It can mean a cold evening around a campfire, a country concert with friends, an afternoon on the lake or a memory of her wedding day. These themes run throughout Natasha’s life, from the way she and husband Paul spend their weekends to the deeply personal work she does through Elder Path.
“I’m a country girl,” Natasha says.
Born in Arkansas and raised in Florida, she was living on her own by 17 and found her footing working in the restaurant industry. Behind the bar, she learned about tastings, craft cocktails and spirits, but she also gained skills that would follow her far beyond hospitality.
Working in the industry, Natasha says, taught her “people skills and thinking on your feet, problem solving, money handling and decision making.”
Along the way, she also discovered what she liked to drink. Her tastes lean bold, whether she is choosing red wine or whiskey. She is more likely to order bourbon straight than a complicated cocktail.
Whiskey eventually became part of the love story she shares with Paul.
When they were planning their wedding on their Tennessee acreage, Natasha asked him if he could find a couple of bottles for their guests. He returned with about nine. Somewhere in the process, Paul began discovering his own whiskey preferences and, like Natasha, landed on Woodford Reserve.
Their celebration embraced the couple’s country style, incorporating whiskey barrels and an old-farm feel into the outdoor and indoor spaces. Paul handled the cooking, and the newlyweds shared their first dance to Lee Brice’s “I Like Your Soul.”
Even their wedding bands carry the memory. Designed with a barrel-like appearance reminiscent of whiskey barrels, they are engraved with the words “I like your soul.”
The barrels themselves didn’t disappear after the celebration, either. Natasha and Paul describe themselves as a boho, reuse-and-repurpose family, and today pieces from their wedding have been incorporated into their home. The whiskey barrels became part of a bar lounge, while a barrel top signed with good wishes from their wedding guests hangs above it.
“We are both simplistic and functional rather than being into knickknacks or clutter,” Natasha says. “Less is more when it comes to décor. We are too busy being outdoors and on the go.”
That often means country concerts, time with family and friends or heading onto the water aboard their pontoon, appropriately named Whiskey Toons. Even the boat’s graphics have personal significance: Natasha says the Wisniewski family name has associations with cherries in Polish, inspiring them to incorporate a cherry into the design.
On hot lake days, the couple even created their own version of a whiskey cocktail, combining club soda, fresh spearmint from their garden, monk fruit and a natural lemonade mixer with whiskey for a refreshing, lower-sugar drink.
Their interest has also taken them onto the Tennessee Whiskey Trail, which they are about halfway through completing. But ask Natasha what whiskey evokes for her, and her answer has less to do with labels or tasting notes than the setting surrounding the glass.
It reminds her of warmth, camping, sitting around a fire and time outdoors. A perfect weekend might include boating through the locks to Chattanooga’s riverfront for live music, meeting family and friends, or tailgating before a concert.
That emphasis on people and meaningful moments also provides a bridge to another important part of Natasha’s life.
After years of caring for family members and friends’ loved ones, working in senior housing and helping families transition into care settings, Natasha became intimately familiar with how overwhelming aging-related decisions can be. Caring for her mother during the final year of her life made the need even more personal.
“So many families do not know what to do,” Natasha says. “They do not know where to start or what questions to ask.”
She founded Elder Path to help change that by educating and supporting families as they navigate difficult life transitions.
Even the company’s logo carries her mother with her. An infinity symbol reflects the phrase her mother often shared with her: “You and me, infinity.” An orange element honors her mother’s favorite color and their connection to motorcycles, while a pixie detail recalls the nickname inspired by her mother’s short hair and distinctive pixie-like ears.
Her mother’s final moments, with Natasha by her bedside, remain a powerful part of the story behind Elder Path and its mission.
In many ways, the different pieces of Natasha’s life fit together more naturally than they might initially appear. The restaurant industry taught her to read people and react quickly. Caring for loved ones taught her the importance of guidance and presence. Her home preserves memories rather than simply displaying possessions. And a favorite whiskey is rarely just about the whiskey.
For Natasha, the best things seem to be the ones shared around a fire, on the water, across a table or beside someone who needs you most.
"So many families do not know what to do. They do not know where to start or what questions to ask."