Company She Keeps

Hosts Christa McCourt and Erin Beavers sit down with Marlary Jarue, Certified Business Analyst, commercial banking professional, and Co-Founder of Redeem Advisory Group. Marlary shares her path from a refugee camp in Nigeria and a childhood shaped by the Liberian civil war to grant writing, government work, and commercial lending in the U.S. Along the way she saw the same pattern again and again: good business owners getting denied for funding because their business wasn’t ready.
 
This conversation breaks down what “funding ready” actually means. Marlary covers why registering your business is only the first step, how compliance and integrity protect you, and why you should start treating your business like a corporation, whether it makes $5,000 a year or $1 million.
 
In This Episode
Growing up in Liberia, eight years as a refugee in Nigeria, and how those experiences shaped her resilience and self-awareness
From economics and regional planning to nonprofit grant work, government service, and getting stranded in the U.S. when Ebola shut down the airports in 2014
What she saw in commercial banking: the business owner who was denied for a $1.95 balance, and why denial letters leave owners in the dark
Why registering with a filing service isn’t enough, and the difference between state registration and federal status like a 501(c)
Why businesses without compliance and integrity face real consequences, including what happened to some pandemic-era SBA loan recipients
Building business credit with Dun & Bradstreet so your business doesn’t rely on your personal credit
Treating your business as a separate entity: separate bank accounts, an EIN, a corporate seal, and defining your role beyond “owner”
What’s inside the corporate binder Redeem built for Kingwood Business Women: formation documents, bylaws or operating agreement, business plan, and contract templates
Why SOPs and clean tracking systems matter if you ever want to take on investors, win a grant, or sell your business
Why compliance is a mindset, and how fear of not being “legitimate enough” keeps business owners from marketing themselves
Creative ways to grow, from crowdfunding to profit-sharing partnerships
The classes Marlary teaches: nonprofit, business plan templates, compliance and structure, and her grant vault
 
Who This Episode Is For
Founders, solopreneurs, and nonprofit leaders who want funding, grants, or growth and aren’t sure their business is ready for it. It’s also for anyone who has been denied and never knew why, and for any woman in business ready to build the foundation before chasing the money.
 
Episode Quote“Your business is not about you. Your business is about people.” — Marlary Jarue
 
About Marlary JarueMarlary Jarue is a Certified Business Analyst, commercial banking professional, and Co-Founder of Redeem Services LLC, now Redeem Advisory Group. With over 12 years of experience in banking, business strategy, and compliance, she helps entrepreneurs build businesses that are structured, compliant, and positioned for sustainable growth. Guided by her Christian faith, Marlary is passionate about equipping business owners to lead with wisdom, integrity, and stewardship, believing that lasting success begins with a strong foundation.
 
Connect with Redeem Advisory GroupWebsite: www.redeemadvisorygroup.comInstagram: @MarlaryJarueFree Readiness Audit: https://redeemadvisorygroup.com/readiness-audit
 
Thank You to Our SponsorsThe Intuitive Beavers Agency theintuitivebeaversagency.comHouston Studio houstonstudio.comLearn more about becoming a sponsor here: kingwoodbusinesswomen.org/company-she-keeps-podcast
 
About the Podcast and HostsBrought to you by Kingwood Business Women and hosted by Christa McCourt and Erin Beavers, Company She Keeps Podcast features honest conversations with the women building businesses and communities across the Lake Houston area. Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode.
 
Connect with Christa McCourt and Houston Studio:houstonstudio.cominstagram.com/houstonstudio_
 
Connect with Erin Beavers and The Intuitive Beavers Agency:theintuitivebeaversagency.cominstagram.com/iam.erinbeavers
 
Connect with Kingwood Business Women:kingwoodbusinesswomen.orgfacebook.com/groups/kbwcommunityinstagram.com/kingwoodbusinesswomenlinkedin.com/company/kingwoodbusinesswomenkingwoodbusinesswomen.org/company-she-keeps-podcast

This week hosts Christa McCourt and Erin Beavers sit down with Melanie Perez, co-owner of Leo & Mel's Gardening Services in the Lake Houston area. Melanie was born and raised in Los Angeles, became a mom at 15, and raised three children as a single mother before meeting her husband Leo, building a landscaping business, and moving her whole family to Texas in 2023 to start over and break generational cycles.
 
