One, two, three, four.

Get my shoes on at the door.

Five, six, seven, eight.

Feels great.

I'm gonna sign up to do and guys aren't gonna do about to do what they do.

Yeah.

Look at this guy with the beautiful color about the and just for me he's gonna share it with another I got to show to get.

I want to finish.

I'll take a look at that beautiful morning that turns to a beautiful evening.

Look at the big beautiful.

And if you want to see that, come along with me.

That's right.

Summer isn't over yet.

No, it's not.

No, there's still plenty of things to do here in Michiana.

And we're checking out a number of things this week to hear unexperienced Michiana.

Yes, we are.

Well, we're going to get some sweet corn bread, beef and everything at Pabriks Gardens.

It's roadside so I can drive through.

I got really famous for that sweet corn.

Yes.

That sounds delicious.

I love that.

We are going to find out about the Women's Entrepreneurship Summit in May.

It's a new event and a brand new place, too.

Oh, we'll have to check on that.

And why are we dressed like this?

I don't know.

You know why we're here outside Hawaii?

Because it's all summer.

Because God is step on today.

That's right.

Here's Goddess's.

We're going to be checking out some yoga.

Sets up yoga and it's a paddleboard.

Yes.

Well, we didn't stand up.

But you know what?

I tell you anymore.

Why don't you just take a look?

Hello, Mr. Yang, to get ready?

Because today we are about to experience something that I don't know about.

You caught me, but I've never done this before.

Never.

Nothing like this ever before.

And if the truth be told, I never even heard of it until today.

Well, yeah, you know, it's something new, something to try, something to face your fears, because I'm terrified of water.

And we're going to the water.

Yes, we are.

But I hear say yes Yes, it's very safe.

But we're going to experience paddleboard.

Yoga.

Yes.

So excited about doing it.

We're here at the collective.

But why don't we catch up for the owners?

Adrian and Luke And let's find out how we're going to do that.

And I hope you don't fall on the water.

And I hope there's life jacket.

Yeah, me too.

Me too.

As you can see, I am ready to connect with my body, soul and spirit with Adrian and Penny.

And Joey is going to join us as they do a really me down dog They know they're never very far away.

Well, they're so awesome.

Well, tell us a little bit about how you got started, because I've heard that you have traveled the whole world to study yoga.

Yeah, I have.

So I have been doing yoga for more years.

And I want to admit so because I you know, I started when I was about 18.

And so I've been able to marry a couple of passions, which is traveling.

And most of the time when I travel, I am also doing a yoga teacher training.

So I have probably about 1500 hours of training myself and the modalities of yoga.

I focused mostly on a meditative, traditional aspect that brings in the eight limbs and the body, mind and spirit that you mentioned.

But the cool thing is about yoga is you don't have to do necessarily a traditional practice to get connected to those things.

So one of the things you're here to experience is an unusual way to do yoga.

Very unusual.

Very much so.

Which is yoga on the water.

We make that practice very accessible.

And in fact, most people who come to try standup, paddleboard, yoga have never done yoga.

Never been on a paddling or both.

But people are also very intimidated about yoga in general.

True.

True.

And one of the things that we try to bring to the practice is to make it very accessible to all people.

So in our studio, we do practice the traditional elements of breathing and meditation.

I know as well as I do.

Yeah.

These are these are rescue props.

So they get a little excited sometimes, you know, but they also bring a lot of therapy to the day when we get to them as well.

So I have a studio.

So one yoga can do you offer here?

So we we offer a lot of different types of classes.

We have dental, yoga, yin yoga.

We have aerial yoga, which is another really fine way, a nontraditional way to to experience that.

We've raised up lots of contraptions over the years to work with people of all abilities, all fitness levels, and even people who have, you know , upwards of two hundred pounds to lose.

And we customize the practices to work for you to meet your partner.

And a little while.

But you said contraption.

So speaking of that, I think Kourtney and I are ready to get on the paddle board.

