red flags and subtle patterns many women miss
How culture, religion, and personal beliefs shape what we accept or excuse
Why so many survivors stay silent for years
The importance of safe spaces, speaking up, and using your voice
What healing after sexual assault can begin to look like
This episode is not about blame.
It’s about truth, awareness, and healing.
You are not alone.

💬 If you’ve ever carried something in silence…
💬 If you’ve ever thought, “maybe it was my fault”…
💬 If you’ve ever struggled to name your experience…
This episode was made for you.

Follow Grit & Grace ⬇️
🌐 Website: https://www.gritandgraceenterprises.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gritandgraceenterprises/
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gritandgraceenterprises
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grit&graceenterprises

Follow Valerie Geer ⬇️
🌐 YMCA
https://www.theyonline.org/
📸 Instagram: @vmgeer
https://www.instagram.com/vmgeer
📘 Facebook: Valerie Kiesser Geer
https://www.facebook.com/valerie.kiessergeer

👉 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it—because healing often begins when we realize we’re not the only one.

What if rebuilding trust in your community starts with one simple conversation?
In this episode of the Grit & Grace Podcast, Dana sits down with Lori Haraldsen, founder of Valor Connect, for a powerful and honest discussion about law enforcement, community trust, and real-world solutions that bring people together.
Lori shares her firsthand experience serving on the Salem Police Foundation, explaining why police foundations matter—especially as budgets tighten—and how community support directly impacts officer safety and effectiveness. From life-saving trauma kits to ballistic vest inserts funded by donors, this episode highlights the meaningful work happening behind the scenes—and how everyday citizens can be part of it.
You’ll discover:
• How the Police Activities League (PAL) builds trust with youth through sports, mentorship, and community programs
• What ride-alongs reveal about the realities officers face every day
• How National Night Out creates stronger neighborhoods through simple community gatherings
• The ethical role of police foundations in funding critical training, equipment, and resources
• Why rebuilding trust happens one conversation, one relationship at a time
If you’ve ever asked, “How do we actually make our communities safer and stronger?”—this episode gives you a practical, hopeful starting point.
👍 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who cares about community, trust, and making a difference.

👉 Connect with Lori Haraldsen:
Email: loriharaldsen@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-haraldsen/
Follow Grit & Grace ⬇️
Website: https://www.gritandgraceenterprises.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gritandgraceenterprises/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gritandgraceenterprises

#GritAndGracePodcast #CommunityLeadership #LawEnforcement #CommunityTrust #PoliceFoundation #CivicEngagement #PublicSafety #PAL #NationalNightOut #RideAlong #StrongerCommunities #TrustBuilding

What if strong communities aren’t built by one system alone—but through nonprofits, leadership, and people working together?
In Episode 115 of the Grit & Grace Podcast, we sit down with Joy Dickinson, nonprofit consultant and Owner of Dickinson Consultants, to explore nonprofit leadership, fundraising strategy, and how organizations can build long-term sustainability.
If you're a nonprofit leader, board member, executive director, or someone passionate about community development, this episode breaks down what it really takes to create lasting impact.
🔑 In this episode, you’ll learn about:
• Nonprofit fundraising strategy (what it is and what it isn’t)
• Why grants alone won’t sustain your nonprofit
• The difference between grant funding and donor relationships
• Nonprofit sustainability and long-term planning
• Leadership succession planning for nonprofits
• Paying nonprofit staff a living wage
• The role of philanthropy, government, and community collaboration
• How to create impact without starting a new nonprofit
Joy Dickinson shares her journey from working with foster youth to becoming a trusted nonprofit consultant helping organizations grow, scale, and strengthen their mission.
This episode is all about:
✔️ Nonprofit leadership
✔️ Community impact
✔️ Sustainable growth
✔️ Mission-driven work
When nonprofits are strong, communities thrive.
👉 Whether you’re building a nonprofit, serving on a board, or leading a mission-driven organization, this conversation will give you practical insights and strategy.

🔗 Learn more:
Dickinson Consultants: https://dickinsonconsultants.com
Salem Leadership Foundation: https://salemlf.org

👍 Like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations on leadership, nonprofit growth, and community impact.

In this episode of Grit and Grace, host Dana Lyons sits down with hospitality expert and former boutique hotel owner Samantha Irwin to explore networking, leadership, and the power of authentic human connection.

Samantha shares her practical “3-2-1 Rule” for introverts at networking events, explains the hospitality trifecta—eye contact, a smile, and a greeting, and talks about how women in business can confidently own their authority without shrinking their presence. From nonverbal communication and leadership presence to unexpected coffee alternatives like Mud/Wtr and pistachio milk, this conversation blends business strategy with real-world insight.

In this episode:

• Networking tips for introverts
• How to “host” a networking event even when you’re a guest
• Nonverbal cues that build instant trust and authority
• Leadership confidence for women in business
• Coffee alternatives like Mud/Wtr and pistachio milk

Subscribe for more conversations about leadership, entrepreneurship, hospitality, and personal growth.