This is an honest, funny, and unfiltered conversation about going from survival mode to business owner, putting her own name on the company in a male-dominated field, and learning to ask for help, stay open, and own her worth, right as the recognition starts pouring in.
 
In This Episode
Moving from California to Texas in 2023, the culture shock, and rebuilding her life, network, and confidence from the ground up
Starting out as "Leo's Gardening Services" and why she fought to make it Leo & Mel's. Plus what it means to be a woman and 51% owner in a male-dominated field
Getting the business off the ground by hustling on Nextdoor while Leo did the physical work, and why growing takes more than one person
Going from survival mode (mom at 15, single motherhood, a hard past) to building something rooted in integrity and transparency
Imposter syndrome, social anxiety, and "little old me from the hood" walking into rooms with elected officials and Houston's Top 30 Influential Women of Texas
Learning to ask questions, ask for help, and lean on mentors after a lifetime of figuring it out alone
Choosing collaboration over competition: referring and partnering with other landscapers instead of treating them as rivals
The full range of services, from monthly maintenance and tree work to artificial turf and hardscape, plus L&M Landscaping and Design for commercial and government work
Building a business, and a marriage with her husband, and the mindset of breaking generational curses while building generational wealth
Staying authentic, keeping an open mind, and the belief that where you start doesn't have to determine where you go
 
Who This Episode Is ForAnyone who didn't come from a traditional background and had to build their life from the ground up. Single moms, first-generation entrepreneurs, women in male-dominated industries, and anyone who's ever been told they weren't good enough. If you've felt stuck, afraid of change, or like your past defines your future, this one's for you.
 
Episode Quote"Keep showing up, keep believing, keep growing, because your story isn't over and neither is mine." — Melanie Perez
 
About Melanie PerezMelanie Perez is the co-owner of Leo & Mel's Gardening Services, serving homeowners and businesses across the Greater Houston and Lake Houston area. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she built her life and her business from the ground up, moving her family to Texas in 2023 and growing Leo & Mel's into a trusted name known for communication, reliability, and treating every property like their own. She also leads L&M Landscaping and Design, offering commercial and government services with certifications through the Port of Houston and the City of Houston. Melanie is passionate about personal growth, resilience, collaboration over competition, and showing others that their circumstances don't have to limit them.
Recognition: Houston Chronicle Best of the Best (Top 5 Landscaping) · Houston's Top 30 Influential Women of Texas Honoree· KBW Award Nominee · Partnership Lake Houston Chamber of Commerce · Leadership Lake Houston
 
Connect with Leo & Mel's Gardening ServicesWebsite: www.landmservices.comInstagram: @leoandmelsgardeningservicesFacebook: Leo & Mel's Gardening Services
 
Thank You to Our SponsorsThe Intuitive Beavers Agency theintuitivebeaversagency.comHouston Studio houstonstudio.comLearn more about becoming a sponsor here: kingwoodbusinesswomen.org/company-she-keeps-podcast
 
About the Podcast and HostsBrought to you by Kingwood Business Women and hosted by Christa McCourt and Erin Beavers, Company She Keeps Podcast features honest conversations with the women building businesses and communities across the Lake Houston area. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode.
 
Connect with Christa McCourt and Houston Studio:houstonstudio.cominstagram.com/houstonstudio_
 
Connect with Erin Beavers and The Intuitive Beavers Agency:theintuitivebeaversagency.cominstagram.com/iam.erinbeavers
 
Connect with Kingwood Business Women:kingwoodbusinesswomen.orgfacebook.com/groups/kbwcommunityinstagram.com/kingwoodbusinesswomenlinkedin.com/company/kingwoodbusinesswomenkingwoodbusinesswomen.org/company-she-keeps-podcast

In this episode, hosts Christa McCourt and Erin Beavers sit down with Coach Paula Tobey, a Certified Life and Health Coach, best-selling author, and speaker who helps entrepreneurs create harmony between faith, family, and business. Paula shares how chronic migraines, joint pain, and IBS pushed her out of a teaching career she'd dreamed of since age nine, and how healing her own gut set her on the path to coaching.
It's a warm, funny, and refreshingly honest conversation that runs from dyslexia and ADHD to paying off $72,000 in debt, and into a deep, myth-busting dive on peptides, hormones, and why so many women in their 40s feel like their bodies stopped cooperating overnight.
 
