Seacoast Stories
Episode · Oct 13, 2025 · 75 min

“I Spent 20 Years Learning NOT to Be a Woman” Jennifer Wilder Breaks Silence on Past Life! Plus, How the LANEY & LU Founder Built an Empire Against All Odds (Part 1)

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*This episode contains references to sexual harassment. Listener discretion is advised.*

They told her no one would buy turmeric lattes. That she was crazy for leaving a $350,000 salary behind.

That she needed to have sex with her boss for any shot at career advancement.

Jennifer Wilder has heard it all. It's never stopped her before, and now, at 48 years old, nothing can.

Wilder (formerly known as Jennifer Desrosiers) is the "boss babe" owner of Seacoast favorites LANEY & LU and Ginger Fox Bakery. Before opening LANEY & LU in Exeter, N.H., 10 years ago, Jen lived a completely different life, having spent 20 years working in manufacturing, engineering, and plastics.

And now, in Part One of a two-part conversation, the Seacoast's top adventuress is ready to tell all.

From the West End of Portsmouth, Jennifer and host Troy Farkas discuss Jen's childhood, her "brutal" experiences with sexual harassment in her past career, and the health issues that led her to completely change course.

Plus, what she learned about herself during yoga teacher training, the vision that led her to create LANEY & LU, why the brand took off more than she ever imagined it would, growing her restaurant empire, becoming a role model for female entrepreneurs, and much, much more.

CHAPTERS:

Jen Wilder's upbringing (00:00)The good, bad, and ugly from corporate life (11:34)The chain of events that led Jen to throw away her past life (20:00)How Jen became a leading voice in the female entrepreneur scene (32:38)Opening LANEY & LU in 2015 (42:52)The expansion of Jen's brand & restaurant empire (55:00)

If you're a business owner in need of some 1:1 coaching, you can work with Jen by inquiring here.

SPONSORS:

⁠⁠⁠Jennifer Bakos Photography⁠⁠⁠: Small biz owners can get 10% off your first photography session by DM'ing Jenn ⁠⁠⁠@jennbakosphoto ⁠⁠⁠on Instagram! Just tell her you're a fan of the podcast 😊LADIES! To learn more about what's going on with your hormones, you can get a FREE lab consultation with Dr. Whitney Elsesser by visiting the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holistic & Hormonal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ web site when you write "HORMONES" on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the contact page.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Newer episodeJennifer Wilder on LANEY & LU's MESSY (& Costly) Portsmouth Opening & the Real Reason Exeter Closed! Plus, Ghosting & Changing Her Name (Part 2) Older episode“A BILLION Dollar Company!” The Seacoast Tech Couple Bringing STRANGERS Together for Dinner (And What Actually Happens at Seacoast Stories Dinner Club)

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