Awesome.

There's so much more to yoga than just the actual practice.

There's a lot of intricacy behind it.

And Luke is one of the partners here, too.

And we're going to be checking out some yoga that we're calling a yoga.

Yoga So standart paddleboard, yoga.

And I think it's great that you're able to get out here with nature.

We're on the river up in Benton Harbor right now.

How can people find out more information, your website?

Yeah.

Yeah.

So our website is Rebel Co-op dot com.

It's code dash opcom.

We we have a actually a couple of different websites in your life.

Adrian has a yoga muse, S.W.

and Southwest Michigan dot com.

We've also got Kamari Yoga Fest or not.

Yeah.

So we have a charity yoga fest that we do every year as well, so.

Awesome Yeah.

What do people need to bring with them to get on a. Outlawed here, free smiles.

Smile, smile, smile.

I guess probably a towel.

Things like that.

But you supply everything else.

Yeah, I mean, usually people don't end up in the water, so, you know, to see what happens.

Right.

Unless they really want to.

So, OK, but we don't do anything super, super crazy, especially with beginners.

And like Adrian was saying, like almost everybody is a beginner that comes here.

So is there a lot more muscles that you're using by being on a paddleboard versus, you know, on the ground yoga mat?

Yes.

And that's one of the main things that we try to stress is like if you were to look at a list of all the movements that we're doing, you'd say like that's a really kind of an easy class, but it's so challenging on this sub board.

So, yeah, you got to be careful.

And these certain things we just don't do at all, you know, just because they could be inherently dangerous, but even just basic things are going to be balancin itself is the infinite right even to stand there?

Right.

Right.

Exactly.

So I think we're ready to check it out.

All right.

Let's do it.

Awesome.

Thanks, Lou.

You got it.

One of the amazing things about this experience is that we're in nature.

Just take the opportunity to experience nature and so close your eyes and take those few moments to connect.

We'll take a deep breath and together.

I exhale out of sigh out.

Good, set up tall.

Bring your hands behind your knees and you're just kind of like you're marching with one foot and then the other.

Left one foot and then the other.

Now, again, tapping into that strength that you're feeling at both feet left.

And that's what's called Mokpo.

So it's perfect for being on the water.

You also try reaching your fingers up to the sky.

Inhale, drop the belly, lift the chest, exhale, rounded up or back.

So if you're seated on yoga in our floating on the water, this gives you the opportunity to get some different vantage p OK, you lift.

And so how did we do it amazing.

Well, you both did amazing, and that's the thing about yoga, is that it's an individual practice.

So we come together as a community to do our practice.

But you keep your attention on your space and what works individually and best for you.

I don't know if people can hear you, but you weren't really talking about being grounded and that we're powerful women.

Oh, yes.

So one of the things that we like to bring in as a reminder is.

Right.

It's just like an affirmation and we call it mantra in yoga.

So if you want to, we can share our affirmation that we were working on, which I am a warrior goddess.

What is You guys did an amazing job.

Thank you so much for coming to play with me on the river.

Well, you also do know the truth.

I do.

I actually teach people how to teach this practice.

So throughout the year, we do a variety of teacher trainings and we have one that starting in October, which is an advanced training and standup up a yoga can be included in that.

Yeah.

Never quite ready for to become a teacher, but I think we're kind of master ing the participants.

You never know.

You never know.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Hi there.

Hey, I've got a way that you can experience a sustainable Michiana and it's in a way you may have done growing up if you're a Midwesterner like me, going to roadside stands, picking up some fresh produce and going along your way.

Well, they still exist.

And you may have driven by this one thousand times.

If you're taking about two out of South Bend or Western Avenue, flown right by the little sign that shows sweetcorn turn in.

Because what we've got here is a family owned farm that's caring for the soil, growing a wide variety of fresh, healthy local food and building community to boot.

So let me show you what you're going to experience here at Patrick's Garden Produce.