In This Episode
Hitting 500 members in The Phenomenal Collective and launching a paid membership after years of building trust and consistency
Growing up on Cape Cod, dreaming of oceanography, and how dyscalculia (a math-based form of dyslexia) plus a later ADHD diagnosis shaped how she learns and leads
Leaving the classroom when chronic migraines, joint pain, and IBS took over discovering that hidden food sensitivities (like oats) were the trigger
The gut-brain connection, and how healing her own health led her from teacher to certified life and health coach
Niching down to entrepreneur moms and why business owners "get" investing in themselves
Investing in masterminds as a pivotal moment, the power of the "hot seat," and how NACWE (National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs) built her confidence from good to excellent
The $1,000 SEO lesson and why she now builds her business around women she trusts
The trademarked Star of Life and her 5 Foundations of a Healthy, Balanced Life. Physical, emotional, educational, financial, and spiritual health sparked by Maya Angelou's "Phenomenal Woman" and Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University
Paying off $72,000 of debt in four and a half years using the debt snowball
Her two books, including the collaborative entrepreneur book featuring fellow KBW members
Peptides 101: how insulin started it all, why the gray market causes confusion, and what makes a doctor-prescribed approach different
Navigating her husband Seth's head and neck cancer diagnosis while learning peptides and how reducing inflammation at the root gave her health back
Peptides for ADHD, energy, longevity, and recovery, plus what to expect at KBW's November Friendsgiving Networking Night
 
Who This Episode Is ForEntrepreneurs — especially busy, family-focused women — who are tired of overwhelm, perfection paralysis, and being told nothing is wrong when they know something's off. Anyone curious about peptides, hormones, or gut health without the shame or the sales pitch.
 
Episode Quote"I want to give people the ability to make their life better." — Coach Paula Tobey
 
About Coach Paula TobeyPaula Tobey is a Certified Life and Health Coach, best-selling author, and speaker who helps entrepreneurs overcome the stress, burnout, and financial strain that come from a life out of balance. A former teacher best known for her transformational work on the gut-brain connection and her signature 5 Foundations of a Healthy, Balanced Life, Paula leads The Phenomenal Collective, a free Facebook community for entrepreneurs, and offers one-on-one coaching for those navigating ADHD, family stress, or health challenges.
 
Connect with Coach Paula
Website: PaulaTobey.com 
Email: coachpaulatobey@gmail.com
Podcast: Phenomenal Living (Apple, Spotify)
Books: Phenomenal Life and Business  | Phenomenal Mom
Community: The Phenomenal Collective on Facebook
Instagram: @paula_tobey
Freebie: Contact Paula at coachpaulatobey@gmail.com for a Free Star of Life Consultation 
 
Thank You to Our Sponsors
The Intuitive Beavers Agency theintuitivebeaversagency.comHouston Studio  houstonstudio.comLearn more about becoming a sponsor here: kingwoodbusinesswomen.org/company-she-keeps-podcast
About the Podcast and Hosts
Brought to you by Kingwood Business Women and hosted by Christa McCourt and Erin Beavers, Company She Keeps Podcast features honest conversations with the women building businesses and communities across the Lake Houston area. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode.
 
Connect with Christa McCourt and Houston Studio:houstonstudio.cominstagram.com/houstonstudio_
 
Connect with Erin Beavers and The Intuitive Beavers Agency:theintuitivebeaversagency.cominstagram.com/iam.erinbeavers
 
Connect with Kingwood Business Women:kingwoodbusinesswomen.orgfacebook.com/groups/kbwcommunityinstagram.com/kingwoodbusinesswomenlinkedin.com/company/kingwoodbusinesswomenkingwoodbusinesswomen.org/company-she-keeps-podcast
 

Hosts Christa McCourt and Erin Beavers sit down with Dr. Dawn Harrell, owner of Bear Paw Medical in Kingwood. Dawn spent 20 years as an athletic trainer before going back to school for her chiropractic degree at 40-something and then found out the night before she walked across the graduation stage that she hadn't passed her final boards. Six months later she passed, got licensed, and bought the practice she was working in within weeks.
 
