The Keri Croft Show

  1. 3d ago

    Are We Ruining Youth Sports? The Truth About Travel Teams, Pressure & Burnout

    Send us Fan Mail Are we giving our kids opportunities through youth sports, or are we putting so much pressure on them that we're taking the joy out of the game? As my son approaches eight years old, I've been looking at the world of travel sports and asking myself: What in the hell are we getting ourselves into? On this episode of The Keri Croft Show, I'm joined by Kyle Pless, basketball player development coach and creator of Between the Lines, for a candid conversation about the increasingly intense world of youth athletics. We're talking about the pressure to join travel teams, parents spending thousands of dollars chasing opportunities, the obsession with being "elite" at ten years old, and whether playing more games actually makes kids better athletes. Kyle shares some pretty eye-opening stories, including parents treating their 12-year-old like a retirement plan, a young basketball player who lost her love for the sport after a coach told her to "smile more," and his own experience growing up as the son of a professional baseball player. But this isn't an episode about bashing travel sports. There are incredible benefits to athletics, and we both recognize them. This is about asking better questions, examining our intentions as parents, and remembering who this whole experience is supposed to be about. In this episode, we get into: The fear of falling behind if your child doesn't play travel sports Why early specialization may not be the answer The difference between playing games and developing actual skills The financial and emotional toll on families The pressure parents unintentionally put on their kids Why the car ride home after a game matters more than you think How coaches can build confidence or completely destroy it Letting kids fall in love with the game before chasing the next level I want to hear from parents on BOTH sides of this conversation. What's been your experience with travel sports? The good, the bad, and the ugly. Drop your thoughts in the comments because I think this is a conversation worth continuing. Subscribe to The Keri Croft Show for more conversations about life, parenting, entrepreneurship, and everything in between. Keep movin', baby.

  2. Oct 22

    Jane Grote: The Donatos Empire, Building a Legacy & Leading with Love

    Send us Fan Mail You know the name. You DEFINITELY know the pizza. But there's a whole lot more to Jane Grote than the Donatos empire. 🍕 This week on The Keri Croft Show, I'm sitting down with Jane Grote, Executive Chair of Donatos Pizza, for a conversation that goes WAY beyond the family business. We're getting into what it was really like growing up in a successful family business (spoiler: no trust fund lifestyle here), becoming a single mom at 22, navigating divorce, struggling with infertility, and learning how to build a career, a family, and an identity of her own. We also talk about her incredible work with the Reeb Center, the importance of women supporting women, financial independence, and what it looks like to redefine your life and priorities as you get older. And because you know how we do things around here, we also take a few unexpected detours into dating, Botox, skincare, working out, and the surprisingly passionate conversation we had about Donatos ranch dressing. 😂 What I loved most about Jane is that despite everything she's accomplished, she's incredibly down-to-earth, funny, generous, and genuinely passionate about people. You can feel how much she loves her family, her community, and the company she's helped build. This conversation is equal parts business, badassery, vulnerability, and a whole lot of laughs. Jane Grote is the REAL DEAL, and I think you're going to love getting to know the woman behind the pizza. 🎙️ Subscribe to The Keri Croft Show for more unfiltered conversations with fascinating people doing incredible things. Instagram: @thekericroftshow

  3. Oct 15

    Action Cures Anxiety: A Pep Talk for Anyone Building Something

    Send us Fan Mail Action cures anxiety. Three words I come back to whenever I'm overwhelmed, second-guessing myself, or staring at the ceiling at 3 a.m. wondering what the hell I've gotten myself into. In this solo episode of The Keri Croft Show, I'm catching you up on everything happening behind the scenes. No guest, no script, just me unpacking what it looks like to build something you believe in while navigating the self-doubt, growing pains, and inevitable chaos that come with it. We're talking about the lessons from our second BYLD IRL event (including my realization that I cannot keep doing everything myself), what we're building with BYLD, and why I believe female founders need more than another networking group. I'm also breaking down mental athleticism, the system I've developed for turning audacious visions into daily execution, and introducing MNTL, my new eight-week experience launching in January. Plus, a look inside ManEater Media and how we're helping founders amplify their voices and businesses. And before we wrap, I'm leaving you with a little tough love about anxiety, overthinking, and the one thing that actually moves you forward: ACTION. Want to get involved? BYLD: Our application-only community for female founders and business owners. Wave 2 applications are open! Visit https://wearebyld.com MNTL: An eight-week mental athleticism experience launching January 2027. Reach out to express interest. ManEater Media: Podcast production, creative strategy, and media amplification for founders and personalities. Have questions? Let's talk. Book a 15-minute call through the link in my bio. Subscribe to The Keri Croft Show for unfiltered conversations about entrepreneurship, mindset, business, and the beautiful mess of being human.

