Episode Overview:
In this raw and unfiltered episode, Kristen shares one of the most vulnerable moments of her life—the unraveling of her personal identity, the toxicity of success addiction, and the deeply human consequences of building self-worth entirely around a business. This is the second part of her behind-the-scenes story, and it’s not easy listening. Trigger warning: This episode discusses topics such as suicidal ideation, addiction, emotional breakdown, and marital strain.
Through heartbreak, pain, and brutal self-awareness, Kristen details how she reached her breaking point and the darkness that ultimately led to her healing journey. She explores what it means to lose yourself in the pursuit of achievement, the false safety of validation through external success, and the courage it takes to ask for help and be seen in your most broken state.
This is not just an episode—it’s a lifeline for anyone who has ever felt like they were falling apart behind the scenes.
Timestamps:
00:03 – Welcome + Important trigger warning
01:27 – The weight of sharing hard stories
02:19 – Ignoring the warning signs and pushing through pain
04:35 – The season of invincibility and missing the check engine light
05:28 – How validation addiction builds unnoticed
07:34 – Business as a dopamine supplier and feedback loop
09:31 – “Am I loved? Am I safe? Do I matter?” – Using business to answer soul questions
11:46 – When the business couldn’t answer anymore
14:44 – The fragile sense of self and the beginning of the breakdown
17:11 – Escaping with fiction, fantasy, and avoidance
19:26 – When you justify the escape by saying “I’m not hurting anyone”
21:33 – Traveling constantly and still feeling empty
23:49 – Using wealth to numb pain and buy happiness
26:24 – The fallout: A marriage crisis and being found out
28:48 – The darkest 72 hours
30:45 – Keynotes, private jets, and suicidal thoughts
33:44 – The people who said “Come home”
37:19 – The return: facing the consequences and fighting to rebuild
41:02 – Why this wasn't the end, but the beginning
43:19 – Starting a 12-step recovery program
45:27 – First virtual meeting in a hotel robe—true humility
48:17 – Radical grace, empathy, and the gift of being chosen despite the mess
50:11 – A call for listeners to let others in
Key Takeaways:
- Success addiction can look like high performance, but it often hides profound inner unrest.
- Business cannot answer the deepest questions of identity, love, safety, and belonging.
- Escapism—whether through work, reading, shopping, or performance—can quietly become destructive.
- Healing begins with brutal honesty, surrender, and letting people in.
- True freedom starts when you’re willing to be seen and loved at your lowest.
Call to Action:
If today’s episode resonated with you, don’t keep it to yourself.
- Screenshot and share it on Instagram, tag @thekristenboss so we can shout you out.
- Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others discover this life-changing conversation.
- Visit www.kristenboss.com for coaching programs, resources, and support.
Resources Mentioned:
- Episode: “2:00 AM Business Thoughts” – For deeper insight on Kristen’s launch-driven business model and dopamine...
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
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.
Ruthie's Table 4
For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
Dateline NBC
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