Michigan Tribe Podcast

Michigan Tribe
  • 3.0 (2)
  • Entrepreneurship

The MiTribe Podcast is where real, raw, and resourceful conversations with women entrepreneurs in Jackson County, Michigan come to life. Hosted by Amanda Loveland and Alex Masten — co-founders of Michigan Tribe — the show blends bold honesty, humor, and grassroots wisdom to spotlight local business owners who are building their dreams in the real world, not the highlight reel. Through live masterminds, vulnerable storytelling, and fiercely feminist energy, listeners leave each episode feeling seen, supported, and empowered to take their next step in business — with whatever they already have. 

Episodes

  1. Jul 1

    Multiple Revenue Streams, One Vision — How she Built a Business Portfolio That Actually Works with Devon Roof

    What happens when comfort gets ripped away and you're forced to choose between wallowing or grabbing the opportunity in front of you? That's the question at the heart of Devon Roof's story. In this episode, Alex and Amanda sit down with Devon, the entrepreneur behind Belle Row Boutique and Epic Blue Marketing, to talk about building a portfolio of businesses while real life keeps throwing curveballs. From a tanning salon that taught her how to run a brick and mortar, to a corporate job that landed her in the tiny curated boutiques of SoHa and lit the spark for Belle Row, this conversation is equal parts inspiring, honest, and surprisingly tender.  Deven opens up about running two tracks at once, never losing sight of the dream while still paying the bills, and the moment everything caught fire and pushed her back to her hometown to start over. Digging into the improv rule of "yes, and," the discipline of focusing only on what you can control, and why learning to be comfortable in uncomfortable things might be the most valuable skill an entrepreneur can have. And because grief and very real life don't pause for business, Devon shares how the hard seasons shaped the way she shows up today.  In this episode:  The two-track strategy: chasing the dream while still paying the billsHow a tanning salon and a corporate job secretly trained her to be a business ownerThe SoHa boutiques that sparked the idea for Belle RowWhen life goes up in flames, and why that might be a good thingThe improv rule of "yes, and" applied to entrepreneurship and curveballsFocusing only on what you can control, and getting comfortable being uncomfortableBuilding and running multiple businesses through grief and real life

  2. Jun 17

    The Adoption Story Nobody Saw Coming, Family Secrets & Entrepreneurship with Alicia Williams

    What happens when a single Facebook post leads to 37 family members pouring through a door in Detroit just two hours later? That's exactly what happened to Alicia Williams the day she finally learned who she really was. In this episode, Alex and Amanda sit down with Alicia to talk about the kind of life story nobody could make up if they tried.  From being placed for adoption against her birth mother's will, to growing up under a name that wasn't her own, to uncovering a family secret that took 97 years to unravel -- this conversation is equal parts jaw-dropping, emotional, and refreshingly honest.  Alicia opens up about the DNA discovery that left geneticists doing a double-take, the long and complicated road to forgiveness with the mother who held it all in, what it meant to hold her in her final moments, and how reconnecting with siblings scattered across separate lives changed everything. And because Alicia is nothing if not multi-passionate, she's also juggling several businesses (plus a few sides roles that'll surprise you) -- making this episode just a teaser for everything she does.  In this episode:  The adoption story that rewrote everything Alicia thought she knew about herselfOne Facebook post, 37 family members, and a reunion two hours in the makingThe 97-year family secret and the DNA twist that stumped the expertsAnger, grace, and forgiveness -- making peace with her birth mother before she passedSiblings kept apart, and what it meant to finally bring them togetherBeing a multi-passionate entrepreneur with more businesses (and stories) than one episode can hold

  3. Jun 3

    COVID, Catering, and Building a Business with Your Spouse — What Nobody Warns You About with Elise Houston.

    What happens when a pandemic eliminates both of your jobs on the same day — and your response is to launch a catering business? That's exactly what Elise Houston and her wife Allison did when March 2020 turned their carefully laid plans upside down. In this episode, Alex and Amanda sit down with Elise, co-owner of Sylvia's Catering in Napoleon, to talk about the kind of entrepreneurship story nobody puts in a brochure. From delivering individually packaged dinners by pontoon boat during lockdown, to naming their business after a grandmother who ran a restaurant for 50 years, to navigating the beautifully complicated reality of working alongside your spouse every single day — this conversation is equal parts inspiring, hilarious, and refreshingly honest. Elise opens up about the real financial pressures of running a food business right now (hello, skyrocketing food costs), why saying no to business is sometimes the smartest move you can make, the surprising joy of launching a lesbian coloring book on Amazon, and what it's actually been like building a life and a thriving business as a same-sex couple in Jackson, Michigan. In this episode: Launching a catering company in the middle of a pandemic (yes, really)The Sylvia's story — honoring a 50-year legacy and the signs that keep showing upWhat it's actually like to run a business with your spouse (and how a hallway saves marriages)Pivoting, knowing your numbers, and learning when to say noPlanning rest into your business before burnout plans it for youFinding your community and building a business that fuels your whole life

  4. May 20

    Knowing Your Numbers, Staying Connected, and the Truth About Why Businesses Fail with Shawn Preissle.

