From Dragons to Dead Roses

🐉🎬 From Dragons to Dead Roses: What Happened at OPEN Friday Coffee (April 4, 2025)

Grab your mug, cozy up, and get ready for the whirlwind that was this week’s OPEN Friday Coffee—because let me tell you, this one had it all: independent film, sacred clowns, spontaneous birthday serenades (with black candles, of course), and a whole lotta heart.

We kicked things off with a little technical whoopsie (what’s a morning without one?), so I did what any self-respecting, beat-loving host would do—I went acapella. Sorry Rich, no drum solo this week. You’ll just have to imagine it. Boom-chicka-boom.

🎬 Enter: Beth Barany & the Dragon Slayer Magic

Beth, my dear friend and fellow fantasy author, showed up with pure gold. And by gold, I mean her short film Henrietta the Dragon Slayer, which aims to empower young women to be the heroes of their own stories. Yes please!

She shared her brand-new 92-second pitch video (which I may or may not have lovingly poked her into making). And wow—this isn’t just a story; it’s a movement. Dragons, magical necklaces, a chimera, and a decorated war vet named Henrietta? Oh my!

Beth’s raised $6K already (woot!) and is now fundraising for post-production. Why so much for post? Oh honey, let me count the ways: green-screened puppets, VFX magic, ADR recording, music, sound design… and feeding your lovely cast crew some snacks.

Oh, and guess what? Sundance Film Festival is coming to my neck of the woods—Boulder, Colorado—so I told her, “Apply already!”

💬 “My short film is to empower young women to be the heroes of their own lives.” – Beth Barany

🎙️ Meet the Voices Behind the Voices

Next, we welcomed Laura from Grateful Heart Productions, a seasoned voice actor with a love of audiobooks and storytelling. After 30+ years in radio and production, the pandemic nudged her into the solopreneur spotlight—and we are here for it.

She brought such heart to the room, and I reminded her (as I remind you now): we’re not meant to do this alone. That’s what this Brain Trust is for.

💬 “Camp for entrepreneurs—that’s what this feels like.” – said Rich Buyer to our Laura Lambert

🔮 The Intuitives (a.k.a. Our Mystic Crew)

Then came Maria, our intuitive strategy guide, offering free sessions (which I gently nudged into “pay what you can,” because energy and wisdom are currency, folks). She’s helping government workers and subcontractors in transition find their path forward with clarity and heart.

And don’t even get me started on how important it is for all you beautiful sensitives and mystics to protect your emotional bandwidth. (You know who you are. Take naps.)

💬 “This wisdom took decades of experience. Don’t give it away for free.” – Me, obviously.

🎂 Birthday Clown Serenades (You Had to Be There)

It was Sharon’s birthday, and in true sacred clown style, we gave her the classic “Happy Birthday, you’re one day closer to death” song. 🖤💀 With dead roses. Burnt candles. And enough silliness to make Tim Burton proud.

💬 “People dying everywhere on your birthday! One day closer to your DEATH! Happy Birthday!” – The Clown Choir

🎭 Comedy + Business = Magic

Jeff, our comedic sage, reminded us all that laughter sells. He’s blending speaking and comedy in a new podcast that will spotlight how entrepreneurs can use humor to be memorable (and make more moolah). Stay tuned, this man’s on fire (and his Canva game is strong).

💬 “Memorable makes you more at-bats. More at-bats makes more sales. More sales = more profit.” – Jeff Kothe

🧠 Tech & Nintendo News?! Why Not.

Matt, our favorite emotionally intelligent IT guy, dropped updates about the new Mario Kart (yep, it’s coming), Windows 11 self-repair (hallelujah), and Apple Mail tabs (finally!). He also got shoutouts for his legendary Sheepy Bag (that I use every single day, thank you very much).

🌱 So… Why Do We Do This Again?

Because we’re not normal.
You, dear reader, are not normal.
And we think that’s absolutely perfect.

We gather because we’re creating things that don’t exist yet.
We support each other because we know the road can get real weird.
And we laugh, sing, and dance because joy is our fuel.

So to every one of you who showed up—thank you.
You make these Friday mornings feel like magic.

Wanna join us next time? Keep an eye on your email (and your coffee cup).
Until then—
Stop being normal. Start thriving.

With love, laughter, and lots of levity,
Janine