  4. Oct 8

    The Female Body Part We Were Never Taught About | Dr. Nina Deep

    Send us Fan Mail Why do so many women know so little about their own anatomy? Dr. Nina Deep is an internist, aesthetics physician, and one of my favorite kinds of people: someone who discovers something that makes absolutely no sense… and then refuses to stop asking questions. After decades of practicing medicine, Nina went down a rabbit hole that completely changed the way she understood the female body, sexual health, and the clitoris — including the fact that most of the clitoris is internal, the penis and clitoris develop from the same embryologic structures, and the vagina is not actually the primary female sexual organ. Yeah. I was today years old too. We get into why so many women believe they should orgasm from vaginal penetration alone, why women’s sexual pleasure has historically been wrapped in shame, and how even medical education has failed to properly teach female anatomy. Nina also shares how her own experience with vaginal rejuvenation unexpectedly changed far more than physical sensation. It changed the way she showed up in intimacy, helped her become more present and communicative, and ultimately made her recognize how deeply shame can affect confidence far beyond the bedroom. We talk about: • The anatomy of the clitoris — and how much of it you’ve probably never seen • Why calling everything “the vagina” is anatomically wrong • The myth of the vaginal-only orgasm • The massive double standard around male vs. female sexual health • Why the clitoris is still missing from some sex-ed conversations • Women feeling “broken” when their bodies are functioning completely normally • Medical procedures that can affect sexual function • How shame gets passed down culturally and generationally • Nina’s mission to get women — and doctors — talking about all of it This episode is educational, hilarious, mildly unhinged, and genuinely mind-blowing. If you’ve ever thought, “How the hell did no one teach us this?” — hit play. Subscribe to The Keri Croft Show on YouTube and follow along on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Keep moving, baby.

  5. Oct 1

    How Audrey Plant Built Winn Winn From Scratch

    Send us Fan Mail Audrey Plant has lived a few lives already. She was a Division I softball player at Ohio State, modeled in New York City, lived inside the NFL world, went through a divorce in her twenties, and eventually found herself asking a much bigger question: what do I actually want to build? That answer became Winn Winn. In this episode, Audrey and I get into the winding path that led her there, including the season after her divorce when she started developing many of the recipes she now serves to thousands of people. We talk about trusting your intuition, therapy, ambition, learning how to start over, and what happens when the life you pictured doesn’t exactly go according to plan. We also get into the real business of Winn Winn — starting with cottage baking and catering, building a brick-and-mortar café, working with her business partner Natalie, handling conflict, obsessing over the details, and figuring out how to grow a brand without automatically assuming “more locations” is the answer. And yes, we talk food. Filipino roots, dinner parties, homemade pasta, the Win Win cookies that are legitimately dangerous, and why Audrey believes supporting independent small businesses matters so much to the future of Columbus. This one is about food and entrepreneurship, but underneath all of it, it’s really about reinvention — and giving yourself enough time to see where life might take you next. Follow The Keri Croft Show on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen. And if you’re in Columbus: go get the damn cookie.

  6. Sep 24

    The Stylist Changing How Men Think About Toupees

    Send us Fan Mail Lindsay Cole has lived about nine lives in the last few years. She’s a hairstylist, entrepreneur, mom, and someone who has had to rebuild more than once — personally, professionally, and quite literally. Within a matter of weeks, Lindsay’s apartment was robbed and intentionally set on fire, she lost nearly everything she owned, and her dad unexpectedly passed away. She talks openly about what came after, including experiencing mania, going to a psychiatric hospital, depression, divorce, motherhood, and figuring out how to move forward when life looks nothing like it did before. What I love about Lindsay is that she doesn’t tell any of it from the other side pretending she has everything perfectly figured out. She’s incredibly candid about what happened, what she learned, and what rebuilding has actually looked like. And then there’s the business. After more than 20 years behind the chair, Lindsay has found a completely new lane she’s genuinely fired up about: helping men experiencing hair loss through modern hair systems. We get into the stigma around toupees, why so many men quietly struggle with losing their hair, what these systems actually look like now, and Lindsay’s vision for turning this into a much bigger piece of her business. Lindsay is funny, open, self-aware and completely willing to go there. Also, she brought a toupee to the studio, so obviously we went there too. Follow Lindsay: @hairbylindsaycole Subscribe to The Keri Croft Show on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.