This conversation covers what Bear Paw actually offers now (a lot more than adjustments), why she rebranded from chiropractic to medical, the real numbers behind her startup, and an honest, very funny deep dive into peptides, hormone therapy, and why so many women in their 40s are gaining 30 pounds out of nowhere.
 
In This Episode
Rebranding from Bear Paw Chiropractic to Bear Paw Medical, and why hiring a nurse practitioner changed what the clinic could offer
The full lineup: chiropractic, rehab, the Back on Track decompression chair, 3D body scanning for posture and body composition, on-site X-rays, and HIIT with Harrell group fitness
Regenerative medicine explained: platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for knees, shoulders, backs, and herniated discs, plus post-surgical and mommy makeover recovery
Peptides 101: the KLOW stack, GLP-1s, glutathione for energy and immune support, muscle recovery, and what the research has actually shown since the 1990s
Hormone replacement therapy, perimenopause vs. menopause, and why women's hormones are so much harder to get treated than men's
Getting to 15 years old and one single career goal: an Expanding Your Horizons conference, a crush on a Bengals quarterback, and calling the head athletic trainer out of the phone book
Failing part four boards, buying the practice two weeks after licensure, and what rebuilding confidence actually looked like
Looking where the pain isn't; how a doctorate in athletic training changed the way she assesses the kinetic chain
What fibromyalgia might really be, and how bringing the brain's attention to one spot helps the body heal
The real cost of opening: a $25,000 startup loan, a $7,000 sign, $2,000 a month for a supervising physician, and $700 a month in insurance
Making the clear ask: why saying "I need four people this month" out loud actually works
Five-year vision: hiring a physical therapist, expanding into Spring, and eventually opening a location in Idaho
 
Who This Episode Is For
Women in business who are building something bigger than the job they trained for, anyone curious about peptides, PRP, or hormone therapy without the shame or the sales pitch, and every 40-something who's tired of hurting and being told nothing is wrong.
 
Episode Quote
"There wasn't a position I wanted, so I created one." — Dr. Dawn Harrell
 
About Dr. Dawn Harrell
Dr. Dawn Harrell is the owner of Bear Paw Medical, serving Kingwood, Humble, Atascocita, and the greater Lake Houston area. She spent two decades as an athletic trainer in high school and industrial settings, earned her doctorate in athletic training, and graduated from Texas Chiropractic College in 2022. Bear Paw Medical combines chiropractic care with rehabilitation, regenerative medicine, peptide therapy, hormone replacement, and group fitness under one roof. A collaborative medical clinic built around treating the root cause, not just the symptom.
 
Connect with Bear Paw Medical
Website: https://bearpawmedical.com/ Instagram: @bearpawmedicaltxFacebook: Bear Paw MedicalCall or text: 281-852-8724Email: info@bearpawmedical.com
 
Thank You to Our Sponsors
The Intuitive Beavers Agency theintuitivebeaversagency.comHouston Studio  houstonstudio.comLearn more about becoming a sponsor here: kingwoodbusinesswomen.org/company-she-keeps-podcast
 
About the Podcast and Hosts
Brought to you by Kingwood Business Women and hosted by Christa McCourt and Erin Beavers, Company She Keeps Podcast features honest conversations with the women building businesses and communities across the Lake Houston area. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode.
 
Connect with Christa McCourt and Houston Studio:houstonstudio.cominstagram.com/houstonstudio_
 
Connect with Erin Beavers and The Intuitive Beavers Agency:theintuitivebeaversagency.cominstagram.com/iam.erinbeavers
 
Connect with Kingwood Business Women:
kingwoodbusinesswomen.orgfacebook.com/groups/kbwcommunityinstagram.com/kingwoodbusinesswomenlinkedin.com/company/kingwoodbusinesswomenkingwoodbusinesswomen.org/company-she-keeps-podcast

Hosts Christa McCourt and Erin Beavers sit down with Kristi Hernandez, VP of Lending at Rate Mortgage, who has spent 24 years in the mortgage industry and 37 years in finance. Kristi shares how she landed in mortgages by accident (the woman who hired her thought she was someone else), why she left processing to become a loan officer, and the three-part question she asks every borrower before she ever pulls a credit report.
This episode is a warm, practical conversation about money, credit, and the fear that keeps people renting and a reminder that owning a home is less about the transaction and more about the blueprint you leave behind.
 
