Friends from Wild Places

Hosted by Shireen Botha

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122

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Aug 2026

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About the show

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.

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60 recent

August 15, 2026Episode 2326 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!

August 8, 2026Episode 2225 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!

July 18, 2026Episode 2127 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!

July 11, 2026Episode 2030 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!

July 4, 2026Episode 1929 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!

June 20, 2026Episode 1825 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!

June 13, 2026Episode 1730 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!

June 6, 2026Episode 1630 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!

May 23, 2026Episode 1524 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!

May 16, 2026Episode 1426 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!