  7. Sep 17

    What Psychedelics Can Unlock That Traditional Therapy Can’t

    Send us Fan Mail Psychedelics are everywhere right now—but what’s actually happening beneath the hype? Dr. Alan Davis has been studying psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted therapy for more than 15 years. As a clinical psychologist and researcher at The Ohio State University, his work sits right at the intersection of trauma, mental health, science, and some of the most talked-about treatments in medicine today. And this conversation goes way beyond “should people do mushrooms?” We talk about what psilocybin therapy actually looks like inside a clinical setting, why preparation matters, what happens when someone has a difficult experience, the research being done with veterans with PTSD, and where substances like MDMA, ketamine, and ibogaine fit into the conversation. Alan also gets incredibly personal. He shares his own experience with childhood trauma and PTSD, the psychedelic experience that allowed him to reconnect with his seven-year-old self, and how that healing ultimately changed his relationship with himself—and his marriage. We get into: • What psychedelic-assisted therapy actually looks like • Why “bad trips” can happen—and how clinicians handle them • The research around psilocybin and PTSD • Why these treatments are not a magic bullet • The risks of pursuing psychedelics without proper support • Ibogaine, MDMA, ketamine, and where they fit • Trauma, emotional intimacy, and relationships • Alan’s own powerful experience with his inner child • Why healing sometimes begins when your life finally becomes safe enough to feel This is one of those conversations that will make you rethink what healing can look like—and remind you that there is still a LOT we’re learning. Follow The Keri Croft Show on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen. And as always: keep moving, baby.

  8. Sep 10

    Building a Business While Letting Go with Lindsay Fork

    Send us Fan Mail Lindsay Fork pulled up to the studio fresh off dropping her oldest daughter at college… and within about 30 seconds, we were both trying not to cry. So naturally, we went there. We talk about the weird, beautiful heartbreak of watching your kids grow up, what happens to your identity when the role you’ve poured so much of yourself into starts changing, and why having a purpose that exists alongside motherhood matters more than we probably realize. Then we get into the other side of Lindsay’s life: building Luxe Redux into a 15-location bridal powerhouse with 150+ employees, learning how to actually operate like a CEO instead of touching every single thing herself, and the uncomfortable art of trusting your team enough to let go of the vine. We also cover sabbaticals, mom guilt, psychedelics, addiction and trauma, why taking time for yourself can somehow still feel selfish, bridal trends, teenage “vlogging,” Facebook moms coming for Lindsay in the comments, and possibly the greatest leadership tool ever invented: The No Drama Llama. This is one of those conversations that moves exactly like real life does—motherhood, business, identity, growth, ridiculousness, and everything in between. No polished talking points. No perfectly packaged lesson. Just two women chopping it up about where life has them right now. And honestly? Those are usually my favorite conversations. Keep moving, baby.

  9. Sep 3

    What Women’s Healthcare Is Missing | Amy & Jodi of Vibe Women's Health Collective

    Send us Fan Mail Women’s health is having a moment—but there are still some pretty massive gaps in what actually happens when a woman walks into a doctor’s office and says, “Something doesn’t feel right.” Enter Amy and Jodi, the women behind Vibe Women’s Health Collective. Their story started nearly two decades ago after Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer at 44. Physically, she recovered. Emotionally? Totally different story. Then she met Jodi, a physician assistant who actually saw the part of her that wasn’t showing up on a scan or a lab result—and the two of them basically fell in love.  Years later, that relationship became Vibe. We get into why medical care and mental health HAVE to talk to each other, the giant gap that exists after cancer treatment ends, health anxiety, menopause, perimenopause, HRT, sexual health, painful sex and why women deserve way more than a rushed 15-minute appointment. And because this is apparently where the conversation wanted to go, we also cover neck lifts, pickleball, husbands trying to understand menopause, whether men need their own support group and why women have got to stop apologizing for making money. This episode is funny, incredibly honest and also a pretty damn important conversation about what it looks like when women see a problem, stop waiting for someone else to fix it and build the thing themselves. Go check out Vibe Women’s Health Collective—and if you’re in Columbus, you’re going to want these women on your radar. Subscribe to The Keri Croft Show on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And as always, keep moving, baby.

