EPISODES

JUNI FELIX was born into a whirlwind of trauma, abuse and poverty. Her mother was adopted from Tokyo when she was 4 years old. Juni says her mother never healed from her adoption abandonment wound. She watched her Mom struggle with loss her entire life. Juni spent her entire childhood on suicide watch over her mother. Today, Juni Felix is an advocate and champion for mental health, helping others begin their own healing journey. JUNI calls trauma 'bad code in the brain." During our interview, J...

Yolanda J Nagy is the founder of Eatin' and Sippin' Locally LLC. She's a Farmers Market Consultant and Social Media Manager. A native Austinite, Yolanda showcases the best Texas markets, vendors and helps them build their business. She also writes for Edible Austin, a magazine dedicated to the Austin local scene. Yolanda helps Farmers Markets and vendors connect with their customers through social media. Her podcast, Eatin' and Sippin' Locally, features local ...

Mother's Day Spotlight On this episode, I'm super excited to share this interview with my MOM - Joan (pronounced Jo Ann). She talks about what it was like to be a woman in the 1950's. During our conversation, Mom and I discuss the importance of family, travel, love and the power of choice. Resilient My folks were from Cedar Rapids, Iowa and met in high school. They started out with little money, worked hard and had to start over again in their 60's. &n...

Mom, Fitness Expert, Tiny Habits Coach Brittany Power is a powerful woman. She is a mom of six ---3 sons from a previous marriage, 2 stepdaughters & a toddler. Throughout her life, Brittany has used her struggles as life lessons. A Leukemia cancer survivor, she experienced the life changing loss of her younger brother and watched her Dad disintegrate from Alzheimer’s. Brittany knows life is tough but women are tougher. Her success started with a rock bottom moment that was transformed becaus...

Do you struggle with sugar? Are you on a journey to live a healthier life? This is the interview for you. On this episode I talk with Certified Tiny Habits Coaches Andrea Spyros and Juni Felix. Juni Felix is a bestselling author of You are Worth the Work – Moving Forward from Trauma to Faith. She's a member of Dr. BJ Fogg’s Stanford University Behavior Design Teaching Team, a C.S. Lewis Institute Fellow, and a radio and podcast host. Learn more about Juni at junifelix.com. Behavior Design ex...

Maci Wescott is a digital marketer and messaging strategist who brings words and solutions together like magic. She works with clients on their copy, brand and launch planning. I've experienced Maci's expertise first hand. Maci dives deep to get to know her client and their business. But that's not where she started. Listen in and you'll hear how Maci took an unpaid internship that changed her career. Since taking that leap, Maci has worked on more than 200 launches, some resulting in multiple ...

Listen in as three good friends meet over margaritas and talk about family and the meaning of friendship. I've wanted to do an interview with my two friends - Wendy Conklin and Grace Capwell - for some time. Wendy is the founder of Chair Whimsy. Grace Capwell is a strategic communications leader. Over the years we've shared our experiences as women......moms, wives, daughters, aunts and sisters. We're all different ages and in various stages of our lives. We met when our children were young and...

Travel - Just do it Talking with Lea Lane is like having coffee or a glass of wine with a dear friend. Interesting, educational and just plain fun. Over the years, Lea's been to more than 100 countries. During the pandemic she started her award-winning podcast, Places I Remember with Lea Lane. Lea Lane has written more than a thousand travel pieces and columns, and contributed to Fodor’s guidebooks and Unofficial Guides. She’s authored eight books, including award-winners Solo Traveler, Trave...

I'm honored to share this interview with my former Texas State University colleague Dr. Cassandra LeClair. She's an author, professor, communication consultant, and motivational speaker. Dr. LeClair's story is powerful. For many years as a child, Cassandra was the victim of sexual abuse. For decades, she never told a soul. She shares the heartbreaking story of her abuse in her book Being Whole: Healing from Trauma and Reclaiming My Voice. Cassandra's mission is to educate ...

Pivot (verb) to make a significant change in position, strategy, or process On this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Personal and Professional Development Coach Pam Danyluk from her office in Canada. Pam Danyluk is an engineer-turned-coach, with a life story full of pivots. Her personal experience with CliftonStrengths shifted the way she approaches not only her career, but the rest of her life as well. In addition to coaching individuals and t...

Improve your public speaking skills In this episode, you'll learn 5 simple tips to help you become a more effective communicator. Andrea Spyros, Behavior Design expert and Tiny Habits Certified Coach, shows leaders and their teams a simple, science-based system to solve challenges with ease. Her keynotes and workshops help organizations break through the Myth of Motivation to see real results in all areas of operation. Andy talked about her entrepreneurial journey and how she bui...

Adoption, Culture and Family On this episode I was honored to interview Natalie Pappas. She was adopted from the Hunan Province of China when she was two years old. I was there on that September day. My husband and I adopted our oldest daughter from the same orphanage. A life changing event. Natalie Pappas created the online project Tiger Lily Stories to provide a space and a platform for adoptee voices and stories. During our conversation, we talk about race...