In This Episode
How Kristi got hired as a mortgage processor with zero processing experience, and the mistaken-identity story behind it
The path from banker to processor to loan officer, and the coworker whose one comment made her realize she could do it too
The three-part question she asks every borrower: what matters to you most: your down payment, your estimated monthly payment, or your total cash to close
Knowing your "why," and how hers changed with every season: paying for college in cash, daycare for the grandkids, even a used Porsche
Coming up as one of about five women among 20-plus loan officers, being everybody's "grandkid," and getting asked "Where's Mr. Hernandez?"
Why she'll inadvertently be the "dream killer," and how getting preapproved before you shop protects both buyers and sellers
Why online quotes miss in Texas, what actually goes into your monthly payment, and what a local lender does differently when your offer hits the table
Credit isn't a bad word: freezing your kids' credit, why disputes can backfire, and how to build clean credit early
Her personal home loan that made her a lender: six months in, taxes came due, five kids, and no one had explained escrow
"Tell me everything." The things buyers hide that always surface anyway, and the 10 commandments of buying a home (don't buy a car, don't change jobs, don't open new credit…)
Playing the pretend game: testing your future payment before you commit, so you can still go to dinner and take a vacation
Homeownership as a legacy, and why she talks money with her kids, her grandkids, and her friends' daughters
 
Who This Episode Is For
First-time buyers, renters, adult kids still living at home, and anyone who has decided homeownership isn't for them. Also for the women running the household finances, the realtors who want a lender who educates, and the parents ready to teach their kids about money before someone else does.
 
Episode Quote
"Buyers are like DNA. They're very similar, but they're all a little different." - Kristi Hernandez
 
About Kristi Hernandez
Kristi Hernandez, has been proudly serving in the mortgage industry for 24 years. She began my career as a processor before becoming a Loan Officer, and that experience allows her to guide a loan from the very first application all the way through closing and funding. Understanding every step of the process helps Kristi appreciate the many moving parts involved and reminds her that being a Loan Officer is about far more than taking applications. It's about truly listening to what clients need. 
 
Connect with Kristi
Website: mortgageswithkristi.com
Phone: 832-331-1685
Email: kristi.hernandez@rate.com
Instagram: @kristihernandez000
Facebook: facebook.com/kristi.m.hernandez
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kristi-hernandez-03938129/
 
Thank You to Our Sponsors
The Intuitive Beavers Agency theintuitivebeaversagency.com
Houston Studio  houstonstudio.com
Learn more about becoming a sponsor here: kingwoodbusinesswomen.org/company-she-keeps-podcast
About the Podcast and Hosts
Brought to you by Kingwood Business Women and hosted by Christa McCourt and Erin Beavers, Company She Keeps Podcast features honest conversations with the women building businesses and communities across the Lake Houston area. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode.
Connect with Christa McCourt and Houston Studio:
houstonstudio.com
instagram.com/houstonstudio_
 
Connect with Erin Beavers and The Intuitive Beavers Agency:
theintuitivebeaversagency.com
instagram.com/iam.erinbeavers
 
Connect with Kingwood Business Women:
kingwoodbusinesswomen.org
facebook.com/groups/kbwcommunity
instagram.com/kingwoodbusinesswomen
linkedin.com/company/kingwoodbusinesswomen
kingwoodbusinesswomen.org/company-she-keeps-podcast

Hosts Christa McCourt and Erin Beavers sit down with Tiffany Blakely, HCS Director, and Kinsey Crabtree, Director of Development at The Village Centers, an organization that's served adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) across the greater Houston area for 26 years. Together they open up about what daily life looks like for their “Villagers”, the systemic hurdles families face after their kids age out of the school system, and the deeply personal reasons this work matters to them.
Kinsey shares her story as the mom of two neurodivergent sons, including the heart-stopping day her three-year-old slipped out an open garage door and what that fear taught her about the families she now serves. Tiffany breaks down the Home and Community Services waiver, the years-long waitlists, and why the conversation about a child's future needs to start at diagnosis, not senior year. It's an honest, emotional, and hopeful conversation about dignity, belonging, and making sure no one is forgotten.
 
