It's happy hour with dogs, badass women, f-bombs, iced red wine, ADHD detours, questionable choices, and a whole lot of fun. The topics are random, the guests are awesome, and it's always a good time. Hosted by Kim Bode, creator of Big Deal Energy™️, Skills Survival School, and founder of 8THIRTYFOUR, a communications and learning company (19 years young); Happy Hour Hustle is real, unfiltered, and you're probably gonna need a nap after (we suggest listening at .5x).
Get uncomfortable with us, it's where life is interesting.
Happy Hour Hustle #138: Karen Scarpino: Why business ownership is a wave & your network is what keeps you afloat
Kim catches up with Karen Scarpino, co-founder and CEO of Green Giftz, a Michigan-based high design and sustainable branded merchandise agency, over 35 years young.
Kim and Karen dig into 35 years of staying in business, how to keep evolving as people and markets change, and everything nobody tells you about owning a business until you're knee-deep in it.
Karen's story is a masterclass in staying power: finding your niche, doing things differently than everyone around you, and knowing your own limitations while still loving what you do. She's also one of the most authentic voices in the small business community, and it shows.
Grab your drink of choice - this one's full of hard-won lessons, lots of laughs, and even more heart.
Connect with Karen:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-scarpino-3308b15/
Website: https://www.greengiftz.com/
2 Sept 2026
Happy Hour Hustle #137: Building your personal brand, avoiding LinkedIn catfish, and f*%k the GPA
Kim sits down with Kelsey Orchard, VP of Marketing and Communications at Fifth
Wheel Freight, where she leads marketing, communications, and recruitment strategy,
including Inside Freight, the podcast she launched to give the industry a voice. Contrary
to what you may think, logistics is cool. Really cool.
Kim and Kelsey dig into personal branding, Gen Z entering the workforce,
misconceptions about logistics, spotting fake LinkedIn profiles, why your GPA doesn't
matter anymore, and more.
Kelsey's career path spans logistics, finance, and higher ed, with a focus on shifting
public perception, supporting sales teams, and championing internal communication.
These are industries everyone assumes are boring, but need savvy marketing the most;
which is where Kelsey thrives.
Grab a watermelon margarita - this one's full of real talk and even more laughs.
Connect with Kelsey:
LinkedIn
Inside Freight Podcast
23 Jul 2026
Happy Hour Hustle #136: Meredith Klein: Making a Name for Yourself
This week, Kim sits down with Meredith Klein, the woman behind the iconic hat and the Substack everyone in comms actually wants to read. Meredith is a communications executive with nearly two decades of experience at some of the biggest names in the game: Walmart, Pinterest, and Jet.com, to name a few. She's the author of Meredith & The Media, a wildly popular Substack on the latest news, moves, and trends in media, featuring exclusive interviews with leading journalists on what's driving their coverage. She's a PRWeek 40 Under 40 honoree and regular contributor to Inc. She's the person in the room who actually knows everyone and makes sure everyone else knows each other too. Basically, if comms had a connector-in-chief, it would be her.
Kim and Meredith talk about personal branding, networking without the ick, why "believe it until you achieve it" beats "fake it till you make it," and what it takes to really own your worth. Grab a martini (with extra olives) and get ready for some F-bomb filled wisdom.
Connect with Meredith:
Meredith & the Media Substack: https://meredithandthemedia.substack.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-klein-4389666/
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
5,195
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
8 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 70 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
87
Social presence
0
YouTube
68
Engagement
68
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