BusinessEducationEntrepreneurship

Friends from Wild Places

Shireen Botha

Business Owner Professionals and entrepreneurs from all over the world come to speak to me and tell me why they do what they do and their vision. I feature a Non-profit Org to spread awareness. I share bookkeeping tips and stories from my life as a business owner. Inspiring other business owners by showing the wild hearts of entrepreneurs and how they cannot be tamed. And just to chat, laugh, and enjoy one another.

Shireen approaches business and life, in general, through the lens of wanting to multiply the light in the world. Whether client, colleague, or friend, she has a special understanding of people. Separate from bookkeeping, her Friends From Wild Places podcast serves as a platform for connection where business owners can share their work and life experiences and even their wild hearts and passions in a safe space. The podcast also allows entrepreneurs to share about nonprofits that have special meaning for them.

Play

Open in

27 episodes
weekly
Avg 25 min
English

Support the show

Goes straight to the publisher. podnod takes nothing.

Support this Podcast

Episodes 27

Newest Oldest Longest

All20 Unplayed20 In progress0 Played0

Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.

S6 · E31
Saturday · 27 min
Trust As The Real Estate Edge
Friends go out to a remote island on a holiday boat trip. One person does not come back. Keys and a phone return without him, and the digital trail looks strangely clean. We start with the Nolan Wells case because it forces a question many of us avoid: when does a bad decision turn into something criminal, and what should we make of missing data, deleted Snapchat messages, and a timeline that does not sit right? Rosie Cruz-Sotero Website: https://rosiecsotero.onesothebysrealty.com/ Email: RCSotero@onesothebysrealty.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosie-cruz-sotero-03714286/?isSelfProfile=false Tel: +1 305 788 0611 Rosie also shares her own turning point from corporate event marketing into becoming a trusted real estate advisor in South Florida. We dig into what pushed her to take control of her career during a company acquisition, how family health challenges shaped her next move, and what it takes to stand out in a saturated Miami real estate market. You will hear practical insight on professionalism between agents, negotiation, customer service, and how she navigates neighborhoods across Miami-Dade, Broward, and even the Upper Keys without losing the personal touch. Join us as we support St Jude's Children's Research Hospital this month! If you like thoughtful true crime conversation plus real-world career lessons, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review so more listeners can find the show. Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters
S6 · E30
October 24 · 23 min
Be The Face
If you’re stuck in the messy middle of building a business, the problem might not be your product, your pricing, or your plan. It might be that you’re invisible. We get candid about what it takes to grow a niche brand when you don’t have a brick-and-mortar shop, when your offer is specialised, and when trust is the real currency. Paul Robinson Website: http://www.bottivino.com/ Email: paul@bottivino.com Instagram: @bottivino Tel: +1 917 379 1773 For anyone new to wine, we keep it simple and human. Instead of drowning in grape varietals and regions, we share a beginner-friendly way to build your palate through local relationships, focused curiosity, and slow exploration of a single region at a time. We also highlight Tina’s Wish Ovarian Cancer Research and the importance of ovarian cancer research, fundraising, and quality of life support through institutions like Dana-Farber. Join us as we support Tina’s Wish Ovarian Cancer Research this month! If you like practical business lessons, approachable wine talk, and conversations with heart, hit subscribe, share this with a friend who’s building something, and leave us a review with the biggest takeaway you’re going to act on. Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters
S6 · E29
October 17 · 25 min
Wine That Welcomes Everyone
Wine can feel like a locked room full of rules, code words, and raised eyebrows. We want the opposite, so we brought on Paul from Bottivino, a San Francisco sommelier and wine educator who’s building a community around boutique Italian wines, storytelling, and the freedom to ask “basic” questions without feeling judged. Paul Robinson Website: http://www.bottivino.com/ Email: paul@bottivino.com Instagram: @bottivino Tel: +1 917 379 1773 You’ll also hear the moment that made his business click: a packed blind tasting class where long-time clients stayed for hours and finally met each other because he set the stage. From there we get into imposter syndrome, skepticism, and why the wine world loses people when it tries to act elite. Paul shares why Italy became his focus, plus his own origin story from Boston to New York as a Shakespeare actor, into hospitality, and into wine after a single unforgettable glass in Sardinia. Join us as we support Tina’s Wish Ovarian Cancer Research this month! If you want wine to feel human again, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a friend who thinks wine is intimidating, and leave us a review so more listeners can find the show. Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters
S6 · E28
October 10 · 25 min
Wine Without The Snobbery
A single news story can split into two completely different realities overnight. We start there, unpacking the competing claims in the Charlie Kirk assassination case: the prosecution’s narrative built on DNA, a note, messages, and motive, versus the counter-story fueled by leaked photos, questions about ballistics, and loud conspiracy framing. We’re not here to cosplay detectives, but we are here to talk honestly about credibility, incentives, and why “confidence” is not the same thing as proof. Paul Robinson Website: http://www.bottivino.com/ Email: paul@bottivino.com Instagram: @bottivino Tel: +1 917 379 1773 Then the conversation turns toward something unexpectedly hopeful: wine as a living story you can taste. Our guest, sommelier and Bottivino founder Paul Robinson, brings a quote from Madame Clicquot that flips the usual script on champagne. He challenges the idea that great bottles should be hoarded for milestones, arguing that wine is made by farmers, shaped by place, and meant to be shared now. We talk about how gatekeeping and pageantry can push people away from wine, and how simple curiosity can pull you right back in. Join us as we support Tina’s Wish Ovarian Cancer Research this month! If you enjoy true crime debate, smart skepticism, Italian wine, and practical life perspective, hit subscribe, share this with a friend who’s saving “the good bottle,” and leave a review so more listeners can find us. Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters
S6 · E27
September 19 · 21 min
Wild Lessons For Growing A Business
Your orchid was thriving at the store and dead on your counter two days later. That tiny heartbreak turns into a surprisingly useful conversation about environment, expectations, and the hidden “transition shock” that hits plants and people alike. We sit down with Marisa K Bradley, a Bay Area garden designer, and Tanya Scotece, a longtime funeral director and educator, to talk about confidence, craft, and what it means to build a life of service without losing your center. Marisa K. Bradley Website: http://www.mkbradley.com/ Email: marisa@mkbradley.com Instagram: @marisakbradleygardens Tel: +1 415 846 9922 From there, we zoom out to community and critical thinking. We spotlight Slide Ranch, a nonprofit farm on the California coast near Marin County, and talk about how getting involved locally can pull us out of the stress loop of work and life. We wrap with a fun Fact or Opinion game that lands on a serious takeaway: you can hold strong opinions, but you don’t get to call them facts or harm people over them. Join us as we support the Slide Ranch this month! If this conversation helped you, subscribe to Friends From Wild Places, share it with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a quick review telling us what topic you want next. Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters
S6 · E26
September 12 · 25 min
Garden Rooms That Change Everything
Your outdoor space can be more than a strip of plants and a patio set. We sit down with Marisa, a self described plant nerd and garden designer, to talk about creating “garden rooms” that make a yard feel like an extension of the home: places to cook, gather, rest, and breathe. Along the way, we dig into what great garden design and landscape design really require, from hardscape and furniture to irrigation planning and the often ignored reality of aftercare. Marisa K. Bradley Website: http://www.mkbradley.com/ Email: marisa@mkbradley.com Instagram: @marisakbradleygardens Tel: +1 415 846 9922 Then we zoom out to the long view. Planting a garden is dreaming of tomorrow, but planting a tree can be a 75-year decision. We talk climate change landscaping, choosing drought tolerant plants and climate ready trees, and how to avoid future regrets like overcrowded palms, blocked views, and mismanaged pruning. If you care about outdoor living space, sustainable gardening, and building something that lasts, this conversation will give you a clearer plan and better questions to ask. Join us as we support the Slide Ranch this month! Subscribe, share this with a friend who is redesigning their yard, and leave a review so more listeners can find Friends from Wild Places. Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters
S6 · E25
September 5 · 23 min
Garden Patience