  10. Aug 27

    From Netflix’s Love Is Blind to Entrepreneurship with Bri McNees

    Send us Fan Mail You can have the career, the independence, the confidence, the whole “I’ve got this” thing going for you… and still find yourself wondering what the hell you’re doing in dating, work, or life. That’s part of what I loved about this conversation with Bri McNees. Bri takes us behind the scenes of how a completely organic casting connection took her from corporate retail in Columbus, Ohio, to Love Is Blind — and why she’s built a life around being willing to say yes when the right door opens, even when it scares the shit out of her a little. And yes, we get into the stuff you actually want to know. Dating with the intention of finding a husband. What the Columbus dating scene is really like when you know what you want. Watching yourself back on reality television and realizing that, edit or not… yep, that’s still you. Bri also opens up about what really happened with Connor, why vague breakup explanations can send the internet into a full-blown spiral, and what their first major conflict taught her about whether a relationship can actually hold up when things get hard. But this conversation goes way beyond Love Is Blind. We talk about faith, anxiety, identity, becoming more comfortable with who you are, and that slightly terrifying adult realization that none of us — including our parents — actually have this whole life thing figured out. Then we get into Bri’s next chapter: leaving corporate America, content creation, and entrepreneurship. We talk TikTok, Instagram shopping, being selective about whose advice you take, Gary Vee, staying authentic while building a platform, and what it actually looks like to bet on yourself. And because apparently the episode needed one more character, we call Bri’s dad, G-Man, live on the show — and he casually drops some of the best advice of the entire conversation about rejection, naysayers, and the difference between talking about the dream and actually going after it. If you’re in a season of reinvention, starting over, dating differently, building something new, or standing in front of a door you’re a little scared to walk through, this one’s for you. Subscribe, send it to someone who needs a little push, and tell me: what’s the risk you know you’re ready to take next?

  11. Aug 14

    Little Legends Lemonade Ep 05: Why Better Treatments for Kids Can't Wait

    Send us Fan Mail Your child has a fever, you get told it’s probably nothing, and then one morning everything changes. John and Renee join us to tell the story of their son Will’s diagnosis with stage four Wilms tumor, a rare pediatric kidney cancer, and the brutal speed at which normal life turns into ultrasounds, surgery, pathology reports, chemo, and radiation when the cancer has spread to the lungs. Hearing Renee describe that first hospital visit and John describe the phone call that snapped his world in half is the kind of honesty that stays with you. We also get real about what people don’t see after the words “cancer free.” Remission still comes with scans, anxiety before checkups, and long-term side effects that can follow pediatric cancer survivors for years, from organ monitoring to secondary cancer risk. John shares how he shut down emotionally to keep the family moving, and we talk about how different grief styles can collide inside a marriage while you’re also raising a newborn and trying to keep life functioning. Then we zoom out to the bigger fight: pediatric cancer research funding and why groups like Cancer Free Kids matter. We connect the dots between better funding and better, less toxic treatments for kids, and we invite you to show up for the Lemonade Stand fundraiser on August 2 (11 to 1 at Tupelo Honey on Lane Avenue) to help push that work forward. If this conversation moves you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more families find it when they need it most. Donate directly to the Little Legends Lemonade stand here: https://cfk.donordrive.com/campaigns/Little-Legends-Lemonade Follow Keri: Instagram: @keripcroft The Keri Croft Show: @thekericroftshow Website: kericroft.com ⚡️ If this episode hits something in you, please share it with a friend. ⚡️ Subscribe to The Keri Croft Show on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. ⚡️ Leave a review if you’re feeling it. And until next time… Keep Moving, baby!

  12. Jul 30

    Little Legends Lemonade Ep 04: When a Mother's Instinct Changed Everything

    Send us Fan Mail A kid goes from running everywhere to barely being able to walk, and the first answers don’t point to cancer at all. That is the gut punch at the center of our conversation with Kim and her son, Max, as they walk us through the real timeline from “maybe it’s a sports injury” to a leukemia diagnosis and two and a half years of treatment. If you’ve ever felt dismissed by “normal” tests while your instincts say something is wrong, you’ll hear exactly why persistence matters and how fast life can change for a family facing pediatric cancer. We get specific about what treatment looked like: intense pain, bone damage, spinal taps, anesthesia choices, and the brutal personality shifts that can come with steroids. Max shares the kid view with surprising wisdom, including how he handled fear and why recording a quick video after a procedure helped his future self stay calm. We also talk about school dynamics, what it feels like when someone says something cruel, and the small acts of protection and friendship that can make a hospital season less isolating. Then we turn that hard-earned perspective into action. We’re inviting you to Little Legends Lemonade at Tupelo Honey on Lane Avenue on August 2nd from 11 to 1 to raise money for Cancer Free Kids, because research funding is how we get more effective and gentler treatments for children with cancer. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people show up for families who need it. Donate directly to the Little Legends Lemonade stand here: https://cfk.donordrive.com/campaigns/Little-Legends-Lemonade Follow Keri: Instagram: @keripcroft The Keri Croft Show: @thekericroftshow Website: kericroft.com ⚡️ If this episode hits something in you, please share it with a friend. ⚡️ Subscribe to The Keri Croft Show on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. ⚡️ Leave a review if you’re feeling it. And until next time… Keep Moving, baby!

