In this heartfelt and thought-provoking episode of Pockets of Knowledge, host Desiree Stanley sits down with soulful leader, executive awareness coach, and former national dance champion Maren Oslac for a deeply inspiring conversation about what it truly means to live and lead from the inside out.
Maren shares her personal journey of transformation—from outward success as a multi-business entrepreneur and competitive dancer to discovering a deeper calling rooted in inner fulfillment, spiritual alignment, and meaningful impact. She opens up about the moment she realized she was “snacking on life” but still feeling unsatisfied—and how bringing her inner and outer worlds together changed everything.
Together, Desiree and Maren explore:
*Why hustle culture is broken—and what lies beyond it
*How high-achievers can redefine success to include soulfulness, not just checkboxes
*What it means to be in "flow" with your life and work (and how to get there)
*The power of creating space in our lives to reconnect with our "why"
*Simple daily practices for aligning with your purpose
*Why soulful leadership matters now more than ever—and how everyone is a leader
Whether you're a driven entrepreneur, a thoughtful leader, or someone simply searching for “something more,” this episode offers wisdom, warmth, and a practical roadmap for aligning with your truest self.
Bio:
Maren is a business evolver with a passion for excellence and a drive to help successful leaders wake up and up-level their lives and their businesses.
As co-founder of the Soulful Leader Project and co-host of the Soulful Leader Podcast, she helps leaders leave behind the ‘strive, push, make-it-happen’ paradigm and embrace a future filled with meaning, knowing and grace.
After running multiple successful and influential businesses, and competing and teaching at the top levels of several dance disciplines, Maren finally stopped chasing the elusive ‘enough’ myth and began living the life that had been calling her. It was magical.
A lifetime of dedicated inner work led her to that moment and she realized that she was meant to share all she’s learned to give others a shortcut.
Today, as a Speaker, Executive Awareness Coach & Flow Consultant, Maren works with impactful leaders who wonder, “is this it?” and are ready to step into the connected life that tugs at their soul.
Connect with Maren:
Resources:
Books mentioned:
The Diamond Cutter by Geshe Michael Roach, Lama Christie McNally Bookshop
Measure What Matters by John Doerr, Larry Page Bookshop
The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron Bookshop
Caravan of Remembering by Daniel Goodenough
Clare W. Graves: His Life and His Work by Rainer Krumm (Author), Benedikt Parstorfer (Author)
Mastery Through Accomplishment by Hazrat Inayat Khan Bookshop
Podcast mentioned
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