A garden can look perfect and still feel wrong to live in and fixing that is where design becomes personal. We’re joined by Marisa K. Bradley of Marisa K. Bradley Garden Design, who creates outdoor spaces that support the way you actually move through your day. Starting with Audrey Hepburn’s line, “To plant a garden is to dream of tomorrow,” we dig into why gardening is the opposite of instant gratification and why patience, soil health, and natural systems matter more than quick cosmetic wins. If you’ve ever felt like you have a “black thumb,” Tanya says the quiet part out loud and Marissa shares the mindset that helps beginners keep things alive and keep going. Marisa K. Bradley Website: http://www.mkbradley.com/ Email: marisa@mkbradley.com Instagram: @marisakbradleygardens Tel: +1 415 846 9922 Midway through, we take a hard turn into true crime with the murder of Henry Novak and the chilling aftermath: a fabricated story, a chaotic scene, and a response that raises questions about police protocol, bias, and what “protecting the truth” looks like when the victim can’t advocate for himself. We talk through why first responders should prioritize medical triage, how accountability works under pressure, and why body cam footage can change outcomes. Join us as we support the Slide Ranch this month! We close by tracing Marissa’s roots back to Oregon and the grandmother who taught her composting, resilience, and the idea that individual choices add up in sustainability and climate impact. If you care about garden design, sustainable landscaping, outdoor living spaces, or the systems that shape our lives, this one stays with you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a fresh start, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show. Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters
S6 · E24
August 22 · 22 min
Solopreneur Without Going Broke
Money fear can freeze the biggest dreams. We talk candidly about what it looks like to want a solopreneur life while still needing stability, and how to move forward without blowing up your finances. Our guiding idea is simple and doable: don’t force a dramatic “quit and pray” moment. Instead, build in a straddle season where you keep your current income, carve out focused time, and stack small wins until the next step is obvious. Allison Coleman Website: http://www.acespayments.com/ Email: hello@northstarsanctuary.net LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/allisoncoleman1 Then we zoom out to something bigger than business: service. When you’re stressed or in a dark place, volunteering and supporting a nonprofit can pull your attention outward and help you reset. That’s why we spotlight the Mallory Gaston Foundation in Sausalito, California, a community gym and wellness nonprofit where affordable memberships help fund youth and young adults earning fitness instructor certifications. Join us as we support the Mallory Gaston Foundation this month! Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s on the edge of a career change, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters
S6 · E23
August 15 · 26 min
Finding Your Voice In Wellness
You can feel successful on paper and still crave something truer. Allison joins us to share how she went from being born and raised in Toronto to building a new life in the San Francisco Bay Area, following community, coastline, and the creative pulse of innovation. Along the way we talk about what it really takes to restart in a new place, especially when you do not arrive with a ready made network, just a suitcase, a plan, and the willingness to figure it out. Allison Coleman Website: http://www.acespayments.com/ Email: hello@northstarsanctuary.net LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/allisoncoleman1 From there, we get practical about launching a yoga business in the Bay Area wellness world where options are endless and standing out is tough. Allison explains how she builds trust with new students by finding her voice, not copying the market, and teaching what people actually need: breathwork, slow flow, yin yoga, restorative yoga, and yoga nidra for stress relief, better sleep, mobility, and longevity. We also explore her “strength and stillness” retreat approach, plus how she uses seasons and lunar themes as simple prompts for micro shifts that stick. Join us as we support the Mallory Gaston Foundation this month! Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review telling us what “stillness” would look like in your week. Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters
S6 · E22
August 8 · 25 min
What If Your Business Needs A Nervous System Reset
We’re Shireen and Tanya, and we start by challenging the old assumption that bookkeeping has to be local to be legitimate. Secure remote access, US-based training, and tight processes can deliver the same precision while giving business owners a more flexible, modern partner. If you’re searching for QuickBooks support, virtual bookkeeping, or a practical way to get your monthly close under control, you’ll feel seen. Allison Coleman Website: http://www.acespayments.com/ Email: hello@northstarsanctuary.net LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/allisoncoleman1 Then we bring on Allison Coleman, a senior payments advisor with ACES Payments, to talk about the systems behind how money moves. We dig into the real-world friction points that drain time and margin: payment processing, merchant services, payroll, operational workflow, and even access to capital. Allison’s approach is simple but powerful: reduce complexity, cut unnecessary costs, and build a finance stack that supports growth instead of creating daily stress. Join us as we support the Mallory Gaston Foundation this month! If this conversation gives you a new lens on business systems and human sustainability, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find us. Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters
S6 · E21
