Lynne Golodner

Author, Writing Coach & Marketing Entrepreneur

You know that person you were when you were little, before the pressures and stresses of having to earn a living or support a family? Back when you engaged in activities simply because they were fun and you were driven to do them? For me, that person loved writing.

When I was younger, I carried around a corduroy-covered journal (which now sits behind my desk as a reminder to be true to my Self!), and I filled the pages with stories, poems, and short plays. Writing has always been my way of figuring out the world, of capturing momentary beauty and stunning silence.

As a journalist, I’ve written about home, architecture, real estate, food, faith, and family, and I am the author of eight books. I’ve lived in New York, Washington, D.C., and Detroit, and in 2007, I pivoted from full-time journalist to marketing entrepreneur when I created Your People LLC.

I was a single mother of three young children when I built Your People – a marketing and public relations company that uses storytelling, relationships, and higher purpose to build reach for our clients. These days, we specialize in working with schools and universities, as well as entrepreneurs, and I’ve developed a niche in supporting Waldorf schools. I’ve won lots of awards for my marketing expertise and successes!

For more than 20 years, I’ve also taught writing at the university level, most recently as faculty at the University of Detroit Mercy and WritingWorkshops.com. In 2021, I launched The Writers Community to support adults in becoming the writers they always wanted to be.

I’m also the host of the Make Meaning Podcast, which I launched in 2018 on my father’s 80th birthday. He was my first guest, and I’ve interviewed writers, educators, entrepreneurs, and other leaders. Check out recent episodes here.

I was a Fulbright Specialist from 2017-2020, and I am a graduate of the University of Michigan (BA, Communications/English) and Goddard College (MFA, Writing). I am the mother of four teenagers and, I live in Huntington Woods, Michigan with my wonderful husband, Wayne State University archivist Dan Golodner.

Other places you’ll find me: Your People, Make Meaning, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Lynne in the News

The Make Meaning Podcast

What does it actually look like to live a purpose-driven life? How exactly do company leaders, educators and entrepreneurs make decisions from a meaning-first perspective? The Make Meaning podcast ponders these questions in conversation with educators, authors, entrepreneurs and leaders of some of the most inspiring, purpose-driven organizations in the world. Host Lynne Golodner is a journalist, multi-title author, writing coach, award-winning marketing strategist and inspirational speaker who knows how to ask the right questions to yield rich, inspiring conversations. Since our first episode on July 9, 2018, we have interviewed more than 100 visionaries. Listen to the latest episodes!

In a way, every person is a storyteller, according to Jake Neher, senior producer for Detroit Today on 101.9 FM WDET in Detroit. As co-host of the weekly series and podcast MichMash, not only does Jake have storytelling gifts, but he brings a huge passion for gardening to guide his curiosity when choosing guests and asking questions. As his radio career took him to Barrow, Alaska, New York City and finally Detroit, Jake nurtured this interest in growing things, via a little hydroponic garden in the dark and cold of America’s northernmost reaches to a lone tomato plant on a fire escape in NYC. Living in Detroit with his wife and two sons allows Jake to spend his off-the-air hours in a backyard filled with vibrant produce and plenty of space to garden!

In the latest episode of the Make Meaning Podcast, Jake speaks with host Lynne Golodner about how he combined his passion for gardening and radio into a special series, WDET: At Home, offering tips for people learning to garden during the pandemic. He talks about how gardening can teach us to find value in underappreciated things like soil – something we tread upon every day feeds our plants and therefore feeds us. Just as he nourishes his passion for gardening, Jake suggests that we all engage with our passions unabashedly and see where they lead us.

In this episode, Lynne and Jake discuss: