Shift Out Loud with Tracy Spears
Hosted by Tracy Spears, speaker, co-author of two best selling leadership books, founder of The Leader Lab, coach, and head cheerleader for anyone trying to play bigger. Shift Out Loud is a podcast designed to inspire you to play bigger. You'll hear from real live people sharing what their shift was, when it happened, and why it was out loud. What you think is true, and when you move from the external locus of control to the internal locus of control, your shift can happen and anything becomes possible. This podcast is your invitation to listen to others who have made the shift, and also serve as a catalyst for you to play bigger.
Episodes
What do highly successful people do differently? Is it possible to build a thriving career entirely on your own terms? In this episode of Shift Out Loud, I’m joined by Heidi Hartman, a sought-after speaker, leadership coach, and author of Her Rise Her Rules: 7 Secrets of Successful Leaders, an incredible book that reveals the success strategies of over 100 high-performing women leaders.
My guest for this episode of Shift Out Loud lives a fascinating double life! Not only is Allison B. Walden the Senior Vice President of Resource Development at the Tulsa Regional Chamber, she’s also a talented musician who just released her first studio album, “Octopus,” under the stage name Allie B.
Tune in for a fascinating conversation about embracing a shift-filled life — and seizing the opportunity to play bigger ...
I have not one, but two incredible guests for this timely and important episode of Shift Out Loud. We’ll be exploring the case of domestic violence survivor April Wilkens, who was recently denied a shortened sentence for a crime directly related to her abuse: the murder of her long-time rapist and abuser.
Tracey Lyall is the CEO of Domestic Violence Intervention Services (DVIS) in Tulsa and a Licensed Social Worker wit...
For many people in my generation, living loudly and openly was a shift that could feel almost too big. In this episode of Shift Out Loud, I sit down with Nancy Gunter, the CEO of Gunter Training and an expert in helping workplaces manage clashes between employees of different generations, to talk about shifting out of secrecy.
In this conversation, Nancy and I discuss the intense challenges she experienced coming to t...
Our biggest shifts sometimes elevate entire communities. My guest on this episode of Shift Out Loud has built an award-winning career around uplifting those who need it most. I’m joined by Alison Anthony, the President and CEO of the Tulsa Area United Way. Among her many recognitions, she’s been inducted into the Tulsa Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma State University Diversity Hall of Fame, and is the 2025 recipient of ...
My guest for this episode of Shift Out Loud has spent much of her career exploring how we can make one of the most profound shifts imaginable: choosing to live a life for the things that matter most, without waiting for a crisis to occur. I’m joined once again by Dr. Jennifer K. Clark, whose book Suffer. is a fascinating reflection of her experiences in Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Dr. Clark challenges society’s d...
Playing bigger often means speaking up about things society would prefer to be left unsaid — and that often includes women’s experiences. Whether writing or speaking, bestselling author Meg Myers Morgan works to unravel the knots that form while being a woman navigating through everyday worries, meaningful working, and the relentless pursuit of self-worth.
In this episode of Shift Out Loud, I sit down with Meg to get ...
In this episode of Shift Out Loud, Tracy Spears sits down with master coach and corporate leader-turned-mentor Mina Brown to explore the powerful, personal, and far-reaching impact of coaching. From boardrooms to virtual training rooms, Mina’s journey is a testament to the deep change that’s possible when we shift from giving answers to asking the right questions.
Together, they unpack what makes coaching so effective—...
In this inspiring episode, Tracy sits down with Dana Day, a Tulsa-based custom home builder, remodeler, and HGTV alum. With a background in psychology and art, Dana shares how she carved a unique path into the male-dominated construction industry—and how creativity, grit, and heart have shaped both her work and her life.
Dana opens up about her experience as the only woman featured on HGTV’s Build It Forward, the real...
In this flavorful and fearless episode, Tracy Spears sits down with culinary entrepreneur Makenna Held, the powerhouse behind the Courageous Cooking School and the bold new platform Recipe Kick. Makenna opens up about her extraordinary leap of faith—buying Julia Child’s summer home, La Pitchoune, sight unseen—and the revolutionary path she’s carved in the world of food since.
From embracing recipe-free cooking to rede...
In this inspiring episode, Tracy Spears sits down with Dr. Deborah Gist, former superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools, to explore what it means to lead with purpose, courage, and compassion. Dr. Gist shares the story of how her passion for teaching shaped her career and how transformational leadership demands a steadfast commitment to integrity and change.
From navigating public scrutiny to building trust within a di...
In this powerful conversation, Tracy interviews Kelley Scott, a seasoned nurse and the Executive Director of Clarehouse, a pioneering social model hospice in Oklahoma. Kelley shares her journey into nursing, the challenges of providing end-of-life care, and the importance of creating meaningful connections with patients and their families. She emphasizes the need for boundaries in caregiving, the sacredness of death, ...
In this heartfelt and inspiring episode, Tracy Spears welcomes Mica Chavez, a private chef and passionate advocate for recovery, education, and mentorship. Mica shares her remarkable journey from addiction to transformation, revealing how a single moment of desperation set her on a new path—one rooted in purpose, healing, and the culinary arts.
From cooking for U.S. presidents to teaching the next generation of chefs,...
In this inspiring episode of Shift Out Loud, host Tracy Spears sits down with Jennifer Alton, a trailblazing leader in the medical device industry, to explore the power of imperfection in leadership and life. Jennifer shares her personal journey from a small town to the global stage, including the pivotal moment she delivered a TED Talk about embracing imperfection.
Together, they dive into the damaging effects of per...
In this episode of Shift Out Loud, Chef Shannon Smith shares the bold shifts that transformed her life—from growing up on a ranch in Oklahoma to becoming a celebrated chef and culinary educator. She opens up about the pivotal moments that led her from a successful sewing career to discovering her true passion for cooking, inspired by a home economics teacher who sparked her love for food.
Shannon's travels to over...
My guest for this episode of Shift Out Loud was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) when she was just 33 years old. Since then, Brooke Eby has become a passionate and vocal advocate and fundraiser who is raising awareness of ALS through her humor and honesty.
During our thoughtful conversation, Brooke shares how her diagnosis has changed her life and why she’s chosen to share her story through interviews...
Humans require certain things in order to thrive… and once you move beyond food, water, and shelter, the list gets a little complicated. Understanding the full scope of your needs can enable you to shift in ways you didn’t know were possible. In this episode of Shift Out Loud, I’m joined by Dr. Jennifer Clark, a seasoned physician on a mission to heal, educate, and innovate toward the relief of suffering. When not vol...
Some people know what they’re meant to do from a very young age. For most of us, discovering our gifts can require a little experimentation — but it’s never too late to shift out loud!
Valerie Martinet has been a top seller of Transworld Systems services for over 18 years. A former pool shark, Valerie is now on a mission to make sure that medical providers get paid for their services, through introducing business...
Ever wanted a sneak peek into the world of comedy? My guest for this episode of Shift Out Loud has appeared on Conan O’Brien, @Midnight, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Chelsea Lately, Arsenio Hall, and Last Call With Carson Daly, so you’ve likely already seen (and enjoyed) her work!
Erin Foley is a talented comedy writer and comic who has been making waves in the world of women’s sports, recently providi...
The way that many of us work and live can tire us out and hold us back from playing bigger. If we want to show up strong for our teams and communities, we need to show up strong for ourselves! In this episode of Shift Out Loud, I sit down with Kara Mohr, a performance coach and internationally recognized keynote speaker specializing in health, wellness, and habit and behavior change. For over 25 years, she’s inspired ...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.
"SmartLess" with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, & Will Arnett is a podcast that connects and unites people from all walks of life to learn about shared experiences through thoughtful dialogue and organic hilarity. A nice surprise: in each episode of SmartLess, one of the hosts reveals his mystery guest to the other two. What ensues is a genuinely improvised and authentic conversation filled with laughter and newfound knowledge to feed the SmartLess mind. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!