July 18 · 27 min
Building A Death Care Business
A canceled workshop can feel like a punch to the gut, but it can also be the cleanest data you will ever get. We sit down with Jennifer Lares of Mulling Mortition to talk honestly about the unglamorous side of building a funeral service business: ideas that do not land, the sunk cost trap, and the mental work of making cuts without losing your confidence. Along the way, we keep it real and even get into the unexpectedly practical question of what kind of swag actually fits a death care brand. Jennifer Lares Website: Mullingmortician.com Tel: +1 352-509-6273 Email: Mullingmortician@gmail.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-lares-a09163302 If you have ever wondered what embalming really is, how the body changes after death, or how simple rituals like shrouding can add meaning, you will leave with clearer language and fewer myths. Join us as we support Operation Solace this month! We also highlight this month’s nonprofit, Operation Solace, founded in San Antonio to help veterans access non-traditional mental health support, including psychedelic-assisted therapy, and to honor lives lost to suicide through powerful Day of the Dead remembrance. We wrap with a quick word association game and ways to connect with all of us after you listen. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters
S6 · E20
July 11 · 30 min
Teaching Death Care With Heart
Death care looks “quiet” from the outside, but the work is technical, emotional, and relentless and the biggest challenge is often the one nobody admits: not having access to the training you need when a real case demands it. We sit down with Jennifer, the educator and business owner behind Mulling Mortician, to talk about how funeral service professionals actually learn, where skill gaps come from, and what it takes to close them without shame. Jennifer Lares Website: Mullingmortician.com Tel: +1 352-509-6273 Email: Mullingmortician@gmail.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-lares-a09163302 We also go behind the brand. Why “mortuary Mary Poppins” fits, how a lighter tone can humanize a profession people stereotype, and what resistance looks like in an industry with gatekeeping tendencies. Then we shift to leadership and mental health: self management, time blocking, the Eisenhower matrix, and the power of “no” as a complete sentence when your creative energy is running out. Join us as we support Operation Solace this month! If you care about better training, better tools, and better care, subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review so more funeral professionals can find the conversation. Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters
S6 · E19
July 4 · 29 min
Proportional Force
A rainy high school track meet. A crowded tent. One shove that turns into one stab and a teenager sentenced to 35 years. We step into the gray area most headlines skip and ask the uncomfortable question: what does “proportional force” really mean when fear and adrenaline hit faster than thought? We walk through the Texas case involving Karmelo Anthony and Austin Metcalfe, then weigh the arguments that split the public, from self defense claims to the idea of intentional escalation, and why jury composition and community context can shape how justice feels. Jennifer Lares Website: Mullingmortician.com Tel: +1 352-509-6273 Email: Mullingmortician@gmail.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-lares-a09163302 Our guest, Dr. Jennifer Lares, brings a rare perspective as a licensed funeral director and embalmer, a former Navy hospital corpsman in mortuary affairs, an educator, and the founder of Mulling Mortician LLC. She shares what she found when she dug into the case, including the role of rivalry, how narratives harden through social media, and why nuance gets lost once a story becomes national debate about race, justice, and “what should have happened.” Tanya adds a policy lens around weapons on school property and the questions people ask when the physical evidence is as stark as a fatal chest wound. If you care about true crime analysis, self defense law, the death care industry, mortuary science careers, and building a legacy with your work, this conversation will stay with you. Join us as we support Operation Solace this month! Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves hard questions, and leave a review so more listeners can find Friends from Wild Places. Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters
S6 · E18
June 20 · 25 min
What If Real Reform Starts With You