We're going to start by talking with his wife, Cathy, and that's how your experience first when you arrive.

So let's take a look.

Hey, Cathy.

I'm so excited to be here.

This is the season to come to a farm stand.

Thank you.

It's good to see you, Krista.

So what kind of things can people experience here?

Well, the main thing is like Patrick will pick the first corn daily.

We never sell daled corn and then everything is handpicked and brought up and we go out in the morning.

So this this stuff came right in off the farm.

And we've got I see watermelon.

Yes.

I can smell the cantaloupe and see a lot of it and all kinds of vegetables here.

So fresh local, proad fresh.

This literally is grown right here, like I see corn right off the road.

And then next year, we rotate our crops.

Next year, that will be the vegetables.

So rotating the crops, that's great care of the soil.

Correct.

Doesn't have to make the same thing over and over again.

Correct.

And you get to interact with all these people that are pouring in to support the farm.

And it's really a great sense of community here.

I mean, I had to jump in after a whole crowd of people left.

I love the I love this part of the job.

And a lot of the customers, I know my name.

Sometimes we joke.

It's like we know about each other for a couple of months.

But and then when we see them outside of the stand up, like we knew from the start.

So this is a real community building experience.

People are making connections with you and one another around good local food.

Yes, I love that.

So have you always been a farmer, a farm stand runner?

I have not.

I consider it a city girl.

And so and then I always say I never knew what sweet corn tasted like till I met Patrick, because I only had what was in the grocery store and or even watermelon.

I never ate watermelon or cantaloupe at once.

I had Patrick's.

Well, I think you're making a great case for the food that people would agree with if you don't know what sweetcor a good meal it tastes like until you've come here.

This is why I was afraid to kind of share this resource with people.

But I know it's a very popular spot, something that people should check out, partly because you guys take good care of the Lantier and you've got a family farm running.

Right.

And test the soil every year just to make sure the soil's prepared.

And so and we've got a great support for your family here and a great community building feature here as well.

But I'm really curious more about since you're the city girl, maybe you're not the best perso to ask you about this, but how things are grown, how this is really a sustainability experience.

I think you should talk to Patrick about that.

And he's in the corn crib or in the markets.

Well, shucks I guess I'll go and see the corn.

OK, so did you like.

Okay, let's check it out.

Okay, thanks so.

Hey, Patrick.

All right, Chris.

I was just talking with Kathy about all the great food this year and all the great people and connections that are made, but she said you're the one to talk to about what you're growing and how you're growing it.

I'm seeing some of it, but tell me more.

Our main product here is sweet corn.

And that's what brings the customers in.

And it's, of course, fresh picked every day and never sell day old.

And we also have tomatoes and cucumbers and squash and potatoes and onions and just a variety of produce.

So tell me a little bit about she said you'd do some soil testing and you rotate the crops, but also goes in in time.

We'll do a soil test.

Yeah.

And we rotate the crops.

And one of the key things is, well, when the crop will get finished here, the stalks get chopped up and then we will return that back to the soil.

We like to plant a cover crop.

So in the past, we've planted winter rye for soil erosion and it's always keep something growing in the ground.

Mycorrhiza.

You know, you have to keep your of living all year long covered and green and growing.

So you keep it fed.

You keep the soil alive to make more good food in the next year.

Yes.

Also, Chris, that's a great approach for carbon sequestration.

If you've got stuff growing, it's pulling carbon out of habitat.

So it's a really smart way to to farm in terms of bigger climate.

Yeah, we've used a lot of cereal rye in the past.

That was usually the one we would plant because it would survive the winter and be green in the spring.

But now we're kind of looking maybe more like with oats, those will winter kill.

And then we would put some legumes in there like Clover's, and those would come out of that.

And of course, fix nitrogen.

Nice.

So a really thoughtful approach to not just feeding the community and building community, but really feeding and building this soil , too, which is healthy, healthy soil, makes a healthy plant and a healthy plant makes healthy people.

