Rebel Rootz Show Episode #86 with Michaela Batten. Michaela Batten has built a life by refusing to stay in one lane. She started as a professional tap dancer, moved to New York City at 18, earned a BFA in Design + Business from Parsons, toured internationally, then returned to Wilmington and eventually became a boutique owner, radio host, mom, and entrepreneur. Today, she is helping grow Bevvy Mart, a health-focused convenience grocer and coffee shop. In this episode, Evonne and Michaela talk about entrepreneurship, motherhood, confidence, friendship, reinvention, and what it really looks like to keep starting new chapters before you have everything figured out. Michaela shares why being scared can actually be a good sign, why perfection keeps so many women stuck, and why sometimes you just have to start before you feel completely ready. They also get into the harder parts of building a full life, including losing her father, becoming a mom, selling a successful business, navigating changing friendships, and learning how to define success differently as life evolves. For moms and women entering a new chapter, this conversation is a reminder that reinvention does not require having the whole plan. You can want more for yourself, take the next step, and figure the rest out along the way. Stop putting your life off. Timestamps: [00:00] Trailer + Intro [03:03] Who Michaela Has Always Been [06:36] Choosing the Right People Around You [12:39] From Tap Dancer to Parsons [15:57] Starting Soul Shoetique [17:05] Marriage, Loss, and Motherhood in One Wild Year [18:08] How She Became a Radio Host [21:34] The Four-Year Journey to Opening Bevvy Mart [24:33] Growing a Business Without Growing Too Fast [26:21] 10 Years in Morning Radio and Building Community[30:56] Why Being Scared Is a Good Thing [34:58] Stop Waiting for Perfect and Just Start [36:06] Redefining Failure and Training Your Brain [39:56] The Future of Bevvy Mart and Wanting Less [44:34] Motherhood and the Legacy She Wants to Leave [47:50] Nobody Has It All Figured Out Key Takeaways: • “If someone thinks you're no good, don't listen to them. If someone thinks you're a queen, don't listen to them.” ~ Michaela Batten • “Nobody's story is more important than anyone else's story. Because when you strip away all the accolades and all the money and all the privilege and all of that, we are the same exact person.” ~ Michaela Batten • Being scared can be a good thing. If you’re not scared, you may not want it badly enough. ~ Michaela Batten • Michaela has a great marriage, kids, and business, but still does not have everything figured out. ~ Michaela Batten • “You train your brain to see those little things just like gratitude. You train your brain to be thankful and to be grateful. I train it to feel accomplished, right?” ~ Michaela Batten • Nothing can fully prepare you for the first 90 days of a business. At some point, you have to start, live, and learn. ~ Evonne Varady • “You do have to spend money to make money, but you don't have to spend all of your money to make money.” ~ Michaela Batten Keep In Touch with Michaela Batten: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mckaybasilio/ Bevvy Mart: https://bevvymart.com/ Connect with Evonne Varady: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evonnevarady/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evonne-varady-461243a5/ Follow Rebel Rootz Social Media… Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rebelrootzshow/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebelrootzshow/ Tune in to every episode on your favorite platform: Website: https://www.rebelrootzshow.com/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebel-rootz-show/id1858966309 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7zRpPRxyeDM4P0VnRNSoZs YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RebelRootzShow This Podcast Is Powered By Clean Eatz: Website: https://cleaneatz.com/