In This Episode
What The Village Centers is: 26 years serving adults 18+ with IDD, now supporting 136 Villagers in the day program, ~80 individuals through the HCS program, and ~60 host homes across greater Houston
HCS explained: the Home and Community Services Medicaid waiver, and how it follows an individual throughout their lifetime
Inside the 9:00–3:00 day program: community outings (Buc-ee's is a favorite), arts, cooking classes, martial arts, and letting Villagers vote on their own activities
Kinsey's journey as a mom of two neurodivergent kids, the power of framing over "can't," and why society needs to lead with grace
The waitlist crisis: 130,000+ people waiting for HCS in Texas, an 18–20 year wait, and why families have to plan early
The big misconception that the state fully funds IDD care when 85–87% of support actually comes from individual giving
The new transitional program (ages 18–22) preparing Villagers for the workforce, plus internship partnerships in the works
Villager success stories, from 10+ year job anniversaries at Walgreens to a client finally saying "hello" after three years
A Night Beyond the Mask:  the annual masquerade gala on September 25th and the many ways to get involved through volunteering, sponsorships, host homes, and donations
 
Who This Episode Is For
Parents and families navigating a special needs diagnosis, business owners and employers who want to hire more inclusively, educators, healthcare providers, and any community member who believes every person deserves to live with purpose and belonging.
 
Episode Quote
"We need to make sure that they are seen, they are heard. They get to stand and be a part of this community just like everybody else." — Tiffany Blakely
 
About Our Guests
Kinsey Crabtree is a nonprofit executive, fundraising strategist, and grant writer dedicated to advancing opportunities for adults with IDD. As Director of Development for The Village Centers, she leads philanthropic strategy, major gifts, corporate partnerships, foundation relations, grant development, and community engagement. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Oklahoma and is completing the Grant Writing Certificate Program through the University of Houston. Above all, Kinsey is a passionate advocate, both as a professional and as a mom, for a world where every individual is seen, included, and given the chance to thrive.
 
Tiffany Blakely is the HCS Director at The Village Centers and has worked with individuals with IDD for over 10 years. She began her journey at East Mississippi State Hospital in 2012 and later served at the Alamo Area Council of Governments in San Antonio, specializing in HCS and Texas Home Living waiver programs. She joined The Village Centers in December 2022 as an HCS case manager and stepped into the HCS Director role in January 2024.
 
Connect with The Village Centers
Website: www.thevillagecenters.orgFacebook: The Village CentersInstagram: @villagecentersDonate: secure.qgiv.com/for/thevillagecentersQuestions or want to get involved? Text Kinsey directly at 832-691-2775 or connect with Tiffany by email at tblakley@thevillagecenters.org
 
Thank You to Our Sponsors
The Intuitive Beavers Agency theintuitivebeaversagency.com
Houston Studio  houstonstudio.com
Learn more about becoming a sponsor here: kingwoodbusinesswomen.org/company-she-keeps-podcast
 
Thank You to Our Sponsors
The Intuitive Beavers Agency theintuitivebeaversagency.com
Houston Studio  houstonstudio.com
Learn more about becoming a sponsor here: kingwoodbusinesswomen.org/company-she-keeps-podcast
 
About the Podcast and Hosts
Brought to you by Kingwood Business Women and hosted by Christa McCourt and Erin Beavers, Company She Keeps Podcast features honest conversations with the women building businesses and communities across the Lake Houston area. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode.
Connect with Christa McCourt and Houston Studio:
houstonstudio.com
instagram.com/houstonstudio_
 
Connect with Erin Beavers and The Intuitive Beavers Agency:
theintuitivebeaversagency.com
instagram.com/iam.erinbeavers
 
Connect with Kingwood Business Women:
kingwoodbusinesswomen.org
facebook.com/groups/kbwcommunity
instagram.com/kingwoodbusinesswomen
linkedin.com/company/kingwoodbusinesswomen
kingwoodbusinesswomen.org/company-she-keeps-podcast

