Her Origin Story

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What happens when you've built a successful business, but it no longer feels like freedom?

In this episode, Colleen Kranz shares her journey from growing up on a sheep farm to leading marketing teams in corporate America and eventually launching her own business. But after leaving corporate to create more flexibility, she found herself facing a second burnout, this time inside a business she had built hers...

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Amy shares how racing go‑karts as a child gave her early lessons in competition, sponsorship, and community; lessons that still guide her work today.

She recalls launching a speaking tour of six elementary schools at age 10 to show kids they could do big things right now, and how that visibility led to a radio show at 13.

We talk about her 18 years in the nonprofit association world, where she learned the p...

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Hady reflects on her mother’s saying, “Closed mouths don’t let flies in,” and how that lesson in silence shaped her early years and followed her into a 25‑year career in male‑dominated tech and finance.

She shares how being the youngest of four sisters pushed her to carve out her own identity, always looking for ways to do things differently and stand out.

We talk about her mission w...

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Amanda reflects on the pivotal moment when her husband told her their marriage couldn’t sustain her distraction, and how that conversation forced her to confront the gap between who she was becoming and who she was expected to be.

She explains how she accidentally fell into real estate investing, starting with a few hours of paperwork each week, and how curiosity turned that opportunity into her life...

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Kristina shares how babysitting for her neighbor (who happened to be a drill team director) set her on a path from gymnast to dancer, eventually leading her into business ownership and expanding Crowd Pleasers into a premier Texas company.

Brie recalls growing up as an only child, quitting dance to try sports, then rediscovering her passion in high school and realizing dance was the place she belonged.

Toge...

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Urmi opens up about growing up in a strict, traditional South Asian household in Italy, where women were expected to follow rigid rules and boys were given more freedom. She reflects on how those early experiences shaped her drive to challenge inequality and advocate for women.

She shares how questioning her cultural identity led her to embrace both sides of her heritage, turning what once felt like a limi...

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Ramona recalls the moment she discovered theater as a place where she could finally be loud and expressive, despite growing up in a quiet household. That spark led her from biology labs to playwriting, and eventually into nonprofit leadership.

She reflects on her winding career path; from running arts organizations to teaching nonprofit management, and how teaching gave her a deeper appreciation for empath...

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Brandi reflects on the seed that started her entrepreneurial path: her late husband’s encouragement to work for herself instead of climbing the corporate ladder. That shift revealed her natural curiosity and drive to question systems, even when it made her a “bad employee” in rigid corporate environments.

She opens up about one of the hardest moments of her life; standing at the podium ...

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Kristin reflects on her early years as an art major, moving to San Francisco, and the defining moment when she stepped into the corporate world at McKinsey & Company. That decision shifted her trajectory from art and galleries into business and leadership.

She opens up about the summer of 2023, when she and 1,000 colleagues were furloughed overnight after their company imploded in scandal. The sudden...

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Deborah Newton opens up about losing her dad at age five, watching her mom’s resilience, and how those early lessons shaped her drive to succeed. She reflects on the devastating loss of her mom in 2024, the guilt she still carries, and the strength she draws from her mother’s example of perseverance and grace.

She shares her winding career path — from dreams of law and investigative rep...

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What do you do when the future you’ve planned since childhood suddenly disappears?

Natalie Hurdley takes us back to her teenage years as a professional soccer player, when a devastating injury ended her career at just 15. With her dad’s tough but fair advice, “Plan A is gone, what’s Plan B?”, she pivoted into coaching and eventually discovered personal training as a way to h...

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What happens when early lessons about speaking up collide with cultural conditioning that tells you to stay quiet?

In this episode, Karen Laos takes us back to a flea market at age six, where her dad taught her the power of asking for what you want. She reflects on the confusing mix of influences she grew up with a father who reinforced negotiation and a mother who modeled silence at home but leadership ...

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What if building a successful business wasn't about working harder, but about building one that actually supports the life you want?

In this episode, Toby sits down with Angela Greaser, co-founder of Stand for the And, to explore the unexpected path that led her into entrepreneurship. Angela reflects on growing up with a heart for teaching and international missions, preparing to move to Africa before he...

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What do you do when the path you've carefully planned no longer feels like the one you're meant to follow?

In this episode, Ally Berthiaume shares how her lifelong love of writing kept calling her back, even as she explored careers in psychology, forensic work, and mental health. Although she was fascinated by understanding people and human behavior, she realized that writing was the thing that truly lit...

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What if the very struggles that once made you feel broken became the reason you could help others heal?

In this episode, Cynthia Coufal shares her deeply personal origin story—from growing up as a rebellious teen in a strict religious environment to becoming an educator and coach who helps teens navigate anxiety, self-discovery, and life's biggest transitions. Cynthia opens up about the years she s...

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What happens when the life you planned for yourself evolves into something completely different?

In this episode, Cindy Liebel shares her origin story, from dreaming of becoming a fashion designer as a child, to serving in the military, climbing the corporate ladder, and eventually building a successful career as a jewelry artist and entrepreneur. Cindy reflects on how travel, architecture, art, and fash...

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Randi Kest’s story is about resilience, identity, and the courage to pivot midlife. After a layoff from her media career, she faced the challenge of redefining her path while navigating perimenopause, divorce, and self‑doubt. What began as uncertainty turned into a calling: supporting women through coaching, writing, and connection.

In this episode, Randi shares how mentors and communities helped h...

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Amy Lokken’s story is one of reinvention, resilience, and soul‑led pivots. Growing up on a Wisconsin dairy farm taught her resourcefulness and creativity, lessons she carried into a career in retail design and eventually into launching Mood Modular, her award‑winning marketing display system. When life shifted, and she became the primary caregiver for her parents through cancer and Lewy body dement...

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Teresa Thomas has spent her life weaving connections that matter. From organizing arts celebrations in college to leading Women In Networking for over 20 years, her story is rooted in creating spaces where people feel valued and belong. In this episode, she shares how curiosity can replace transactional networking, why having a role or purpose makes connecting easier, and how her project 50 Fun Things gr...