We dig into what reform can look like on the ground: showing respect to every person who walks through the door, holding boundaries, and refusing to let cynicism turn you into the kind of officer the public fears. Nancy shares how she teaches students to make change the slow way, like turning a battleship, by holding the line on ethics and professional conduct. Then we shift into the human side of heavy work: how to “recharge the battery” with friendships, community volunteering, and routines that bring genuine joy back into your week. Nancy Alleyne LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-a-aa244848/ Nancy also opens up about being a 15-year breast cancer survivor and what that experience taught her about self-care, listening to your body, and why you cannot give from an empty cup. We spotlight two nonprofits that make a direct local impact: Feeding South Florida’s work fighting food insecurity in food deserts and disaster response, plus Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and the push to fund research and support families. Join us as we support Feeding South Florida and American Cancer Society this month! If this conversation moves you, check the links, donate if you can, and help us spread it. Subscribe to Friends From Wild Places, share this with someone who cares about justice, self-care, or community support, and leave a review so more listeners can find us. Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters
S6 · E17
June 13 · 30 min
What Drives People To Commit Crime
People love to ask the million-dollar question: what causes someone to commit a crime? We go deeper than a single motive and talk through the messy truth that criminal behavior is multifactorial. Greed, jealousy, revenge, ideology, and plain old stress can all play a role, but the most useful framework is what protects people when temptation or pressure hits. We break down self-control alongside protective factors like family, community, faith, and work and what happens when those anchors disappear and risk factors take over. Nancy Alleyne LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-a-aa244848/ Then we get practical for students and career-changers: what the criminal justice field actually looks like beyond the TV version. We talk expectations versus reality, the CSI effect, and what mainstream true crime often gets wrong about the scope and pace of real investigations. Finally, we share a concrete tool for planning your next step, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, plus real examples of career paths that do not start with a badge but still lead to meaningful work. Join us as we support Feeding South Florida this month! Subscribe so you do not miss part three, share this with a friend who loves true crime, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters
S6 · E16
June 6 · 30 min
Can A Jury Stay Unbiased?
A CEO is killed on a New York sidewalk, a suspect is arrested after a multi-day manhunt, and the public reaction splits in a way that should worry anyone who cares about justice. Some people see a cold-blooded murder. Others see payback for a broken, for-profit healthcare system. We sit with that discomfort and ask the question that would hang over any courtroom: if you were on the jury, could you separate your own insurance anger from the facts of a violent crime? Nancy Alleyne LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-a-aa244848/ Then the conversation shifts from courts to character. Using the quote “Treat others as you would like to be treated,” we explore small, daily choices that reveal how rushed and angry society has become, from holding the door to how people drive and speak to strangers. Dr Alleyne also shares her path from New York to probation work and into teaching, and why curiosity about crime can become a lifelong call to serve the public. Join us as we support Feeding South Florida this month! Subscribe for more conversations like this, share the episode with a true crime fan who loves the messy questions, and leave a review so more listeners can find Friends from Wild Places. Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters
S6 · E15
May 23 · 24 min
Albanian Culture In Five Big Flavors
Albania isn’t just a place on a map, it’s a feeling, and once you hear how Albanians treat guests, you understand why travelers come back changed. We sit down with Anila Nicklos to unpack Albanian culture in a way that’s practical and vivid: what hospitality looks like in real life, why the food matters so much, what makes the Albanian language unique, and how a small country can hold mountains, rivers, lakes, and sea views within minutes of each other. If you’ve been searching for Albania travel tips, Albanian culture facts, or a fresh perspective on identity and belonging, this conversation is a warm starting point. Anila Nicklos Tel: +1 216-870-1054 Email: anila@icaremm.com LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/anila-nicklos Then the focus shifts inward: legacy. Anila shares her word for the year, patience, and how it connects to long-term dedication, sacrifice, and showing up for the work even when results take decades. The line that sticks with us is simple and challenging: do the right thing when no one is looking, for the greater good, so we leave the world better than we found it. From there, we spotlight our monthly nonprofit, OUR Rescue (ourrescue.org), and why stopping human trafficking requires attention, funding, and community support. Join us as we support Our Rescue Organization this month! If you like honest conversations that mix heart, curiosity, and a little laughter, you’ll love the word association game that closes the show. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find Friends From Wild Places. What word would you start the game with? Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters
S6 · E14
May 16 · 26 min
Beyond Checkbox Leadership
