Serenbe Stories

Today we have resident Jason Geter, who is the co-founder of Grand Hustle Records and most recently, Heavy Sound Labs that is a music incubator for emerging artists. We talk about removing the gatekeeper model in music, finding creativity in nature and how a serendipitous golf cart ride made his move to Serenbe a no brainer. A natural leader, Jason Geter embraces the blue collar intersection of music, art, fashion, technology, and sweat equity, taking cast-off remnants and reimagining them as brands that could only exist today. Jason, a serial entrepreneur and investor, is the founder of Heavy Sound Labs and Strivers Row, a lifestyle brand; co-founder of Grand Hustle, AKOO, and Hustle Gang Apparel; co-owner of All Def Digital; and advisor to several multimedia artists and brands. Through his venture Grand Hustle, he’s had the pleasure of launching the careers of acts such as T.I., Travis Scott, Killer Mike, B.O.B., Iggy Azalea, DJ Drama, Young Dro, and more. Geter has even had the honor of managing the solo career of Big Boi, of the legendary Outkast, and co-producing the #1 premiering film Takers.Jason’s partnerships are effortless because of his culture of innovation, superior product development capabilities, integrated multichannel infrastructure, and significant scale to offer an unmatched combination of authenticity, quality, and value. In a world guided by focus groups and facts, Jason admires those inspired spirits who believe that ideas of the future don’t exist in the past. Jason is dedicated to curating a global lifestyle, leveraging his core capabilities to innovate, curate, and integrate new businesses. Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!Today through October 12, order a copy of Start In Your Own Backyard and you'll receive a tote bag, keychain and signed bookplate from Steve Nygren.Get a Start In Your Own Backyard Book Bundle TodayPre-Order from your favorite bookseller, send in your receipt and we'll mail you a book bundle as our gift.

Imagine if your car were powered by solar roads made out of recycled tires? Today we talk with Allie Kelly, the Executive Director of The Ray, a highway that is the future for sustainable roads and transportation. She talks about how her family found Serenbe and Steve challenges listeners with a Serenbe scavenger hunt to find the chair placed in memory of the highway's namesake Ray C. Anderson that features a box with his book hidden inside.In the five years since its conception, Allie has helped The Ray to implement and build nearly a dozen ground-breaking, world-leading technology demonstrations, including the first solar road in the United States and the world’s first public demonstration of a drive-through tire safety station. Allie has over 15 years of experience working in public policy, first as a lobbyist for UPS in Washington, D.C. then founding Georgia Watch in Atlanta, the state’s only consumer watchdog organization. Allie earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Georgia. Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!Today through October 12, order a copy of Start In Your Own Backyard and you'll receive a tote bag, keychain and signed bookplate from Steve Nygren.Get a Start In Your Own Backyard Book Bundle TodayPre-Order from your favorite bookseller, send in your receipt and we'll mail you a book bundle as our gift.

We talk with Heather Ruth about leaving a high-stress career to gain multiple yoga certifications and to launch the Serenbe Yoga & Bodyworks studio. Her journey began as a way to manage stress and gain physical strength. Listen to her story and hear how she became Mom to five Nigerian dwarf goats. Heather received her Thai Yoga Therapist certification and 200 RYT in Costa Rica specializing in Restorative and Breathework, and attained her 300 RYT through The Maze Method, which focuses on alignment.  She is also certified in Aerial Yoga and Yoga Nidra. Heather's classes are light hearted and meditative in nature. Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!Today through October 12, order a copy of Start In Your Own Backyard and you'll receive a tote bag, keychain and signed bookplate from Steve Nygren.Get a Start In Your Own Backyard Book Bundle TodayPre-Order from your favorite bookseller, send in your receipt and we'll mail you a book bundle as our gift.

Stop any resident on the streets of Serenbe, and they’ll have a story to tell you about how they got here. How they first discovered Serenbe and the friends they’ve made. Parents will share why they’re raising their children, and others share how they’ve built their own extended family. Some have started a business, built a new home, or found creative inspiration to write a book or create art. Others have found solace on the trails or taken up a new hobby with new friends. All of these stories have a common thread: a curiosity and a willingness to learn, an openness to new people, ideas, and a desire for connection, to build a community and a hope for a better world. In past seasons we’ve told stories about what Serenbe is, how it was built and how Steve Nygren’s vision has inspired a biophilic movement. This season goes straight to the best source for Serenbe Stories, Serenbe residents. Subscribe today to hear their stories and learn why the best reason to live here are the people here. Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!Today through October 12, order a copy of Start In Your Own Backyard and you'll receive a tote bag, keychain and signed bookplate from Steve Nygren.Get a Start In Your Own Backyard Book Bundle TodayPre-Order from your favorite bookseller, send in your receipt and we'll mail you a book bundle as our gift.

We planned on recording 12 episodes of this biophilia-focused season, but we couldn't end without talking to Jeff Tkach, the Chief Impact Officer at Rodale Institute, about the place where life begins: The Soil. As Rodale has proven, Healthy Soil equals Healthy Food, which makes Healthy People, and the healthiest soil is organic and regenerative. Not only is healthy soil important for us, it's important for the planet.Jeff is responsible for expanding Rodale Institute's global influence to heal people and the planet by unlocking the transformational power of regenerative organic agriculture. He was in Chattahoochee Hills this November to open Rodale Institute's Southeast Organic Center - one of three research hubs being opened across the country to increase the number of organic farms and acres in production through training and education.In this episode, we talk with Jeff about training new farmers, why J.I. Rodale hated the word "sustainable," and how Rodale is putting $2 million into the future of food. Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!Today through October 12, order a copy of Start In Your Own Backyard and you'll receive a tote bag, keychain and signed bookplate from Steve Nygren.Get a Start In Your Own Backyard Book Bundle TodayPre-Order from your favorite bookseller, send in your receipt and we'll mail you a book bundle as our gift.