In our very first guest episode, hosts Christa McCourt and Erin Beavers sit down with Mandy Rivers, Founder, CEO, and Master Artist behind The Spa at Salon M and Kingwood Business Women's 2026 Woman of the Year.
Mandy opens up about launching her storefront just two weeks before COVID shut the world down, why she built her business around a team-based model, and what it actually took to grow from a talented stylist into a leader who coaches a whole team.
It's an honest, funny, and vulnerable conversation about building something real in the Lake Houston area and staying true to yourself while you do it.
In This Episode
Opening The Spa at Salon M in March 2020, two weeks before the COVID shutdown and how she kept her team paid, insured, and cared for through it
Why she walked away from commission and booth rental in favor of a team-based pay model, and what that changes for both stylists and guests
The guest experience, and why they say "guest," not "client", robes, lockers, signature drinks, and notes on everyone who walks in the door
Evolving from stylist to coach to CEO, and why getting coached herself changed the way she leads
The full range of services that set the spa apart: hair, skin, massage, lash, brow, and wellness, plus their new peptide offerings for full-body wellness
Her protégé program and the systems she built to train and grow new talent
Real talk on her past and how it shaped her, family, work-life balance, and burnout
Resilience through adversity, and the mindset that drives how she leads: "better me to better my team"
 
Who This Episode Is For
Ambitious, busy, family-focused women. Especially anyone in beauty, wellness, or business who's ready to grow without the fluff, and who's tired of feeling like they have to figure it all out alone.
 
Episode Quote
"You can have a work-life balance, but there also has to be a health and wellness piece to that." - Mandy Rivers
 
About Mandy Rivers
Mandy is the Founder, CEO, and Master Artist behind The Spa at Salon M, serving guests across the Lake Houston area. With more than 20 years in the beauty industry, she is passionate about personalized guest care, team coaching, leadership development, and helping women feel confident in every season of life. Through her podcast, Mandy shares honest conversations and practical insight around beauty, wellness, business, leadership, family, and personal growth.
Recognition: KBW White Linen Night · Kingwood Business Women Woman of the Year (2026) · Best of the Best (2024, 2025, 2026) · Cream of the Crop (2024, 2025, 2026)
 
Connect with The Spa at Salon M
Website: www.thespa-salonm.com
Instagram: @TheSpaSalonM
Facebook: facebook.com/TheSpaSalonM
 
Thank You to Our Sponsors
The Intuitive Beavers Agency theintuitivebeaversagency.com
Houston Studio  houstonstudio.com
Learn more about becoming a sponsor here: kingwoodbusinesswomen.org/company-she-keeps-podcast
 
About the Podcast and Hosts
Brought to you by Kingwood Business Women and hosted by Christa McCourt and Erin Beavers, Company She Keeps Podcast features honest conversations with the women building businesses and communities across the Lake Houston area. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode.
 
Connect with Christa McCourt and Houston Studio:
houstonstudio.com
instagram.com/houstonstudio_
 
Connect with Erin Beavers and The Intuitive Beavers Agency:
theintuitivebeaversagency.com
instagram.com/iam.erinbeavers
 
Connect with Kingwood Business Women:
kingwoodbusinesswomen.org
facebook.com/groups/kbwcommunity
instagram.com/kingwoodbusinesswomen
linkedin.com/company/kingwoodbusinesswomen
kingwoodbusinesswomen.org/company-she-keeps-podcast

Welcome to the very first episode of Company She Keeps, powered by Kingwood Business Women. In this episode, hosts Christa McCourt and Erin Beavers flip the script and interview each other. It's the perfect introduction to the show where you'll learn who's behind the mic, how this podcast came to life, and what you can expect all season long.
Christa shares how a chance conversation at a networking night sparked the whole idea, and the two dig into their very different (and surprisingly similar) journeys as women business owners. From photography and branding to podcast production and community building, this conversation is packed with honest talk about entrepreneurship, collaboration over competition, imposter syndrome, burnout, and the power of showing up for yourself and each other.
Whether you're a seasoned business owner or just have an idea tugging at your heart, this episode sets the tone for a season built to inform, connect, and inspire.
 
