Finding Friends

Season 3 is here, and we’re kicking it off with a story we’ll be talking about for a long time.In this episode, we recap our trip to SXSW in Austin, where we were invited to the screening of Self Custody by producer Royal Malloy. We’re sharing the full experience — from travel mishaps and red carpet nerves to celebrity interviews, unforgettable conversations, Adrian Grenier’s house party, and our thoughts on the film itself.Along the way, we met Garrett Patton, Henry Cejudo, Sean “Poopies” McInerney, Michael Monk, Thomas Malloy, and Ema Redden, and came home with stories we couldn’t wait to tell.It’s a fun, behind-the-scenes look at an experience that took us far outside Kentucky — while somehow feeling exactly like us.

This week on Finding Friends, we’re joined by Kentucky theatre artist, filmmaker, and arts educator Taylor Greatbatch—aka “Great Batch of Cookies.” From Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts to New York City stages and big creative dreams, Taylor shares the stories behind the sparkle: culture shock, learning to stop being “too nice,” building community, and navigating mental health with honesty (and humor).Expect laugh-out-loud moments, real talk, and the kind of energy that makes you want to put on a wig and book a karaoke room immediately.Highlights: • The “Great Batch of Cookies” origin story 🍪 • Kentucky vs NYC: what the city teaches you fast • Being unapologetically yourself (even when it’s messy) • Mental health + movement as medicine • Rapid fire fun: bourbon vs tequila + Grinch impression • Tokyo Kitty karaoke dreams 🎤If you loved this episode, share it with a friend who needs a laugh and a little hope.

This week on Finding Friends, we’re joined by Dustin Busler, Assistant Principal at Great Crossing High School in Georgetown, Kentucky—aka “The Bus.” 🚍We talk about the reality of school leadership today, including how Kentucky’s restrictions on phones during instructional time have changed focus, attendance, and hallway behavior. Dustin shares the creative solutions Great Crossing uses in classrooms—and why it’s made a noticeable difference for students and teachers.We also dive into Great Crossing’s career pathways—from welding and 3D printing to CAD drafting, family & consumer science, and medical assisting—and how students can graduate with valuable skills, certifications, and a head start whether they choose college or the trades.Plus, Dustin shares a school story that proves educators could write a sitcom and never run out of material.

This week, Christina and Catie are joined by Crystal Booth, founder and CEO of Fizz Facial Bar, for a fun, honest convo about building a modern skincare brand that makes facials feel easy, approachable, and consistent—not intimidating or “only for special occasions.”Crystal shares how she adapted the facial bar concept (think: “a facial in a New York minute”) into something more accessible, why time and money are the biggest barriers to skincare, and what it takes to scale a service-based business to 10 locations across TN, KY, MO, AR, and TX—plus launching a skincare line and opening Louisville in a packed July.We also talk bridal skin prep, how often you should actually book facials, why every appointment should be customized to “the face in front of you,” and how TikTok has helped amplify Appalachian women and entrepreneurs.Links + mentions: Follow/Find Crystal + Fizz:• Fizz Facial Bar: https://www.fizzfacialbar.com/• Crystal on TikTok/IG: @missfizz_Follow Finding Friends:•TikTok: @findingfriendspodcastNot medical advice—just friends chatting skincare + entrepreneurship.

On this week’s episode of Finding Friends, host Christina Lee and co-host Catie Wilkes sit down with the enigmatic, masked artist behind J-Blood Art — a tattooer who paints with his own blood.J shares how his blood paintings started as curious experiments, why he keeps such clear boundaries around his personal life, and what it means to create art that might only be fully understood long after he’s gone. He talks about leaving his old career as a corrections officer, becoming a full-time tattoo artist, and building a private studio experience that focuses on safety, psychology, and true bedside manner.We dive into his book Ramblings of a Madman, which pairs his paintings with raw journal entries, the science and experimentation behind preserving blood on canvas, and how people project fear, “satanic” labels, and their own beliefs onto his work. J also opens up about fatherhood, legacy, and the kind of love and loyalty he wants his daughter to recognize and expect.In this episode you’ll hear:How J-Blood Art began painting with his own bloodWhy he wears a mask and separates the persona from the personThe ethics, safety, and psychology behind his tattoo studioHow scent, ritual, and a signature cocktail shape the client experienceThe story and structure of Ramblings of a MadmanHow BookTok discovered him (and what they sometimes get wrong)His definition of real friendship, understanding, and legacyContent note: This episode includes discussion of blood, medical topics, and tattoos (no graphic descriptions).Hosted by: Christina Lee & Catie Wilkes Podcast: Finding FriendsConnect with J-Blood Art🔗 TikTok: @jbloodart  🔗 Instagram: @jbloodart 🔗 Book: Ramblings of a Madman – linked in his bio