  13. Jul 29

    Little Legends Lemonade Ep 03: How Small Donations Can Fuel Major Cancer Breakthroughs

    Send us Fan Mail Pediatric cancer is a gut punch most people can’t look at for long, and that discomfort has a cost. We sit down with Dr Dean Lee, Professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University and Nationwide Children’s Hospital, to talk about why kids’ cancer research is still massively underfunded and why community-driven giving is not a feel-good extra. It’s often the only way the next breakthrough gets its first chance. We unpack the hard truth behind the pediatric cancer funding gap: fewer patients means fewer commercial incentives, and “trickle-down” solutions from adult oncology don’t always fit the diseases kids actually face. Dean explains why childhood cancer can be oddly invisible day to day, even though it remains a leading cause of death in children outside of accidents, and why foundations like Cancer Free Kids step in to fund the science that government grants won’t touch early on. Then we get into hope with specifics. Dean walks us through what’s changing in cancer immunotherapy and cellular therapy, including why CAR T cell therapy was a game-changer in leukemias and lymphomas and why solid tumors have been so much harder. We also talk about what pilot grants really do, how a $50,000 award can create the preliminary data needed for major funding, and a real example involving CRISPR and natural killer cell research that grew into a much bigger research platform. Join us for the third annual Little Legends Lemonade: 🍋 Sunday, August 2 🍋 11:00 AM–1:00 PM 🍋 Tupelo Honey on Lane Avenue 🍋 Goal: Raise $5,000 for CancerFreeKIDS Donate, host a satellite stand, stop by for lemonade, or simply help us spread the word. Every dollar helps put resources into the hands of brilliant people working to give kids their entire lives back. Donate directly to the Little Legends Lemonade stand here: https://cfk.donordrive.com/campaigns/Little-Legends-Lemonade Follow Keri: Instagram: @keripcroft The Keri Croft Show: @thekericroftshow Website: kericroft.com ⚡️ If this episode hits something in you, please share it with a friend. ⚡️ Subscribe to The Keri Croft Show on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. ⚡️ Leave a review if you’re feeling it. And until next time… Keep Moving, baby!

  14. Jul 28

    Little Legends Lemonade Ep 02: Why Childhood Cancer Research Needs Us

    Send us Fan Mail Only 8% of cancer research funding goes to pediatric cancer and that single number explains a lot about why families still face limited options, harsher treatments, and too much uncertainty. I’m joined by Drew Dollmatsch, managing director for the Columbus market at CancerFree KIDS, to break down what that funding gap looks like on the ground and why the earliest stage of research is where progress either starts or stops. When a scientist has a smart idea but no proof of concept yet, traditional funding often won’t touch it. Cancer Free Kids exists to change that.  We talk about how CancerFree KIDS supports research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and why investing in top pediatric oncology centers can ripple far beyond Ohio. Drew shares how their grants help lay the groundwork for advances in gene therapy and immunology, even when it’s hard to draw a neat line from one grant to one new treatment. The point is leverage: early funding turns “maybe” into “next,” moving promising ideas toward larger government or industry backing and, ultimately, better care for kids.  Then we get practical with two ways to join the mission. Little Legends Lemonade hits Tupelo Honey on Lane Avenue August 2 from 11 to 1, with giveaways, big energy, and a goal to raise $5,000 in just two hours. And the 100 Mile Challenge in September for Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month invites anyone to raise $100 and complete 100 miles of any activity, tracked through an app that converts movement into mileage. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review if you want more conversations that turn community action into real medical progress. Donate directly to the Little Legends Lemonade stand here: https://cfk.donordrive.com/campaigns/Little-Legends-Lemonade Follow Keri: Instagram: @keripcroft The Keri Croft Show: @thekericroftshow Website: kericroft.com ⚡️ If this episode hits something in you, please share it with a friend. ⚡️ Subscribe to The Keri Croft Show on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. ⚡️ Leave a review if you’re feeling it. And until next time… Keep Moving, baby!

