Learning Love and Letting Things Grow: A Conversation with Dr. Mark Hicks

This month’s Flowers Bloom Anyway episode is a little different, and exactly what I think many of us need right now. I sat down with Dr. Mark Hicks at Podfest Expo to talk about his book Learning Love: Building a Life That Matters and Healthy Relationships That Last. While we often focus on the business side of things here—marketing, agritourism, systems—this episode leans into something just as critical for entrepreneurs: relationships.

If you’ve been following along, you know these “Flowers Bloom Anyway” episodes are where I unpack the emotional, personal, and often messy parts of building a business while living a real, human life. This conversation with Mark touches all of that.

Learning Love After Loss

Mark’s story starts in a place that many of us can relate to disappointment, grief, and asking hard questions. After going through a difficult divorce, he started to question whether love was real or just something some people stumble into. That question eventually became a mission, and then a book.

Mark explains that love isn’t just something you feel. It’s something you can learn, teach, and build. His framework breaks love into five components and shows how those apply across every relationship in our lives. This includes marriage, family, friendships, coworkers, and even how we show up in our communities.

Why Publishing Matters

One reason I wanted Mark on the podcast is because our publishing journeys have run parallel. We both self-published first, and we both ended up working with Morgan James Publishing. That process was about so much more than getting a book in stores. It was about putting the right message into the world and letting it reach the right people.

At Podfest, we heard a speaker say: “Write the book that gets you where you want to be in five years.” That single line changed everything for me. I had been stuck on a self-help book about grief that didn’t quite fit. After hearing that, I pivoted. I decided to stop trying to teach grief and instead write my story. Meanwhile, Mark leaned into his calling to help others build better relationships.

When Business Becomes Personal

Most of my audience is made up of flower farmers and small business owners in rural communities. Many of us started our ventures from a place of passion or necessity, but there’s always a turning point where a hobby becomes a business. For me, that turning point came when I stopped focusing only on logistics and started considering how my business was impacting my relationships.

Was it sustainable for my family? Was I showing up well for the people around me? Was I creating a business I actually wanted to live inside?

Mark reinforced this idea throughout our conversation. He reminds us that business is about people. Our coworkers, customers, and even our stress responses all come back to relationships. You can have a perfect crop plan or killer marketing, but if you’re falling apart emotionally, it’s going to catch up with you.

What Love Has to Do with Business

Mark’s background in counseling, ministry, and addiction recovery gives him a unique lens on this topic. He connects the dots between emotional health and every area of our lives, including work. When you understand the emotional mechanics of love, how to show up, how to repair damage, how to communicate, you can apply that anywhere.

He believes, and I agree, that if we learn how to build healthy relationships, everything else gets better. Home life. Work life. Community impact. Your business becomes an extension of your values rather than something that drains you.

Rooted and Real

If you’re building something whether it’s a farm, a venue, a book, or a business you’re also building relationships. And that requires just as much intention and care. This episode is a great reminder that flowers bloom anyway, even through grief, burnout, and change. And that when we learn love, we learn how to grow.

You can find Dr. Mark Hicks’ book and podcast at learninglovefoundation.com.

Let’s keep learning, growing, and rooting for each other.