Happy Hour Hustle

Hosted by 8THIRTYFOUR

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Episodes

134

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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About the show

You're listening to 8THIRTYFOUR's award-winning* podcast, The Happy Hour Hustle. We offer listeners the chance to experience the musings (or ramblings depending on how many glasses of wine she's had) of the one and only, Kimberly J. Bode as she interviews notable clients, upstanding community members, and random passersby. Publishing a new episode the first and third Tuesday of every month. *nominations and awards pending

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60 recent

June 12, 202612 min

Happy Hour Hustle #133: Rachael Kaminski

We're back with another cohort spotlight from the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship. Maddie sat down with Rachael Kaminski, Owner/Director of Confidence Beyond Hair Studio in Grand Haven, where she's on a mission to provide wigs and hair toppers to individuals experiencing hair loss due to various reasons, including cancer treatments, autoimmune disorders, alopecia, trichotillomania, PCOS, and menopause. They covered the importance of offering a service that makes individuals feel confident as they navigate their health journey. Rachel also shares what drives her passion behind her business and upcoming milestones. Connect with Rachael on LinkedIn. Learn more about Confidence Beyond Hair Studio

May 26, 202610 min

Happy Hour Hustle #132: Lindsey Potter

We're back with another cohort spotlight from the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship. Maddie sat down with Lindsey Potter, Owner/Director of Bright Light Early Care & Education in Battle Creek, where she's on a mission to redesign child care as we know it. They covered what it's really like to run a licensed child care center day-to-day, the lessons she's picked up across 20+ years in early childhood education, and how she's building something better for kids, families, and the future of the industry. Lindsey also shares what drives her passion for this work and why early care and education is long overdue for a reimagining. Connect with Lindsey on LinkedIn. Learn more about Bright Light Early Care & Education.

May 13, 202624 min

Happy Hour Hustle #131: Honesty and Communication in the Workplace

In this episode of Happy Hour Hustle, Maddie sits down with Grace Gavin, co-founder of Know Honesty, three-time founder, and co-author of the book Know Honesty: Eliminate the Divide, Become a Masterful Communicator, and Connect with Anyone. Through her book, workshops, and keynotes, Grace helps leaders and organizations have the real conversations that actually make a difference. She and her business partner built Know Honesty around what they saw missing in workplaces everywhere: real communication. At the heart of their work are two simple but very different skills, being open and being honest, and Grace has spent years coaching leaders, managers, and entrepreneurs on how to practice both. Grace and Maddie get into why so many workplace conversations go sideways even when everyone thinks they're being reasonable, what leaders are actually missing when they say they want honesty, and the conversations most teams are avoiding that they really can't afford to.

April 30, 202615 min

Happy Hour Hustle #130: Rebecca Dutcher

We're back with another cohort spotlight from the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship. Maddie sat down with Rebecca Dutcher, founder and CEO of RED66 Marketing, a Michigan-based marketing agency helping clients build strategies that connect with their audiences throughout the buyer's journey. They covered what it's really like to run a growing marketing agency, the lessons she's picked up across more than 20 years in the industry, and how marketing can be used to solve real business challenges. Rebecca also shares what drives her as a self-proclaimed marketing nerd and yes, the RED in RED66 comes from her bold hair, and the 66? Her jersey number when she became the first girl to play football at age 8. Connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn. Learn more about RED66 Marketing.

March 26, 202648 min

Happy Hour Hustle #129: Monica Gauthier's Groovy Donuts Journey

In this episode of Happy Hour Hustle, Kim sits down with Monica Gauthier, who has spent the past 11 years co-owning Groovy Donuts, and is now finally catching up on sleep. She started out studying fish disease and turned that into a successful career of early mornings at the donut shop and late-night baking. Over time, she built a team strong enough to keep the business running smoothly, even when she needed to step away to care for her dad in the hospital. They get into the unglamorous side of small business ownership, the unseen labor and the pressure to keep growing when growing isn't always the answer. They also talk about what it takes to build something worth selling. Monica sold her award-winning business to someone who had dreamed of owning it, and she did it on her terms. Want to know what she's doing next? Well, it's none of your business.

March 16, 202619 min

Happy Hour Hustle #128: Jody Hayden

We're back with another cohort spotlight from the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship. Maddie sat down with Jody Hayden, co-owner of Grocer's Daughter Chocolate, a Michigan-based chocolate company with roots in the specialty coffee and chocolate industries going back to 2001. They covered what it's really like to be in the chocolate business, what she's most proud of, the lessons she's picked up along the way, and what's coming up for her and her team. Plus, if you haven't heard about the sugar bear, you'll need to watch this video now. Connect with Jody on LinkedIn. Learn more about Grocer's Daughter Chocolate.

February 24, 202612 min

Happy Hour Hustle #127: Caitlin McMahan

We're back with another cohort spotlight from the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship. Maddie sat down with Caitlin McMahan, co-owner of Marcellus Metalcasters, a Michigan-based manufacturing company doing really impressive work. They talked about what it's actually like to run a foundry, what she's most proud of, the biggest lessons she's learned as a business owner, and what's next for her and her team. Connect with Caitlin on LinkedIn. Learn more about Marcellus Metalcasters.

February 18, 202615 min

Happy Hour Hustle #126: Jenny Lashuay

We're back with another Cohort Spotlight, shining a light on the incredible women who make up the 2025-26 cohort for the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship. Jenny Lashuay is the founder of BattleGR and BGR Event Center. She saw a need for experience-based fun and filled it. What started as an idea has grown into an indoor venue, a mobile party crew, and a full-on event center. Maddie talks to her about what inspired her to start her business, what's creating momentum for her right now, and what comes next.

February 12, 202629 min

Happy Hour Hustle #125: How HealthBar is Changing the Game in Healthcare

Healthcare costs killing your small business budget? You're not alone, and there might finally be a solution. In this episode, Kim talks with Nathan Baar, founder of HealthBar, licensed nurse, and entrepreneur who's reimagining how small businesses approach healthcare. Nate's built a model that can help reduce your healthcare costs while actually giving your employees the kind of care where they know their doctor's name. Remember when that was a thing? We get into why our healthcare system is such a mess, how to navigate multi-state employees without losing your mind, and what it actually means to have concierge-level care that doesn't cost a fortune. This isn't insurance, it's something different, and if you're a small business owner struggling to compete for talent while keeping costs down, you need to hear this. There is hope, there is work being done, and you have more options than you think. Learn more at HealthBar's website or connect with Nate on LinkedIn. And check out 'Health'Care 2026, his conference coming to Grand Rapids this April for anyone trying to figure this stuff out.

February 5, 202612 min

Happy Hour Hustle #124: Mary Barton

We're back with another Cohort Spotlight, continuing our series with the incredible women who make up the 2025-26 cohort for the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship. Mary Barton is the founder of Equitable Accounting Solutions, a Detroit-based firm dedicated to serving women- and minority-owned businesses. She's a Forbes Best-In-State CPA, an Enterprising Women Champion, and she sits on multiple boards creating pathways into accounting for underrepresented groups. Maddie talks to her about building a business with equity at its core, what she's learned over 20 years in the industry, and how she's using her expertise to level the playing field for small business owners.