  15. Jul 26

    Little Legends Lemonade Ep 01: How One Mom Sparked a Movement for Kids With Cancer

    Send us Fan Mail It's that time of year again, ya'll. The Little Legends Lemonade stand is back and better than ever, baby! For the third year, The Keri Croft show & Little Legends Lemonade are teaming up to bring kids, families, local businesses, and our entire community together to raise money for a great cause. This year, it's CancerFreeKIDS and  our goal is a big one: raise $5,000 in two hours to help fund the early-stage pediatric cancer research that can become tomorrow’s life-saving treatments. Leading up to the event, The Keri Croft Show is releasing a special five-part series exploring the impact CancerFreeKIDS is having on pediatric cancer research, how new treatments actually make their way from an idea in a lab to a child’s bedside, and why this work should matter to every single one of us. In this first episode, Keri sits down with Ellen Flannery, founder of CancerFreeKIDS, and Dr. Timothy Cripe, Chief of the Division of Hematology, Oncology & Blood and Marrow Transplant at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Ellen shares the deeply personal story that led her to create CancerFreeKIDS after her infant daughter’s cancer diagnosis. Dr. Cripe breaks down, in terms anyone can understand, why early-stage research is so critical, how groundbreaking ideas become real treatments, and what becomes possible when researchers receive the funding needed to take a chance on something new. Childhood cancer remains the leading cause of disease-related death for children in the United States, yet pediatric cancer research receives only a fraction of the funding it needs. This conversation explains the gap, the progress being made, and the very real role our community can play in moving that progress forward. 🍋 Join Us for Little Legends Lemonade Sunday, August 2 11:00 AM–1:00 PM Tupelo Honey on Lane Avenue | Columbus, Ohio Bring your family, grab a lemonade, enter to win giveaways from incredible local businesses, and help us raise $5,000 in two hours for CancerFreeKIDS. Can’t make it but still want to contribute? Donate directly to the Little Legends Lemonade stand here: https://cfk.donordrive.com/campaigns/Little-Legends-Lemonade Follow Keri: Instagram: @keripcroft The Keri Croft Show: @thekericroftshow Website: kericroft.com ⚡️ If this episode hits something in you, please share it with a friend. ⚡️ Subscribe to The Keri Croft Show on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. ⚡️ Leave a review if you’re feeling it. And until next time… Keep Moving, baby!

  16. Jul 2

    Donatos CEO Kevin King on Leading With Heart.

    Send us Fan Mail Kevin King is the CEO of Donatos, but the first thing you should probably know about him is that he really loves his wife. Leslie has challenged him, sharpened him, expanded his taste in music, and spent more than three decades helping him become the person and leader he is today. So naturally, Keri calls her in the middle of the interview. What follows is a very human conversation about marriage, parenting, family, leadership, and running one of Columbus’s most recognizable brands. Kevin explains how he taught his daughter to handle a bully, why he wants his adult children to have relationships with him that do not depend on their mother, and what he has learned about staying calm enough to solve the actual problem. That same approach shapes the way he leads Donatos through changing customer expectations, third-party delivery, automation, and AI. Kevin is not interested in using technology to remove people from hospitality. He wants to use it to eliminate the work people hate so they can spend more time taking care of customers. This is a conversation about pizza, people, marriage, consistency, and why a good leader sometimes has to make sure everyone can see his heart.

  17. Jun 25

    Business, Motherhood, and Getting Your Pink Back with Meleka Jolliff, Founder of MMJ Events and Aiden & Grace.

    Send us Fan Mail I sat down with Meleka Jolliff, one of the seven incredible women who helped bring our very first IRL experience to life. Meleka was not only a generous sponsor, but she and her team played such a huge role in making the entire space feel beautiful, thoughtful, and intentional. So before anything else, a massive thank you to this woman. As the founder of MMJ Events and Aiden & Grace, and co-owner of Skyflower, Meleka has built her businesses around the thing she does so naturally: making people feel cared for through the details. She has an incredible eye, a creative brain, and the kind of work ethic that quietly holds a lot together. In this episode, we talk about business, team culture, word-of-mouth growth, high-pressure event seasons, motherhood, marriage, and the honest reality of building a life that actually feels like yours. Meleka shares how she’s built a team that cares deeply, why the little details are often the thing people remember most, and what it means to keep going through the messy middle of entrepreneurship, family, and identity. We also get into starting over with a third baby later in life, the idea that “you’ll get your pink back,” and why women need people around them who actually understand the weight of what they’re carrying. This episode is full of wisdom from a woman who knows how to build beautiful things — in business, in motherhood, and in community. Subscribe on YouTube and follow along on Instagram for more conversations with badass women building businesses, families, and lives on their own terms.