In this episode, we cover:
How Company She Keeps came to be and why it's exclusive to Kingwood Business Women members
Christa's path from 20+ years of photography to building brand strategy at Houston Studio
Erin's journey from virtual assistant to founding The Intuitive Beavers Agency, a full-service podcast production company
Marrying the creative and the strategic and how those two sides work together to bring a podcast to life 
Why authentic branding always beats chasing trends
The real work behind a professional podcast (hint: it's not just hitting record)
Riverside vs. Zoom and why recording setup matters
The "white space" that inspired Kingwood Business Women in 2021
Working through imposter syndrome, intimidation, and self-doubt "new level, same devil" 
Running two businesses without burning out, and the self-care and support systems that make it possible 
Advice for any woman sitting on a business idea she hasn't launched yet
Preparing your business now for the success you want later
 
Who This Episode Is For
Ambitious, family-focused women, especially entrepreneurs, professionals, and anyone with a business idea they haven't taken the leap on yet, who's tired of feeling like they have to figure it all out alone. 
 
Episode Quote 
"We're human, and we have to know what our weaknesses are so that we can collaborate with others to fill those gaps." 
 
About Christa McCourt
Christa Elyce McCourt, photographer and creative director of Houston Studio. Because she is so passionate about bringing women together and believes that building a community of strong, confident, and successful business women makes everything incredibly powerful, she went out on a limb and started the Kingwood Business Women association in 2021. What started out as a little tipsy idea, became an Instagram account, became 500 followers overnight and the rest is, well as they say, making history. 
 
About Erin Beavers
Erin Beavers is a Podcast Producer, Online Business Manager, Virtual Assistant, and the founder of The Intuitive Beavers Agency, where she helps businesses and brands find their voice through the power of podcasting. Since 2021, she has worked behind the scenes with podcast clients, and after deepening her expertise in launching, she began guiding clients through the full process from concept to launch crafting shows that are authentic, engaging, and built to grow. Equal parts creative and strategic, Erin is the person who takes a big vision and builds it into reality. She loves working with visionary clients, and brings the technical know-how, project management skills, and co-creative energy to make those dreams actually happen.
 
Thank You to Our Sponsors
The Intuitive Beavers Agency theintuitivebeaversagency.com
Houston Studio  houstonstudio.com
Learn more about becoming a sponsor here: kingwoodbusinesswomen.org/company-she-keeps-podcast
 
About the Podcast and Hosts
Brought to you by Kingwood Business Women and hosted by Christa McCourt and Erin Beavers, Company She Keeps Podcast features honest conversations with the women building businesses and communities across the Lake Houston area. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode.
 
Connect with Christa McCourt and Houston Studio:
houstonstudio.com
instagram.com/houstonstudio_
 
Connect with Erin Beavers and The Intuitive Beavers Agency:
theintuitivebeaversagency.com
instagram.com/iam.erinbeavers
 
Connect with Kingwood Business Women:
kingwoodbusinesswomen.org
facebook.com/groups/kbwcommunity
instagram.com/kingwoodbusinesswomen
linkedin.com/company/kingwoodbusinesswomen
kingwoodbusinesswomen.org/company-she-keeps-podcast/ 

Company She Keeps is the podcast that goes beyond the highlight reel.
Powered by Kingwood Business Women, this show digs into the real, raw, unfiltered stories of women in business. The pivotal moments, the messy middles, and the grit it takes to build something that matters. This is where community meets conversation and no topic is off the table.
 
Meet your hosts:
Christa McCourt, brand photographer and founder of Houston Studio, and Erin Beavers, podcast producer and founder of The Intuitive Beavers Agency. Together they are on a mission to amplify the voices of women in business and pull back the curtain on the stories that don't always get told.
Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur, just starting out, or somewhere in between, you are in the right place.
Hit subscribe so you don't miss our first episode. Business is not meant to be done alone. We're in this together!
 
Episodes Launching September 2nd, 2026 🚀✨
Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
Produced by The Intuitive Beavers Agency and Houston Studio.
 
Connect with Kingwood Business Women:
kingwoodbusinesswomen.org
facebook.com/groups/kbwcommunity
instagram.com/kingwoodbusinesswomen
linkedin.com/company/kingwoodbusinesswomen
 
Connect with Christa McCourt and Houston Studio:
houstonstudio.com
instagram.com/houstonstudio_
 
Connect with Erin Beavers and The Intuitive Beavers Agency:
theintuitivebeaversagency.com
instagram.com/iam.erinbeavers