I did the thing I thought I’d never do: appear on a live podcast!
On August 20, 2026, my husband, Travis, and I had the honor and pleasure of appearing as live guests on YouTube, Common Ground with Tom & Bob.
When we were first invited to be on the show, my immediate reaction may have been, “Uh, no!”
I’m a self-proclaimed introvert who prefers being behind the scenes or connecting with people in more intimate settings. One-on-one, I can comfortably connect with almost anyone. A live YouTube interview, however, is definitely not my natural habitat.
The invitation came suddenly with a short window to decide. Before I officially made up my mind, a flyer announcing both of us as guests had already been posted on social media.
And that was that.
Of course, the final minutes before going live brought a little extra excitement. The internet connection was unreliable in the room we planned to use, so Travis and I found ourselves dashing across the house to the den and sliding into position at the very last moment.
And…action!
Thankfully, Tom and Bob immediately made us feel welcome, and for my first live YouTube podcast, I couldn’t have been in better hands. What began with a few nerves quickly became a relaxed, thoughtful, and genuinely enjoyable conversation.
The show gave us an opportunity to share the stories behind ZenStream Botanicals and Bearded Buddha Grooming Co. – how the brands came to be, what it’s like working together as a married couple, and our thoughts on marriage, brand building, and life.
Our story really began in 2017, when Travis and I watched a documentary that, without our realizing it at the time, would significantly change our lives.
Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things opened the door to mindfulness, learning to be present, and living more intentionally. Minimalism can be applied to almost any area of life. For us, it began with taking inventory of our possessions, but the documentary also inspired us to think more deeply about how we lived, what (and who) deserved our attention, financial decluttering and how we responded to the world around us.
There was a true domino effect between watching that single documentary and building the two brands we have today.
For ZenStream Botanicals, I spoke about creating botanical skincare and aromatherapy products that invite people to slow down and make room for themselves. The brand is rooted in the belief that everyday care can be more than a routine. It can become a small, intentional ritual where we can truly be present with ourselves.
We believe self-care is not selfish, it’s essential. Many of us often give so much of ourselves to those around us that we forget to make space for ourselves, too. That is at the heart of ZenStream’s philosophy: The Space Is Yours.
Travis shared the heart behind Bearded Buddha Grooming Co., a men’s grooming brand built around quality beard care, authenticity, kindness, and community.
Together, we offered a genuine glimpse into what it’s like for us, as a married couple, to develop two brands side by side, including how we navigate differences of opinion and some of the realities of building small businesses from the ground up.
Although I’m not of the bearded variety 😊, many in the beard community have embraced and encouraged me in this journey, and for that I am especially grateful. Tom and Bob made me feel immediately at home, and their warmth made the evening even more meaningful. The experience was another reminder of the unexpected rewards that can come from stepping outside your comfort zone.
Thank you to Tom and Bob for inviting us onto Common Ground and giving us the space to share our journey. It was an honor to introduce more people to ZenStream Botanicals and Bearded Buddha Grooming Co. and to spend an evening talking about intentional living, creativity, entrepreneurship, community, and the stories behind our brands.