  18. Jun 18

    Kelsey Lensman on Faith, Fear, and Expanding Your Limits.

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I sit down with Kelsey Lensman for a conversation about faith, fear, identity, trauma, and what happens when life forces you to stop white-knuckling the wheel. Kelsey shares the moments that cracked her open and rebuilt her from the inside out: walking away from an eight-year relationship, questioning the version of faith she grew up with, surviving a violent highway crash on I-270, and choosing not to let fear become the driver of her life. We talk about the shift from athlete identity to real-world purpose, the difference between checking the “church box” and building an actual relationship with God, and why physical challenges have become one of Kelsey’s greatest tools for mental strength. From Ohio State rowing to Mission 48 — where she completed 48 competitions in 48 states in 48 days for charity — Kelsey’s story is one big reminder that strength is built in the moments you’d rather avoid. This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt stuck, scared, over-controlling, spiritually disconnected, or quietly aware that they’re being called into something bigger. Follow Kelsey: Instagram: @kelseylensman Expand Your Limits: @xpandyourlimits ⚡️If this episode hit something in you please share it with a friend  ⚡️Subscribe to The Keri Croft Show on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts ⚡️Please leave a review if you’re feeling it. And until next time...Keep Moving, baby!

  19. Jun 12

    BONUS Episode! Joe DeLoss on Ego, Service, and Modern Masculinity

    Send us Fan Mail After we wrapped my conversation with Joe DeLoss, we kept talking. What started as a conversation about marriage turned into something much bigger: masculinity, ego, service, leadership, and why so many men seem to be struggling to find their footing right now. Joe shares his perspective on the version of masculinity that's being celebrated online, why he thinks it's missing the mark, and what he's learned through building businesses, navigating marriage, raising daughters, and doing the ongoing work of understanding himself. We talk about strength, vulnerability, accountability, and the difference between chasing trophies and becoming the kind of person your family, community, and relationships can actually count on. It's a short conversation, but one that felt too important to leave on the cutting room floor. If you enjoyed my full conversation with Joe, consider this the bonus chapter.

  20. Jun 11

    The Founder Who Sold His Hot Chicken Restaurant and Walked Into the Woods with Joe DeLoss

    Send us Fan Mail Joe DeLoss is best known as the founder of Hot Chicken Takeover, one of Columbus’s most recognizable restaurant stories. But this conversation is not really about chicken. Joe talks with Keri about the rise of Hot Chicken Takeover, the ego that came with it, the people impacted by his leadership, and the personal reckoning that followed. He is honest about marriage, fatherhood, masculinity, ambition, and the uncomfortable reality that success does not automatically make you whole. Now, Joe lives in Mount Vernon and is building Baker Road, a hospitality and retreat concept rooted in nature, adventure, discomfort, and real human connection. Think less corporate retreat, more walking into the woods and remembering you are still a person. This conversation moves from Columbus entrepreneurship to 100-mile runs, natural burials, leadership, vultures, marriage, and what the next chapter of Joe’s work looks like. At its heart, this conversation is about what happens when success forces you to face yourself. Joe’s story is a reminder that growth isn't always glamorous. Sometimes, the real work begins after the big win, when you have to decide who you want to become next.

  21. Jun 4

    How to Build a Bigger Life Without Shrinking Yourself with Elizabeth McCormick

    Send us Fan Mail Elizabeth Blount McCormick doesn't think women should play small. As CEO of Uniglobe Travel Designers, she helped navigate one of the most challenging periods in modern business history when COVID brought the travel industry to a standstill. Today, she's leading a nationally recognized company, setting audacious growth goals, and challenging conventional thinking about leadership, ambition, and success. We talk about building through uncertainty, why women need to get more comfortable talking about money, the importance of finding the right rooms and communities, and what it means to be the first Black woman to join YPO Columbus. We also get into entrepreneurship, mental athleticism, self-care, motherhood, identity, and the mindset shifts that help people keep moving when things get hard. If you've ever felt stuck, underestimated, or like you're playing smaller than you're capable of, this one's for you.

  22. May 28

    Why Most Entrepreneurs Never Actually Start with Nick Braun

    Send us Fan Mail Most people talk about ideas. Very few actually write the check and start. Nick Braun went from building a pet insurance comparison company to scaling a water filtration business doing millions in revenue. But this conversation is really about risk, timing, relationships, and why entrepreneurship in the Midwest looks different than Silicon Valley. We talk about building businesses in Columbus, raising four kids, moving to San Diego, selling to Petco, funding local entrepreneurs, and why community matters more than people think. Also: Brandon Road lore, Upper Arlington real estate, and a very real debate about what should replace Bed Bath & Beyond.