I love it.

But the t shirt or something.

Yeah, that'd be great.

Yeah, that's what it is.

Well, it smells amazing here.

I can smell cantaloupe and I'm going to have to get some sweet corn for health care because I know that it is the best thing you're going to find around here.

So thank you for taking time out of very busy harvest season to talk about farm.

Okay, thank you.

Because of the pandemic last year, the Women's Entrepreneurship Summit had to make a couple of changes but this year they are back in full swing, live and in person.

And Cindy and Beita with a totally new event this year.

Yes, we are.

We added to our of our event profile, the women's entrepreneurs small business spotlight showcase event, which spotlights women entrepreneurs and their passions, and why they decided to start a business and then also spotlights their business.

We're very excited about it.

Well, before we talk a little bit more about the event, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself and also your organization and you as well, Vito?

Oh, sure.

Well, in twenty eighteen, I started thinking about the legacy that I wanted to leave for women.

And I've been an entrepreneur for a long time.

And I thought it would be great to share that knowledge that I had with women who are struggling in our community.

We have a very small community of women entrepreneurs.

The last time we checked the 2012 census, only two percent of the businesses our community are owned by women.

And I think during the pandemic, I'm thinking that number has is on the rise, because I was very popular since women were looking for ways to support themselves and their family.

Now, that kind of surprises me that during the pandemic that would happen because you would think that people would be kind of afraid to venture out during that time.

Why?

A lot a large portion of women who decide to start their own businesses are doing it out of need or necessity.

So if you lose your job or you have to stay home with your kids and help them with home schooling or whatever you are in need of money.

So if you have a hobby or something you loved and you know, one of the things I found talking to women since the pandemic is, you know, kind of hopefully moving along is that women start thinking about like where their life was going and what they were doing.

And if they really want to work for someone for the rest of their lives.

And so they really started thinking about what they could do from their home.

And it's really been exciting to talk to women in relation to our showcase event and hear all the creative ideas that they've come up with.

And they want to come and let our community know about it.

Absolutely.

And tell us about your organization.

Yes, my organization is Women Entrepreneurs Matter.

We matter because we make it happen every single day.

Yes, we do.

We are ready.

Yeah.

I came up with that mantra because I found out women entrepreneurs.

I think we special.

I think we will in.

To go the extra mile.

Stay up late, do what it takes in order to succeed.

And so that's why I formed the organization from the summit.

You know, a spin off, you know, from working with Cindy and working with the Expo and different things that she does as a women woman entrepreneur.

I'm really excited because I think that I always tell people I found my real family because we were positive, upbeat, moving forward, making things happen.

So I wanted to have something where women could have mentors, coaching support they have in challenges in their personal life, because I tell them, if you develop yourself personally, your business is going to be successful.

So that's why I formed the organization.

And I'm really happy to be working with Cindy.

We work very well together.

We support women entrepreneurs.

I have a whole other entourage of women entrepreneurs that I've met since we did the summit.

And I'm really excited because what we wanted to do was create a movement.

Yes.

And we have we've done that in this area is a movement.

And now we have Nikki called is out.

She's going to have 100 vendors at her event.

We have Carol.

She's very young, have a daughter by herself, but she's geared to an event this weekend.

We have Lisa.

It's just a host of women entrepreneurs doing great things in our community.

That is wonderful.

It's brought out of what we started in twenty eighteen.

You know, one of the great things to me is that you both really focus on women that are in low income neighborhoods.

What are some of the difficulties and obstacles that they face?

Well, I think they have the same obstacles as everyone else, just more of it.

I think they have less opportunity and less resources, less understanding of how to move forward.

There are unclear what to do.

They don't have the educational resources.

I mean, and also they have families, situations that are very hard to manage, you know, and a lot of the wome that we both work with, our domestic violence survivors And so that comes with a whole triage of hurt, too.

