Season 5 of the Badass Women in Business podcast opens with a grounded, honest conversation about what it really takes to build a business that lasts. Maria Onesto Moran, founder and CEO of Green Home Experts, shares her journey from launching a green retail concept just before the Great Recession to leading a WBE-certified energy efficiency logistics company serving utilities across the Midwest. This episode is about mindfulness, trusting your gut, learning through failure, and building a values-driven company that supports real life, not just growth on paper.

Two friends from Wisconsin turned their love of local food and fermentation into a growing beverage brand that celebrates inclusion and community. Siren Shrub, founded by Mindy McCord and Layne Cozzolino, crafts vinegar-based drinks that offer sophistication and flexibility for drinkers and non-drinkers alike.