  23. May 20

    Shark Tank, Building Brave & Redefining Success with Megan Pando

    Send us Fan Mail Sixty seconds of total silence doesn’t sound that long… until you’re standing on a Persian rug making eye contact with some of the most famous investors in America. This week, Megan Pando joins me to talk about what Shark Tank actually feels like from the inside — the nerves, the pressure, the mindset shifts, and what happened after the cameras stopped rolling. But this episode goes way deeper than TV. We talk about: ✨ Building Makers Social through uncertainty, failed deals, and brutal “in-between” seasons ✨ Getting ghosted in business and the stories we create when people don’t close the loop ✨ Why scaling fast isn’t always the goal ✨ Franchising vs. corporate growth and protecting culture while growing ✨ Being a single mom entrepreneur ✨ Handling criticism without losing yourself ✨ Grief, emo music, bravery, freedom, and redefining success on your own terms This conversation is honest, funny, emotional, and probably way too relatable if you’ve ever questioned yourself while building something big. And maybe the biggest takeaway? Trying new things while you’re bad at them might actually be the whole point. 👇 Drop a comment: What does success look like for you right now? If this episode hit home: ✔️ Subscribe to The Keri Croft Show ✔️ Send this to a friend chasing something scary ✔️ Leave a review — it helps us grow and keeps these conversations going And Keep Moving, Baby!

  24. May 14

    Community Over Competition: Motherhood, Mental Health & Movement Haven with Libby Welch.

    Send us Fan Mail Hello, my friend, hello... This week, Libby Welch joins me for a conversation that starts with wedding songs, curly hair, and dance moms… and somehow lands in grief, postpartum anxiety, mental health, identity, and building a business that actually gives a damn about people. Libby opens up about losing her dad after years of overwork and an undiagnosed mental health condition, and how that experience changed the way she sees herself, motherhood, and emotional wellness. We talk honestly about postpartum anxiety symptoms that often get missed — the control, overstimulation, rigid routines, unexplained weight loss, the feeling that something is just… off. Not the cute Instagram version of motherhood. The real one. We also get into: postpartum mental health + asking for helpgrief and generational patternsconfidence, curls, and self-imagebuilding Movement Haven in Dublin, Ohio“community over competition” in youth danceraising emotionally healthy kidsskincare, hydration, intermittent fasting, and random life tangents because obviouslyLibby shares the mission behind Movement Haven and why she believes in “human first, artist second” — a philosophy that feels refreshing as hell in a hyper-competitive world. If you’ve ever struggled with anxiety, grief, identity, motherhood, or trying to build a life that actually aligns with your values… this episode will hit home. And if you came for Neil Diamond and stayed for emotional healing? Honestly, same. 🎧 Subscribe, leave a review, and send this to a mom, friend, or fellow overthinker who needs to hear it. #PostpartumAnxiety #MentalHealth #Motherhood #Grief #WomenInBusiness #DanceStudio #DublinOhio #Podcast #AnxietySupport #MentalHealthAwareness #TheKeriCroftShow

  25. May 11

    You'll Support Women...Until They Make You Uncomfortable. (We Can Do So Much Better.)

    Send us Fan Mail The internet loves to scream “women supporting women”… right up until a woman makes a choice they wouldn’t make themselves. This episode starts with the backlash around Lisa Oxenham’s British Vogue essay about becoming a mom at 49—and spirals into a much bigger conversation about judgment, fertility, grief, motherhood, ambition, and why women can be brutal to each other when something feels unfamiliar, audacious, or uncomfortable. We talk about the comment sections that turn into courtrooms. The silent competition. The projection. The “I support women… but not like THAT” energy. I also share how infertility and loss completely changed the way I look at people’s choices. Because once life humbles you enough, you stop assuming you know what someone else should be doing with their body, timeline, career, or family. We also get into Emma Grede’s comments about women in power, why society says it wants powerful women but struggles when women actually take up space, and what I’ve learned becoming an older mom—aka you finally realize not every tiny thing deserves a full psychological investigation. And we end with this: Can you actually name the thing that makes you you? Your edge. Your essence. Your fingerprint-level badassery. This one is honest, spicy, emotional, funny, and probably a little uncomfortable at times—which usually means it’s worth having. If it hits, send it to a friend, leave a review, and come hang with us on YouTube.