Checkbox diversity is easy. Building a culture where people feel seen, trusted, and excited to do great work is the real challenge, and it starts with something surprisingly simple: getting to know each other as humans. We sit down with Anila, a diversity strategist and community advocate, to unpack what leaders can do right now to create high-performance teams rooted in shared purpose. We talk about the practical habits that make inclusion real, from curiosity about other cultures to small relationship-building moves that turn “team” into something people can feel. Anila Nicklos Tel: +1 216-870-1054 Email: anila@icaremm.com LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/anila-nicklos Then we shift into healthcare innovation and what patient-centred care looks like when you take the phrase seriously. Anila shares how her work in strategic partnerships at iCare Mobile Medicine is guided by ethics, empathy, and the commitment to meet patients where they are. We walk through how mobile urgent care works in Florida, including what clinicians can handle on-site, how lab work and imaging like x-rays can be facilitated, and the clear line where an ER referral is the safest next step. Join us as we support Our Rescue Organization this month! We also go deeper on storytelling as a leadership skill. Anila explains how stories helped her bridge cultures, advocate for communities, and translate values like resilience and education into language organisations can rally around. If you lead people, build partnerships, or care about better healthcare access, you’ll leave with concrete ideas you can use immediately. Subscribe, share this with someone who leads a team, and leave a review so more listeners can find Friends From Wild Places. Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters
S6 · E13
May 9 · 23 min
What Stays True When Everything Changes
If you had no witnesses and only your word to offer, what would convince a jury you’re telling the truth? We start with that uncomfortable question while unpacking a high profile attempted murder trial in Hawaii, then follow the thread where it really leads: integrity, consistency, and what your life says about you when the stakes are high. Anila Nicklos Tel: +1 216-870-1054 Email: anila@icaremm.com LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/anila-nicklos Then we welcome our special guest, Anila Nicklos, originally from Tirana, Albania. Anila brings the kind of insight that comes from living a full reinvention. She shares what it actually feels like to leave your homeland, lose your support system, and try to belong in a new culture without losing yourself. One of the most striking parts of her story is how identity can be tied to language. She was already being published as a writer in Albania, then arrived in the US and faced the reality that her work couldn’t be read. From journalism to leadership, she explains how she rebuilt her voice and eventually began writing fiction in English, one hard won sentence at a time. Join us as we support Our Rescue Organization this month! Subscribe, share this conversation with someone rebuilding their next chapter, and leave a review so more listeners can find Friends From Wild Places. What part of your identity has been the hardest to translate? Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters
S6 · E12
April 25 · 27 min
Are You Confusing Opinion With Fact
The hardest part of growth is not moving countries, changing careers, or chasing bigger goals. It’s learning how to be yourself without letting comparison steal your confidence. Franklin joins us to talk candidly about that inner fight, what it feels like to live between cultures, and how self-belief becomes a daily practice rather than a personality trait you either have or don’t. Franklin Moya Website: https://jfranklin.eu/ Email: j.franklin.art@hotmail.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jfranklinme/ We also spotlight Toastmasters International, a worldwide nonprofit that helps people build public speaking confidence and leadership skills through structured meetings, supportive roles, and honest feedback. Then we lighten things up with a “Fact or Opinion” game that turns into a bigger conversation about how often we mistake feelings for facts and why respecting different opinions matters right now. Join us as we support Toastmasters International this month! If you enjoyed the conversation, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review. What’s one belief you used to treat as fact that you’ve since changed your mind about? Send us Fan Mail Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Shireen's Bookkeeping Services LLC Outsourcing your bookkeeping to Shireen’s Bookkeeping Services can save you time and money. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Stay Wild! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromwildplaces Website: https://friendsfromwildplaces.buzzsprout.com/ Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friends-from-wild-places/id1619076023 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFWP_podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/friendsfromwildplacespodcast Leave a review!
- Transcript
- Chapters

Showing 1–20 of 27 episodes