Andrea Spyros, Behavior Design expert and Tiny Habits Certified Coach, shows leaders and their teams a simple, science-based system to solve challenges with ease. Her keynotes and workshops help organizations break through the Myth of Motivation to see real results in all areas of operation. Spyros admits that she never really 'fit the mold.' She says her journey was messy. You'll love her honesty and humor. I think that's what makes her an effective, authentic communicator. For Andy, communit...

On this episode you'll hear my interview with entrepreneur, author and fitness enthusiast Jack Lowe. I reached out to Jack after reading an article on the Ageist media site. I'm fascinated by his successful business career and what Jack calls his "end of career story. " At almost 80 years old, he's on a mission to change the idea of aging. Early this year, Jack Lowe released his new book Get Fit for Life: My Journey with Fitness, Health and Aging. You can find ...

On this episode, I talk with Anna Orenstein-Cardona. She's a London-based financial coach and an FEC certified financial educator. Anna is on a mission to close the gap in financial literacy. You'll hear about her fascinating journey and why she started her business, Wear Your Money Crown. I hope you enjoy our conversation. Key Takeaways For well being, we all need mental, spiritual, physical and financial health.Understand your financial behaviors.Financial freedom means having the choice t...

1000 Day Streak - September 24, 2021 Athlete Sandra Mikulic is an inspiration. She's been running or walking 5 kms EVERY DAY since January 1, 2019. Sandra keeps MOVING and encourages us to do the same. "I don't fear showing up. I don't fear being seen." Sandra Mikulic is a mother of 4, a Plus-size Athlete, full-time banker and advocate for all size athletes. She wants all size athletes to be "fairly represented in media to change the stereotype that on...

Many people search for their purpose. For Mindy Henderson, purpose found her. She gave her first speech at the age of 4. Mindy was the Texas representative for the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Telethon. I was honored to talk with speaker, author and coach Mindy Henderson about change, determination and life as an entrepreneur. She was recently recognized by Austin Woman Magazine as a Woman to Watch. About Mindy: Mindy Henderson is a Motivational Speaker, Writer, Coach, Host...

Augusto Valverde is the creative force behind Global Child TV, the new generation world travel show that blends luxury, adventure and life lessons. He is also the founder of the BIG Foundation, a non-profit organization that brings together Christians, Jews and Muslims to help people in need, regardless of their faith or beliefs. Augusto Valverde grew in Mexico City and moved to Canada at the age of 19. He returned to Miami where he launched SWAY Magazine and worked as it's Chief Editor. August...

I've been moved by recent violence and racism against our Asian American communities. Years ago my husband and I adopted two daughters from China. Our family is a blend of culture and color. I found a thoughtful Facebook post by Asian adoptee Anna Rochelle Rangel. I contacted Anna and interviewed her on Zoom. Anna describes herself as Phenomenally Asian & Proud Adoptee. Here's part of her Facebook post: The Asian American Experience to me is: ...

Movement doesn’t have to be complicated to be powerful. In this episode, Lisa Byrne reminds us that feeling better starts with moving a little—and that the smallest steps can lead to the biggest shifts in both body and mindset. Lisa Byrne is an Exercise Physiologist, Certified Pilates Instructor and Movement Coach. I noticed her creative posts on Instagram. Lisa inspires me to find simple ways to keep moving. She is studio owner and the creative force behind MoveMoreToday, Pilates for Sport, ...

Show Notes March is Women’s History Month. And Monday, March 8, 2021 is International Women's Day. The 2021 International Women's Day theme is is Choose to Challenge. To recognize women who choose to challenge, I’m shining the spotlight on some of our outstanding guests from season 1. A solo entrepreneur for more than 25 years, Elisa Victoria Jimenez decided at the age of 15 that her life would be her greatest work of art. She's interested in the relationship ...

Marla Lackey's life changed when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her mother had been her best friend, her rock. Now the roles were reversed. Marla, a registered nurse for years, took on the role of caregiver. Throughout her journey, Marla started to experience what she describes as ‘full-circle” or ‘spiritual aha’ moments. She wrote her memoir to share her story and help others. Key Takeaways: ● Be open to spiritual ‘aha’ moments ...

Anna Mazurek's number one priority in life is to travel. So far, she has traveled to more than 50 countries around the world. And she's done it on a budget. Anna Mazurek is a freelance travel photographer, writer and university lecturer based in Austin, Texas. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, AFAR and Rolling Stone. She is a budget travel expert and author of the book, Good With Money: A Guide to Prioritizing Spending, Maximizing Savi...

Show Notes Have you ever wanted to buy a van, hit the road and travel the United States? Well, that's just what YoungWa decided to do. She moved to Austin from Seattle two years ago. YoungWa grew tired of corporate life and decided to make a life change. Using her savings, she bought a Storyteller Overland van and started making plans. In late October 2020, YoungWa and her dog, Kimchi, started out on their new RV adventure. Kimchi is the cutest Au...