And not to say that women who are not Low-Income don't have issues they do.

And also that I believe the resources are just a little bit easier to come to.

But it seems to me that both of you have this passion for the women and that you're focusing on the whole woman, not just her business, but but the woman as a whole.

Absolutely.

Well, let's talk about this event, because it sounds like it's going to be tons of fun and it's in a brand new place as well.

It is.

We have we're at real park events, and this has been great.

And the honor here has been great to work with.

And she's a woman entrepreneur, too.

So we love supporting women entrepreneurs.

And we'll be doing is we're going to have 40 vendors, all like small business owners, all women entrepreneurs So we want women to come out and support them.

Yes.

And then we're also doing some extra events alongside.

So we're hosting some new launches.

The Hotu Domestic Violence Community Ambassador program is being launched at our event, and that's a program that help women, you know, end domestic violence And then also we're launching the Women Move Forwar community entrepreneur program that's now going online.

So we've been offline for three years now.

We're going online with that.

And then also the women entrepreneurs to watch twenty twenty one, because we feel there's been a lot of movers and shakers out there.

We want to reward them and celebrate them as well.

And then we're having a big community wide grand opening launch party.

Oh, wow.

That's a lot.

Wow.

And so what we're doing is we I feel that during during Covid you know, on lockdown, everything a lot of women who were starting their new businesses didn't get a chance to celebrate that.

And so we wanted to invite those women to be part of our event.

And we're going to have a grand opening.

So we're going to do ribbon cutting.

OK, they can invite their friends.

The whole nine yards are really excited about it.

That is great.

Now, this takes place on August, Thursday, August 18th, 19th, 19th, OK, 19th.

You had 18th in the paper in the Adobe, and it doesn't matter.

I'm only teasing you.

So it's Thursday, May 19th, 10:00 a.m. to three thirty PM.

Is that correct?

OK, that's correct.

There we go.

Now, I know how you are saying I know you have some things up your sleeve because you also you want women to come and you want them to learn about it, but you also want them to have fun sometimes up your sleeve here.

Well, you know what?

We're all about teaching community and educating.

And so some really fun things we're doing leading up to the event as we're asking the women who are participating at the event to share their passion of why they started their business and what business they started so they can feel really proud of themselves.

We also let the women entrepreneurs know they could nominate themselves for the award.

Maybe why should we have to wait for someone else to nominate us?

We know we're doing a good job.

That's right.

Nominate ourselves.

So that was that's really great And then we're also asking the women who are exhibitors to give us a little sneak peek of what they're going to be doing at the event and then at the event.

We're going to help them do all the.

Infomercial.

So that be able to talk about their business when they get all done.

They'll have three ways which they can share with the community on how to talk about their business.

So we're really excited about it.

That's great.

Now, how can women get tickets for this event?

They can go to our website or they can go to our Facebook page.

It's only five dollars to get in.

And or if you know one of the women who are going to be at the having the launch their business lunch, they can contact them and they'll have tickets for them, too.

All right.

All right.

Well, this is really a beautiful space.

And I would love to get a chance to speak with Sarah if she's here.

Oh, she is.

Go get it, OK. Go get her.

So happy to meet you, Sarah.

This place is beautiful.

So is this your first business?

Thank you for coming.

Yes, it is very first business.

So what inspired you to open this place?

So I actually worked in the experientially marketing industry for over 10 years.

And so I traveled all around the country and I had an idea to come back to my hometown of South Bend and to start a welcoming, versatile event space.

So here we are.

Here we are.

And it is really, really beautiful.

So what was the process like for you?

This was your first business.

Let talk.

Tell us a little bit about the journey.

So we actually started this project.

I say we my husband, Romulo and I came on this journey with me.

We started in April of 2019.

So we just love the River Park area.

We love being part of a neighborhood.

We love the nostalgia of the area.

So we started in April 20 and 18, and then it took us until October of twenty nineteen to kind of get the space ready to open.