What happens when a hospitality lifer, a Golden Girls–themed mobile bar, and a fully manifested vision of “feminine, floral Kentucky” collide? You get The House of Marigold. 🌸✨In this week’s episode of Finding Friends, Christina and Catie sit down with Adrienne Cole — founder and CEO of The House of Marigold Catering and Marigold Mobile Bar Company — to talk about how she built one of Louisville’s most beloved brunch destinations and a fast-growing catering and events brand.Adrienne shares how a tiny corporate café downtown turned into a full hospitality company, how she and her chef-husband Chris teamed up to build the culinary side of the business, and how a scrappy Golden Girls mobile bar (Rose, Sophia, Dorothy…and Coco the ice cream tricycle!) helped her step into entrepreneurship with zero safety net and a whole lot of heart.We also go deep into the why behind House of Marigold: a bright, feminine, floral space that feels like your best friend’s beach house dropped into Louisville — a place where women feel seen, welcome, and celebrated in a city known worldwide for bourbon.In this episode, we chat about:How Adrienne turned a small downtown café into a full catering company and, eventually, The House of MarigoldThe origin story of the Golden Girls mobile bars and Coco the ice cream trikeDesigning a restaurant that feels like “the other side of Kentucky” — pink, floral, prosecco-forward, and ultra-intentionalWorking with her husband Chris, culinary director of the business, to bring her “culinary dreams” to lifeBecoming the sole caterer for the Speed Art Museum and what “luxury events” really look like behind the scenesLeadership, staff culture, and why she prioritizes her team’s mental health and work–life balance over the bottom lineRaising three teens while building a brand and what she’s seeing in the next generationBeing a Black woman founder in Louisville, representation, and why she wants Marigold to be a household name — from restaurants and catering to home goods, boutiques, and maybe even a TV showThe upcoming NuLu location (hello greenhouse bar and DJ booth!) and the dream of one day landing in Norton CommonsIf you love brunch, beautiful spaces, big dreams, and honest talk about what it really takes to build something from the ground up, this episode will light you up.✨ Connect with us: Follow Finding Friends for more conversations with Kentucky creatives, entrepreneurs, and women building beautiful things in the Bluegrass.Connect with the House of Marigold and Adrienne: https://www.thehouseofmarigold.com/[email protected]

In this episode of Finding Friends, we sit down with the absolutely iconic Katie Ann Combs – creator of the viral “Listen, Honey” persona and host of the Listen, Honey podcast.Katie opens up about: • Growing up in Eastern Kentucky and meeting her husband Dylan at a 13-week Pentecostal revival • Getting married at 16 and how church culture shaped that decision • The deep influence of her Southern granny, the grief of losing her, and having a nervous breakdown that led to closing her small business • Her unexpected pregnancy after her granny’s passing and how becoming a mom to Lucy helped pull her out of the darkest season • Postpartum anxiety, mom guilt, and the pressure of wanting to be a good role model for a daughter • Starting TikTok with pregnancy and day-in-the-life vlogs, nearly quitting when views tanked, and then watching a weeks-old story-time video suddenly explode • Leaning into story times, gossip, and “rants and rambles,” and how Listen, Honey became a safe, hilarious space for southern girls, mamas, and small-town hearts • Her love for Kentucky creatives (Brandis, Crystal, Nicholas Jamerson, The Creekers, Joshua Sloan & more) and why she’s so passionate about lifting up local talent • Boundaries with sharing her daughter online, anxiety in crowds, and learning to accept helpThis two-hour conversation feels like sitting at the kitchen table with your funniest cousin – talking about faith, family, fried chicken, skyline chili, pageants, podcasts, and the wild ride of becoming “internet known” while still doing Kroger runs at 6 a.m.Connect with Katie Ann: TikTok: @lifeofkatieann Instagram: @lifeofkatieann Podcast: Listen, Honey (YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.)Connect with us: • TikTok: @findingfriendspodcast • YouTube: @findingfriendspodcast🎧 Listen to more episodes of Finding Friends on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube & everywhere you get your podcasts.Thanks for listening, honey. If this episode made you laugh, cry, or feel a little less alone, share it with a friend who loves a good front-porch-style chat. 🧡

