Building the Valley: Pair of Freeport Area mothers manage businesses and families together

The covid-19 pandemic brought two longtime Freeport Area friends even closer together in ways they never would have imagined.

Marcie Marasia of Buffalo Township and Beth Linhart of Freeport have been friends for about a decade. They each have three children and bonded, in part, because of the kids.

When the covid-19 pandemic shut down the world, the women decided that their two families of five should come together as a group 10.

For the past year-and-a-half, the families have eaten dinner together every day. They share the responsibility of getting the six kids to their respective obligations.

“With multiple kids going in different directions, having four adults to help move the other people around just made more sense,” Linhart said.

Marasia’s husband, George, runs a construction business and is a pastor in Brackenridge. Linhart’s husband, Patrick, works for the Postal Service.

Their families have become so comfortable that the two moms decided in July to open new businesses in the same shared office space at 225 Fifth St. in Freeport.

Marasia is a financial coach and full-service notary. Linhart is an independent travel agent under the umbrella of Cruises & Tours Unlimited. Her business name, Travel with Beth Rae, is displayed on the sign above the storefront.

Marasia, an ordained pastor through the Churches of God General Conference, earned an associate’s degree in executive office administration and a bachelor’s degree in leadership and ministry from Kansas Christian College.

She also has a certification in financial coaching through Ramsey Solutions and notary certifications through the state.

“I knew if I wanted to get into PennDOT (notary) I needed a physical location,” Marasia said.

Marasia, whose company is called Marasia Financial & Notary Services, explained that being a financial coach is not the same as being a financial advisor. Her company information is displayed on the building’s window.

“My specialty is teaching individuals and couples and families how to budget and how to stay on budget, and how to live on a budget so that they have more money in their pocket,” she said. “I guide people through learning how to manage their money that they have coming in every month so that they can get to the point where they can invest and retire appropriately.”

Financial advisors generally focus on investments and long-term financial planning.

Marasia began her journey as a financial coach from home in January.

Linhart started her travel business from her home the same month. She specializes in group trips, and consultations are free.

“Travel is my passion,” Linhart said. “I have always loved travel.”

When she and Patrick were first married and the kids were little, they didn’t have a lot of money. Dreaming about vacations and travel was her escape.

“I had a file folder when my kids were really little of all these mini-vacations we could take under $1,000 for a family of five, and I would research,” Linhart said. “I would research the area that we were going to, to the extent that I knew which restaurants I could sign up ahead of time for their rewards programs and all of that kind of stuff. So I could find deals and discounts and whatever I needed.”

It was the research and extra effort that helped the family travel to many locations over the years. She hopes the experiences gained a knowledge that will help other families have fun.

“I thrive on learning about new places, finding out what there is (and) what you can do,” Linhart said. “I love spontaneity, but I love to know what my options are going in.”

She credits her husband’s support for pushing through doubts about starting a business venture during these uncertain times.

“Everybody said you’re crazy,” Linhart said. “Why are you getting into travel during covid? What we’ve found is that covid actually has helped the travel agency business because people want certain insurances. They want to know they have somebody in their corner to help them if suddenly they have to quarantine for seven days. They want somebody else to be able to say, ‘Let me take care of this and get this figured out for you.’ ”

The women’s location along Fifth Street is close to a spa, restaurant and other businesses.

“It’s nice that we can walk up to the coffee shop,” Marasia said. “It’s nice that we can grab lunch next door at some of the places that are here. We know most of the other business owners because either I graduated with them, or they graduated with one of our husbands, or our kids go to school with their kids.

“I couldn’t imagine anybody that I’d rather have to hang out with at work every day but my best friend. It just kind of works that way.”