After starting the project, we found out a few days later I was pregnant.

Oh, wow.

So the whole journey.

Yes.

Surprise.

Yes.

So we opened in October 2013.

Then a week later, my daughter Mila was born.

Oh, wow.

So it's been it's been an amazing journey.

And it's really been a passion project for the both of us.

So we opened October twenty nineteen right before Covid.

We made it through.

Thank God.

Yeah.

I'm so happy that you did.

Was it a challenge, though?

Was it difficult?

It was a little bit.

It almost worked to her benefit just a little bit because we weren't really well known.

So we didn't have a lot of bookings into the future.

So we were able to take some time and just finish up some smaller projects that we wanted to finish.

So.

So what kind of bookings do you have here?

Birthday party?

Exactly.

So we do private events such as baby showers, Quintana's weddings and all of that.

And then also we have our space available for meetings and corporate functions as well.

We also host monthly pop up there, real park events the last Friday of every month.

And so that's been especially great.

We started that in March, so kind of right when everything was opening up.

So we've been able to connect with a lot of local small businesses and collaborate.

That's great.

Now, did you design it yourself?

Because it's so cute.

I love the little lanterns hanging.

Yes.

So the lantern globes and the curtains were kind of an add on.

But when we started the space, there were a lot of.

So this previously used to be qsi print press.

So there were a lot of offices that we kind of had to move some walls around.

Oh, wow.

So we just opened up the space.

And then this wall I really love, I wanted to go for black and white and then kind of muted colors to throw some colors in.

But a local artist childhood summed up did this mural.

Oh, so cute.

It's so.

Yeah.

If you could take a look at that.

I love that.

When I saw that, it's like I want to do a selfie So yeah, it I love it.

And then we also have another space next door and that has a small kitchen and bar area.

Oh, great.

So that room will seat up to 60 people comfortably.

And in this larger hall is great for evening events, larger events, but also these Pop-Up events, you know, and this women entrepreneur event that's me is hosting.

So that's great.

So, you know, I have a wonderful opportunity to meet so many women and a lot of women have dreams inside of them and visions and businesses they'd love to open.

Yeah.

What would you say to women watching today?

That that they're you know, I might want to start, but I might be a little bit afraid?

Yeah, I would just say the biggest thing to do is just put yourself out there and really take it day by day, because even in my head standing here, I have so many ideas that I still want to execute, but I need to pull myself back a little bit and really just take it day by day and then just try to meet as many people as possible, because when we opened, it was right before Covid and then Covid happened.

So we kind of got a late start being able to get out there in regards to exposure and meeting people in the community So I would say things take time, don't have to race and do it all in one day.

That's right.

That's great.

So real park events, how people book an event.

Yes, real park events, dot com.

And then we're very we see very updated on Instagram and Facebook at real park events.

All right.

Well, thank you so much.

Place is great.

I mean, when I walk in, I was like, oh, I could host a dance party.

Yes.

I would kind of put it like that and never know that this is behind the door, so.

All right.

Well, thanks for coming.

Yeah.

OK. Dance.

Yeah, was OK.

I was really impressed.

You did a great job.

Thank you.

You were really good on that.

Thank you.

I've been practicing my yoga skills and I keep getting at one with myself.

And of course, we had so much to do.

I'm ready to go get my sweet corn, ready to get your sweet corn.

It's about that time because summer again is not over.

We're planning a stop here to do.

And don't forget that you can still let us know about what you have, what you want us to check out.

You can take us on social media experience, Michiana.

We'll find out.

And speaking of summer, we need to get to the zoo.

Yes.

On next week's show.

But guys, thank you so much for joining us.

Great having you.

And we hope that you now feel like warriors and maybe not goddesses, but maybe some gods out there that feel strong and fierce because that's what this is all about.

Yes.

Go ahead.

Unity, local production has been made possible in part by viewers like you.

Thank you.