Makeup artist and media founder Claudia Fiorello joins us to talk confidence, red-hair branding, viral Walgreens origins, and growing local businesses on social media. She also teases her Fiorello Beauty holiday lipstick line, and gives hard-won brow & skincare advice.Guest: Claudia Fiorello — Founder, Fiorello Media; Professional Makeup Artist Find Claudia: Facebook/Instagram/TikTok: Claudia Lorraine Fiorello Nominate a guest: https://findingfriendspodcast.com/pages/nominateTopics: • Building a signature look (“Fireball” red) • Derby hat dye drama (and surviving rain) • From Walgreens beauty consultant to viral TikToks → client work • Content that creates comments (and why debate helps growth) • Fiorello Beauty holiday red lip kits (Black Friday) • Lip liners that don’t feather, stain vs. lipstick, photo-proof reds • Favorite wipes (purple Walgreens), microblading wins & fails • Brow rec: Sage Beauty Aesthetics (Louisville/Middletown) • First jobs & the “Finding Friends” origin story • Rapid fire + dream collab with AlaniCredits Hosts: Christina Lee & Catie Wilkes • Prod: Kentucky Podcast Studio

Season 2 is HERE and we’re breaking in our new Georgetown, Kentucky studio with the perfect guest: Kentucky’s first professional headshot specialist and award-winning portrait & boudoir photographer, Ben Marcum.In classic Finding Friends style, this episode is equal parts unhinged, thoughtful, and wildly encouraging.We talk about:• How Ben went from teen theater sound designer to in-demand photographer• The difference between creepy and compassionate when it comes to boudoir• Why clients book: divorce, milestones, mastectomies, self-love, art• Honoring privacy, consent, safety and storytelling in intimate portraiture• His kilt “brand,” theater kid roots, punk rock and pro wrestling fandom• Pet portraits, dog training, and Cedric the husky’s glow-up• The infamous golden shower festival moment 👀• Rapid fire: dream cabin, legendary mashed potatoes, one-spice-for-life (nutmeg!)CONNECT WITH BEN:Headshots: https://benmarcum.com/Boudoir: https://boudoirbybenmarcum.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BenMarcumPhotographyInstagram (Headshots): https://www.instagram.com/benmarcumphotoInstagram (Boudoir): https://www.instagram.com/boudoirbybenmarcum/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BenMarcumPhotography/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-marcum/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@benmarcumABOUT FINDING FRIENDS PODCAST:Finding Friends is where Kentucky finds its people. Recorded in our studio in Georgetown, KY, we highlight the creatives, small business owners, pageant people, neighbors, and “how are you real?” humans who make the Bluegrass feel like home.New episodes every Tuesday on YouTube and wherever you listen to podcasts.Content: This episode includes adult humor and boudoir conversation. Marked Explicit.

Louisville stylist, fashion designer, and film/TV costume designer Andre Wilson joins Christina & Catie to unpack style psychology—why clothes aren’t the problem, how your closet patterns reveal your story, and practical ways to dress for confidence. We talk color choices, film-set continuity, Kentucky culture, pocket squares, and why most of us wear only 10–20% of our wardrobe.Subscribe on Apple & Spotify, rate/review to help other Kentuckians find the show, and share this episode with a friend who’s rebuilding their wardrobe.Want to sponsor? Email: [email protected] Wilson, Style Icon, fashion psychology, Louisville stylist, Kentucky podcast, costume designer, closet edit, wardrobe stylist, personal style, color theory, Derby hats, Woodford Reserve, Angels Envy, Old Fashioned, confidence, self talk, film continuity, Kentucky style, Christina Lee, Finding Friends Podcast

We taste Kentucky Hop Water’s two beverages with founder Michael Moeller and unpack Kentucky’s hemp roots, the NA beverage boom, and how 2025 KY laws affect THC drinks—plus the real story of scaling a beverage brand locally.Guest LinksKentucky Hop Water: kentuckyhopwater.com (locator + DTC)Socials: @KentuckyHopWater | Personal: @michaeldmoellerHost LinksEmail: [email protected]: @findingfriendspodcast | @directorchristinaleeDisclaimer: For 21+. Know your local laws. This is not legal/medical advice.

