Storytelling is a powerful medium to connect with others. It helps us to know that we aren’t alone in this human experience. The more stories we hear, the more we understand that we all have stories. The more we accept those stories make us who we are. Listening to and understanding those stories better connects us. As we further explore community and collaboration, you get to meet two women who are blazing ahead on the podcasting path with a podcast focused on sharing stories. They’ve also built a community, value authenticity, and are very much in alignment with what we focus on here. Their podcast was the first that Diane Schroeder appeared as a guest on, and now, The Fire Inside Her is the first podcast that they are joining as guests because collaboration builds us all up and brings us all together.

In today’s conversation, we speak a lot about authenticity, about what community means. We touch on the stories that make us who we are and get vulnerable about the experiences that made an impact. Mandi and Naomi also touch on some stories and experiences they’ve gained from over two years of podcasting together and the many guests they’ve interviewed.

Naomi Marquez and Mandi Benecke have been friends for almost 20 years. They’ve been together through the highs and lows of their 20s, 30s, and 40s. After each of them experienced serious health events, they realized how precious life really is and that no matter how grand our picket fences are, each of us has a story to tell and work to be done beyond those picket fences. It was this realization that gave them the idea to launch a platform for those who identify as women to come together as a community and to provide a platform to lift their voices.

Naomi and Mandi believe that through authenticity, vulnerability, connection, and community, we can thrive together. Beyond Picket Fences started as a podcast and has grown to a business providing resources and events for women to share their stories and connect.