Betsy sits down with Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores, authors of the bestselling Winter Park–set thriller The Happy Wife . We dig into what animates their story and how those same skills make you better at business and with AI: curiosity, collaboration, belonging, and choosing creativity over fear. We talk about: Turning a sense of place into a page-turner Writing partners, failure tolerance, and “fun over perfect” Curiosity as a superpower for better AI prompts Belonging, imposter feelings, and building welcoming communities Strong female leads, agency, and making choices you can stand on Winter Park’s layers — beyond the ultra-wealthy stereotype A tease of Book 2 in the Happy Wife world About the book: A Read with Jenna Pick on the TODAY show, The Happy Wife follows Nora, a 28-year-old navigating love, mystery, and identity in Winter Park. No spoilers here — just why it resonates and what it can teach us about life and leadership. If you’re a builder, leader, or lifelong learner, you’ll leave with practical “curiosity hacks,” belonging cues you can use at work and events, and a reframed view of AI as a tool that amplifies human creativity. TIME STAMPS 00:00 Welcome and episode setup 01:40 The Happy Wife elevator pitch 04:10 How the authors met and the scavenger hunt story 06:45 Kendall’s writing journey and turning 40 09:05 Why Winter Park and building a sense of place 12:00 Craft cheat codes for writing a place you haven’t been 14:10 Business lens on curiosity and AI prompts 16:40 Partnership rules: fun, fail fast, not precious 19:30 Handling creative disagreements by following passion 21:50 AI in Hollywood and why the human touch matters 24:00 Voice and dialogue choices; empathizing with Nora 27:10 Belonging in Winter Park and wealth dynamics 29:40 Belonging tips: say hello, the Yeti trick, self-belonging\ 31:50 Reader reactions and Winter Park’s response 34:10 Key themes and takeaways: choice, agency, growth 36:10 Sequel tease and closing thanks Don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations with leaders, innovators, and change-makers who are shaping the future of business and community. Watch now and drop a comment with the one word that describes your B-side. Subscribe, rate, and share the B Student Podcast—because the B side of your story might just be the best part. Connect with this week's guests Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores at: https://www.instagram.com/meredithandkendall/?hl=en Find the book The Happy Wife at: https://www.meredithandkendall.com/ Connect with Betsy Gardner: https://www.betsygardner.com/ Learn More about Winter Park Chamber of Commerce: https://www.winterpark.org/ -------------------------------- Podcast produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/