    What separates the businesses that make it from the ones that don't? In this episode, Alex and Amanda sit down with Shawn Preissle -- a retired business consultant with over a decade of experience and roughly 2,500 entrepreneurs under her belt -- to get real about what it actually takes to survive (and thrive) in business ownership.  Shawn breaks down the common thread she saw in successful entrepreneurs: they came in prepared, knew their numbers, and -- most importantly -- they stayed connected to support even after launch. She shares why so many business owners wait too long to ask for help, what your financials are actually trying to tell you, and how to build a simple "scorecard" that tracks the health of your business in a way that actually makes sense to you.  Whether you're a spreadsheet lover or someone who breaks out in a cold sweat at the sight of a balance sheet, this episode is packed with practical wisdom that meets you where you are. Plus, the ladies get candid about leaning on your people, knowing your gaps, and why the Jackson County business ecosystem means you truly don't have to go it alone.  In this episode: Why preparation (not passion) is the #1 predictor of successThe financial benchmarks every business owner should know How to build a business scorecard that works for youWhy staying connected to your consultant after launch is everything The real cost of waiting too long to ask for help

  5. May 6

    Talking Crime, Justice, and Community with Jackson's First Female Prosecutor, Kelsey Guernsey.

    She walks into the room and people notice. Not because she's trying to make a statement -- but because she already made history.  This episode, Alex and Amanda sit down with Kelsey Guernsey, the first female prosecuting attorney in Jackson County. Let that land for a second. The. First. In a role that has existed for generations, Kelsey is the women who broke the ceiling -- and she's here to talk about what that actually looks like from the inside.  This isn't a fluff piece. Kelsey gets into what it means to carry that "first" title every single day, what it costs, and what it feels like to walk into rooms that weren't built with you in mind -- and command them anyway. She talks about the cases that stay with you, the pressure of being watched, and why she keeps showing up even when the weight of it is real.  This episode is for every woman who has ever been the only one in the room. The first one. The one people are watching to see if she'll fail. Kelsey's story is proof that not only do you belong there -- you might just be the one who changes everything.  What we cover:  What it means to be the first female prosecuting attorney in Jackson County. How Kelsey navigated a male-dominated field without losing herself. The reality of prosecuting cases in a community you live in. What she wishes more people understood about the criminal justice system. The "first" pressure -- what it feels like and how she carries it. Her message to women who are walking into spaces that weren't made for them.

  6. Apr 22

    They Found Out They Were a Cult via Netflix! The Story Behind Michigan Tribe.

    Every movement has an origin story. Ours involves a cult -- and honestly, we wouldn't have it any other way.  In this debut episode, Michigan Tribe co-founders Alex and Amanda sit down together for the first time on the mic to pull back the curtain on how this whole thing started. Spoiler: it wasn't a perfectly crafted business plan. It was a weird, wild, slightly unhinged moment that turned into something none of us could have predicted.  They're getting into the real story -- the messy middle, the cult that accidentally became the blueprint, and the moment they looked at each other and decided to stop playing it safe and build something that actually meant something to women in Jackson.  This is the episode where you meet your hosts and fall a little bit in love with the chaos that built Michigan Tribe. Welcome to the Michigan Tribe. We saved you a seat.  What we cover:  How Michigan Tribe actually started (no sugar coating). The cult story you've probably never heard before. What it means to build a brand rooted in real community. Why Alex and Amanda said "screw it" and went all in. The moment Michigan Tribe stopped being an idea and became a movement.

  7. Apr 13

    Talking Secret Jobs, Events During COVID, and Friendships That Make Entrepreneurship Possible with Yvette Wilkie & Tonja Worthey.

    What does it actually take to build something from scratch in Jackson, Michigan? Two women who did it are here to tell you -- and they are not holding back.  This week, Alex and Amanda welcome two powerhouse entrepreneurs to the Michigan Tribe table: Tonja Worthey, the visionary behind Worthy Occasions, and Yvette Wilkie, the force running RJ's Burgers and Ice Cream Co. These two women have built businesses rooted in joy, community, and the kind of grit that doesn't come with a business degree -- it comes from doing the work anyway, even when every voice in your head (and sometimes around you) says don't.  From the first wild idea to the first real moment of "holy sh*t, this is actually working" -- Tonja and Yvette share the stories they don't always tell. The fear. The pivots. The people who showed up. The people who didn't. And why, despite all of it, they'd do it again in a heartbeat.  If you've ever thought about starting something -- a business, a side hustle, a whole new chapter -- this episode is your sign.  What we cover:  Tonja's journey building Worthy Occasions and what "worthy" really means to her. Yvette's story behind RJ's Burgers and Ice Cream Co and the community it's created. What it's really like to be a female business owner in Jackson. The moments that almost broke them (and what kept them going). Advice for women who are sitting on a dream and waiting for permission. What Michigan Tribe means to them as women building in this city.

  8. Trailer

    Trailer: Welcome to the Michigan Tribe Podcast

    Welcome to the Michigan Tribe Podcast — your new favorite place to pull up a seat and get real.  This is your official first look at what's coming. In this trailer, meet your hosts as they share what MI Tribe is all about: honest conversations, real stories, and the kind of energy you feel when you're finally sitting with your people. Filmed in a cozy podcast studio with good lighting and even better vibes, this is just a taste of what's ahead.  Michigan Tribe is a podcast rooted in Michigan and built for women who are building something — businesses, communities, and lives worth talking about. New episodes coming soon.  🌹 Subscribe so you don't miss the first episode.

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

3
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The MiTribe Podcast is where real, raw, and resourceful conversations with women entrepreneurs in Jackson County, Michigan come to life. Hosted by Amanda Loveland and Alex Masten — co-founders of Michigan Tribe — the show blends bold honesty, humor, and grassroots wisdom to spotlight local business owners who are building their dreams in the real world, not the highlight reel. Through live masterminds, vulnerable storytelling, and fiercely feminist energy, listeners leave each episode feeling seen, supported, and empowered to take their next step in business — with whatever they already have. 

Information

  • Creator
    Michigan Tribe
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Michigan Tribe Podcast
  • Show Website
    Michigan Tribe Podcast