Diandra Marizet stopped through Serenbe in December 2019, while on a road trip from New York to her family's home in Texas. She found us while searching for farm stays she could visit along the way, and was drawn in by Serenbe's design intention. Her afternoon here made an impression, and her subsequent work on Intersectional Environmentalist made an impression on us. Diandra Marizet is a founding member of Intersectional Environmentalist, which is a platform with the goal of dismantling systems of oppression in the environmental movement. The founding group created a Council of environmental activists and sustainability advocates that are committed to identifying the ways in which injustices happening to marginalized communities and the earth are interconnected. In this episode, we talk with Diandra about her background in fashion, most recently with Kate Spade, and how that lead to climate and environmental activism.  Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!Today through October 12, order a copy of Start In Your Own Backyard and you'll receive a tote bag, keychain and signed bookplate from Steve Nygren.Get a Start In Your Own Backyard Book Bundle TodayPre-Order from your favorite bookseller, send in your receipt and we'll mail you a book bundle as our gift.

Did you know that when we're in cities, it's hard to relax because we're taking in all the stimuli around us. In contrast, when we're in nature - even with our eyes open - the quiet and peaceful environment allows us to relax, which is imperative for human health and de-stressing.Today we are talking with Florence Williams, who is a journalist and author, whose most recent book is The Nature Fix: How Nature Makes us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative. She is also contributing editor at Outside Magazine, and a freelance writer for the New York Times, National Geographic, Slate, Mother Jones and numerous other publications. Her work focuses on the environment, health and science. In this episode we talk about her immersive research that proves the connection between nature and human health. She also shares content from her next book, which was partially written while in residence at Serenbe. Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!Today through October 12, order a copy of Start In Your Own Backyard and you'll receive a tote bag, keychain and signed bookplate from Steve Nygren.Get a Start In Your Own Backyard Book Bundle TodayPre-Order from your favorite bookseller, send in your receipt and we'll mail you a book bundle as our gift.

Design is a powerful tool in addressing climate change, but what IS design? And what is a design museum? The Museum Of Design Atlanta - or MODA -  defines design as "A creative process that inspires change, transforms lives, and makes the world a better place." Today we talk with MODA Executive Director Laura Flusche and Exhibitions Manager Veronica Klucik about the role of museums in the 21st century. What if museums looked forward instead of backward? What if they prioritized active engagement instead of passive observation? These are the questions MODA sets out to answer by curating exhibits that show how design can solve real world problems.MODA had big plans in 2020 for their Year of Climate & Change. In this episode, we discuss how they successfully implemented virtual programming, including education more than 3,000 kids worldwide. They are looking forward to 2021 and continuing to offer virtual access to exhibits focused on regenerative design and alternative transportation. Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!Today through October 12, order a copy of Start In Your Own Backyard and you'll receive a tote bag, keychain and signed bookplate from Steve Nygren.Get a Start In Your Own Backyard Book Bundle TodayPre-Order from your favorite bookseller, send in your receipt and we'll mail you a book bundle as our gift.

What kind of world are we going to leave our children? That is the question Principal Patrick Muhammad asks himself as he leads Chatt Hills Charter School. With a tri-focus curriculum of Arts, Agriculture, and Environment, he's teaching them the value of life from a ladybug to a human.Education is a pillar of our Biophilic Principles, and Serenbe is proud to support our local charter school since its founding. Today we're talking with Principal Muhammad, who is affectionately known as The Principal Farmer by his students, about how their outdoor programming has improved student health, how they've increased test scores, and why they have a wait list each year to enroll in this innovative K-8 school. Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!Today through October 12, order a copy of Start In Your Own Backyard and you'll receive a tote bag, keychain and signed bookplate from Steve Nygren.Get a Start In Your Own Backyard Book Bundle TodayPre-Order from your favorite bookseller, send in your receipt and we'll mail you a book bundle as our gift.

Steven Peck was introduced to the idea of green roofs and living walls in the mid-90s and quickly realized how important it is to have nature at the center of architecture and design. Since 1996, he has worked to advance the green roof and wall industry by facilitating research; organizing conferences; writing articles;  and advocating for supportive policies and standards at all levels of government around the world. He also edits and publishes green roof magazine Living Architecture Monitor. Steven is optimistic about our collective ability to rapidly evolve the building industry within a generation. He does not believe COVID will define our future, but rather it has been and will continue to be defined by climate change, and having green infrastructure will help us prepare for that future. Join us as he shares his biophilic journey to expand the living architecture industry world-wide.   Step off the treadmill of life and book a stay at the Inn at Serenbe. Use code Serenbe Stories when you book online or over the phone and receive 10% off your stay!Today through October 12, order a copy of Start In Your Own Backyard and you'll receive a tote bag, keychain and signed bookplate from Steve Nygren.Get a Start In Your Own Backyard Book Bundle TodayPre-Order from your favorite bookseller, send in your receipt and we'll mail you a book bundle as our gift.