S2E5: The Franchise Was Thriving. The Marriage Was Cracking. How Dori Stewart Built Her Business To Be Her Way Out | Part 1

This week on The Tox Drop, Maggie sits down with Dori Stewart – mother, international franchisor, community leader, founder of Fredericksburg Neighbors, and author of Own the Block. 

Before she was a business owner franchising across the globe, Dori was a high school engineering teacher who loved giving students a chance to shine beyond the football field. What began as an after-school program for her own elementary-aged children quickly grew into Engineering For Kids, a business that would out-earn her teaching salary in a single summer and eventually expand through franchising. But while her professional life was accelerating, her personal life was quietly unraveling. In this candid and deeply honest conversation, Dori shares what it looked like to build a business in private, navigate an unsupportive marriage, plan a strategic exit during a recession, and protect not only her children—but hundreds of franchisees who depended on her leadership.

This episode is about more than entrepreneurship. It’s about being seen. It’s about necessity igniting courage. It’s about winning your zip code before you try to win the world. And it’s about the quiet strength it takes to rebuild your life from the inside out.

As always, stay tuned for the second half of Maggie and Dori’s conversation, next week! In the second half of this conversation, they explore how Dori rebuilt, found love again, and stepped fully into the life and leadership she owns today. This conversation with Dori is filled with relatability and inspiration, so grab coffee from your favorite local coffee shop, and press play!

 

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