Penny for your Shots

What if the dream you’ve been carrying for decades is still waiting for you?

Susan Lienau is 65 years young. She’s spent over 40 years running a small-town bar in northeast Iowa. She’s helped launch a community museum, serves on the city council, co-owns an Airbnb—and somewhere between raising four boys and welcoming six grandchildren, she finally decided to write the children’s book she’d imagined her entire life.

Not because it was...

Busy doesn’t mean productive. And exhausted doesn’t mean successful.

In this episode, Peggy Sullivan — former corporate executive turned researcher and speaker — shares what 12 years of data revealed about time poverty, burnout, and the hidden damage of hustle culture.

If you’ve ever felt like there’s never enough time, like your calendar is packed but your goals aren’t moving, this conversation will feel both validating and empoweri...

You can be busy, capable, and doing all the “right” things—and still feel stuck.

If you’ve ever wondered why your results don’t match your potential, this episode is for you.

In this conversation, Penny sits down with Nada Lena Nasserdeen, founder of Rise Up For You, international speaker, and author. Nada has worked with Fortune 500 companies and entrepreneurs around the world, helping people build confidence, communicate more effec...

If you’re in a season of transition and quietly wondering, “Did I miss my window?”—this episode is for you.

Penny is joined by Julie DeLucca-Collins, confidence coach, author, and fellow podcaster, for an honest conversation about career pivots, self-trust, and why you’re never truly starting over. Julie shares how being laid off during the pandemic became the catalyst for building a purpose-driven business—and how confidence is les...

There’s a moment many women reach—usually after a few decades of living—when things get clearer. The stories don’t quite add up anymore. The excuses land flat. And that inner voice gets a whole lot louder.

In this episode of Penny for Your Shots, I sit down with therapist Gina Haras for a thoughtful conversation about wisdom, discernment, and why our “BS meter” tends to get sharper with age. We explore how experience shapes clarity,...

If you’ve ever questioned your value, your voice, or whether you’re really using your seat at the table the way you’re meant to—this episode is for you.

I’m joined by Sarah Barnes-Humphrey, a longtime logistics leader, podcast host, nonprofit founder, and author whose work centers on self-worth, inclusion, and creating spaces where people feel safe, seen, and heard.

Sarah shares her journey through male-dominated industries, unexpect...

If you’ve ever felt like you know what good leadership looks like—but still catch yourself waiting for agreement, approval, or buy-in—this episode will feel like permission you didn’t know you needed.

I’m joined by Tami Reiss (aka Tami from Miami), and this conversation beautifully reinforces what I teach again and again: you don’t need consensus to lead—you need clarity.

This isn’t about becoming more forceful, louder, or more “corp...

Have you ever hired help—only to feel more overwhelmed than before? More questions. More messages. More mental clutter than ever?

In this episode of Penny for Your Shots, I’m joined by Melissa Morris, founder of Agency Authority, for a grounding, practical conversation about why burnout doesn’t magically disappear when you build a team—and how the right systems can truly give you your life back.

This isn’t about rigid processes or co...

What if the most powerful New Year reset isn’t about doing more—but about finally letting yourself matter again?

In this short solo episode, Penny shares a surprising insight from a recent workshop that revealed just how many women are quietly carrying too much—while putting their own joy on hold.

If you’re the strong one, the caregiver, the helper, or the woman everyone depends on, this conversation is a gentle reminder that service...

Entrepreneurship can be meaningful, joyful, and deeply fulfilling—and it can also be really hard.

In this solo episode, Penny shares a candid look back at 2025 and the behind-the-scenes realities of building a purpose-driven business. This is an honest conversation about what it looks like to keep going when the path feels slower, heavier, or more uncertain than you expected.

If you’ve ever questioned your purpose, wondered if you sh...

Some conversations feel like a catch-up over wine—and then turn into something deeper. This episode is one of those.

I’m joined by Aimee Goeman, someone I knew of growing up in small-town Iowa but didn’t truly know until now. Our families crossed paths the way they do in rural communities—through church, farming, and familiar names—before life carried us in different directions. Years later, we sat down to talk about what sticks wit...

What happens when life brings everything to a full, heartbreaking stop?

This week, I’m joined by Melissa Hampton, a financial planner, entrepreneur, and mom whose world changed overnight when her seven-year-old son faced a life-threatening medical crisis. What followed was four months in the hospital, a surrender she never expected, and a profound rebuilding of what mattered most. 

Melissa shares how this experience reshaped her busi...

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to finally take the trip, this episode is it.

Travel Coach Laura Rahn spent 33 years in education before following a lifelong pull toward adventure. Raised as a military kid who moved constantly — including three formative years in Italy — Laura grew up understanding the power of connection, adaptability, and seeing the world through curious eyes.

Today, she helps families, couples, and solo traveler...

Some episodes are strategy-packed. This one is heart-packed.

If you’re listening while the turkey’s in the oven or you’ve escaped to the quiet of your car for a few minutes, this is your moment to breathe. Today I’m sharing what I’m deeply grateful for — the women who show up, the twists that shaped me, the friendships that became family, and the joy that comes from building meaningful work alongside meaningful people.

Inside this so...

What if your next chapter isn’t about starting over…but finally starting to honor who you’ve become?

This week, I’m joined by coach Chanda Coston, a woman whose journey through grief, reinvention, and deep self-discovery mirrors so much of what midlife women are navigating. Chanda helps women in the “third quarter” of life find clarity, build confidence, and create businesses aligned with the season they’re in — and our conversation...

If you’ve ever felt that quiet tug for “something more,” this episode is for you.

I’m sharing the story behind my movement — the real one. The childhood threads, the detours, the pivots, the heartbreaks, and the unexpected joys that shaped the work I do today with women who are ready to serve with heart instead of hustle.

From growing up on an Iowa farm with older parents and a big imagination… to climbing the corporate ladder, navig...

When you’re the only woman in the room, it takes courage to speak up—and even more courage to do it again after being talked over, dismissed, or ignored.

This week, I’m joined by Kae Kronthaler-Williams, a longtime tech executive and author of Not Made for You: How Women Can Challenge Bias, Claim Their Space, and Thrive in a System Built for Men.

Kae shares what it’s really like to navigate male-dominated spaces, the language women c...

If digital marketing makes you want to hide under your desk, take a deep breath—you’re not alone.

This week, I’m joined by Cinthia Pacheco, founder of Digital Bloom IQ, a marketing agency helping women entrepreneurs show up online with heart and strategy. Cinthia has a gift for making SEO, ads, and analytics feel human—because visibility isn’t vanity; it’s service.

In this conversation, we talk about how to bring more intuition into ...

So many women say, “I’d love to start, but I’m not quite ready,” or wait until the timing feels perfect. But as I often remind my clients, readiness isn’t a feeling—it’s something you build through action.

This week, I’m chatting with Rachael Davila, founder of Extra Hands Virtual Assistant and author of Hey, Do I Need a VA?. Rachael’s story is a powerful example of what happens when women take that first imperfect step and allow su...