Christina and Catie chat with Jen Hartmann, founder of Pitch Please—the app that helps creators find the right decision-maker and pitch in seconds. Jen shares how a viral Louisville TikTok drew 400+ creators, the messy truth of launching an MVP, and tactics that turn pitches into paid partnerships—like open-rate analytics to nail your follow-ups. Plus what’s next: local brand discovery, an AI inbox assistant, and an enterprise version for talent managers.Try Pitch Please (7-day free) on iOS and Google Play Follow Pitch Please: Tiktok: @pitch.please.app Instagram: @pitchpleaseapp Sponsor / Be a guest: [email protected] Follow Finding Friends: Tiktok: @FindingFriendsPodcast @DirectorChristinaLee YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FindingFriendsPodcast

In this engaging conversation, the Christina, Catie, and guest, "RZ" reflect on their experiences at the Louder Than Life music festival, discussing everything from crowd surfing and VIP perks to memorable performances and the sense of community among festival-goers. They share insights on safety in mosh pits, the importance of food options, and the role of social media in connecting with others. The conversation highlights personal growth and the joy of shared musical experiences, making it a heartfelt exploration of the festival culture. In this engaging conversation, the speakers share their personal journeys, including military experiences and life changes. They delve into their festival experiences, discussing layout challenges, camping conditions, and VIP expectations. The conversation also touches on essential items for festival-goers and memorable encounters with celebrities, highlighting the shared love for music and community.Chapters00:00 Crowd Surfing Adventures02:32 Festival Highlights and Experiences05:29 VIP Experiences and Food Delights08:10 Mosh Pits and Crowd Dynamics11:09 Upcoming Festivals and Headliners14:11 The Thrill of Crowd Surfing17:07 Safety and Etiquette in the Crowd19:33 The Power of Social Media in Music Culture21:05 Community Building Through Shared Experiences24:00 Event Logistics and Challenges25:51 Personal Connections and Impactful Moments29:48 Festival Layout and Experience37:43 VIP Experience and Expectations41:00 VIP Experiences and Crowd Dynamics47:04 Festival Non-Negotiables and Personal Insights53:50 Unexpected Encounters and Networking at Festivals

Catie and Christina provide a comprehensive guide to attending the Louder Than Life festival, sharing essential tips on what to bring, how to prepare, and how to make the most of the experience. They discuss everything from comfortable footwear and hydration to crowd safety and festival logistics, ensuring listeners are well-prepared for the event.TakeawaysBring comfortable shoes for walking long distances.Stay hydrated with refillable plastic water bottles.Use the official app to plan your schedule and receive alerts.Prepare for weather changes with a poncho or light layer.Register your RFID pass before arriving at the festival.Use sunscreen to protect your skin from sunburn.Consider earplugs to protect your hearing during concerts.Be aware of crowd safety and know how to signal for help.Explore alternative merchandise tents to avoid long lines.Utilize Kentucky Kingdom's restrooms for a cleaner experience.Visit LouderThanLifeFestival.com for all rules and info

In this engaging conversation, celebrity stylist Andre Wilson shares his journey into the world of fashion, discussing how clothing can tell a story and boost confidence. He provides insights into Kentucky Derby Day fashion, the differences between styling celebrities and everyday people, and the psychological aspects of personal style. The discussion also touches on the importance of representation in fashion and Andre's upcoming projects, including a new collection. The episode concludes with a fun game of 'Fashion Friend or Faux Pas' and a look behind the scenes of movie styling.

In this episode of Finding Friends, hosts Catie Wilkes and Christina Lee explore the complexities of making friends as adults. They share personal stories, including how they met at a children's museum, and discuss the challenges of forming genuine connections in today's fast-paced, technology-driven world. The conversation highlights the importance of vulnerability, shared experiences, and the joy of friendship, regardless of differing interests. The episode concludes with a fun lightning round of questions, emphasizing the lighthearted side of friendship.