Follow Grit & Grace:
Website: https://www.gritandgraceenterprises.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gritandgraceenterprises/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gritandgraceenterprises

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grit&graceenterprises

Connect with Samantha Irwin:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthairwin/

Website: https://kaizen.zone/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samantha_kaizen/

Creating a Culture Deck:

https://kaizen.zone/creating-a-culture-deck/

For your listeners: if they enter the code Culture, they’ll receive a discount.

Aunt Rita’s Peanut Butter Cookies – via Samantha Irwin

1 egg

¾ C. Sugar (I use less)

Hand mix until blended

1 C. Peanut Butter

1 t. Soda

1 t. Vanilla (I almost always forget)

Stir together then add

½ C. Chocolate chips

Dollop small bits (mine are a scant small spoon, maybe 1T. ish) onto a cookie sheet. Use the fork press thing to look like traditional peanut butter cookies (or not – I don’t).

Bake at 350 Degrees 9 minutes (depending on the size of your cookies and your oven, you might need 8 minutes, or 10 minutes).

Original notes say to bake on parchment but I don’t find it necessary on my air bake cookie sheet.

Let them cool for two-three minutes before trying to remove them. They’re crumbly!

Enjoy.

Welcome to Episode 13 of the Grit & Grace Podcast, hosted by Dana Lyons, featuring nutrition professional Ali Virtue from Parkside Nutrition.

In this episode of the Grit & Grace women’s health podcast, we break down the simple daily habits that support heart health for women, energy, metabolism, and long-term wellness. Instead of extreme diets or trending wellness fads, this conversation focuses on sustainable nutrition habits and healthy lifestyle routines that can improve important biomarkers like cholesterol, inflammation, gut health, and metabolic health.

Ali explains how movement, fiber intake, digestion, muscle mass, hydration, and personalized nutrition all play a major role in building a healthier body. We also discuss why health is never one-size-fits-all—your genetics, lifestyle, and personal biology influence how your body responds to food, exercise, and stress.

If you're trying to improve metabolism naturally, support heart health, reduce inflammation, or build better daily health routines, this episode offers practical strategies you can start today.

In This Episode We Discuss

• Why fiber for gut health is essential for cholesterol balance
• The connection between digestion, hormones, and metabolic health
• How muscle mass helps build a higher-metabolism body
• The importance of movement for cardiovascular and heart health
• Why blood work and biomarkers matter for personalized health
• The surprising link between oral health and heart disease
• Understanding genetics and cholesterol risk
• Differences between athletes vs sedentary adults in nutrition needs
• The truth about gluten sensitivity vs celiac disease
• How to build simple, sustainable health routines

Contact Grit & Grace ⬇️

Website: https://www.gritandgraceenterprises.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gritandgraceenterprises/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gritandgraceenterprises

Connect with Ali Virtue ⬇️

Email: ali@parksidenutrition.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ali.parksidenutrition/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParksideNutrition

👍 Subscribe to the Grit & Grace Podcast for more conversations about women’s health, metabolism, nutrition habits, gut health, and sustainable wellness routines.

Customer service isn’t about being “nice.” It’s about building trust.

In this episode of the Great Grace Podcast, I sit down with Brooke Hubert to talk about what really creates loyalty in business: relationship, honesty, and genuine care—even when conversations are hard or the answer isn’t what someone wants to hear.

If you’ve ever felt turned off by pushy sales energy, awkward networking, or customer interactions that spiral fast… this conversation is for you.

We talk about:
Why honesty is Brooke’s “word” (and why it matters in business)
How relationship builds trust before someone becomes a customer
Hard conversations: what to do when things don’t go well
Don’t take it personal: separating emotion from facts
Networking for people who hate networking (yes, the “sit in the car” feeling)
A simple mindset shift: What’s the worst that could happen?
If you lead a team, serve customers, or own a business, this episode will challenge you in the best way: stop trying to sell people—start caring for them well.
Like, subscribe, and share if this encouraged you
Comment: What builds trust for you as a customer—honesty, follow-through, or being treated like a human?

Brooke on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-hammond1/

Follow Grit & Grace ⬇️
🌐 Website: https://www.gritandgraceenterprises.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gritandgraceenterprises/
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gritandgraceenterprises
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grit&graceenterprises



#customerservice #business #podcast #womenempowerment

Mental health touches every family.

In this episode, Valerie Geer shares an honest conversation about severe and persistent mental illness, caregiver burnout, stigma, crisis response, and what real community mental health support looks like beyond a therapist’s office.

We discuss the role of a community chaplain at the YMCA, why safe spaces matter, and how families can find practical help through the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

If you’re supporting a loved one with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety — or navigating your own mental health journey — this episode offers clarity, compassion, and real next steps.

Follow Grit & Grace ⬇️
🌐 Website: https://www.gritandgraceenterprises.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gritandgraceenterprises/
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gritandgraceenterprises
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grit&graceenterprises

Follow Valerie Geer ⬇️
🌐 YMCA
https://www.theyonline.org/
📸 Instagram: @vmgeer
https://www.instagram.com/vmgeer
📘 Facebook: Valerie Kiesser Geer
https://www.facebook.com/valerie.kiessergeer