Episode Overview
In the final installment of her vulnerable three-part series, Kristen continues to unpack the emotional, spiritual, and professional journey she’s been on over the past year. Picking up where she left off—at rock bottom—Kristen shares what happened after taking radical responsibility for her actions and stepping away from the business that made her a household name in social selling.
She explores the deep healing work she’s done through therapy, a transformational retreat, and a season of radical stillness...before realizing that healing often intensifies when we start building again. Kristen discusses the creation of Sondera, her new company focused on nervous system regulation, and how the entrepreneurial process is offering her the most humbling and redemptive growth of all.
This is not a polished comeback. This is the messy middle—where ego dies, faith grows, and identity is rebuilt.
What You'll Learn in This Episode
- Why healing often accelerates in the process of building something new
- How nervous system dysregulation can sabotage success
- The dangers of attaching self-worth to productivity and platform
- Why Kristen walked away from a wildly successful business
- The origin story of Sondera and what it’s really about
- Why your internal safety matters more than external security
Key Takeaways
- Healing is not linear. Kristen thought peace would come from stillness. But it came through risk, exposure, and being seen in a new way.
- Burnout is more than overwork. Chronic nervous system dysregulation—not just hours worked—was what broke Kristen down.
- Success doesn’t mean alignment. Kristen shares how she knew she was out of alignment even though her business was thriving on the surface.
- Redemption is found in transparency. Instead of disappearing and re-emerging perfectly polished, Kristen invites her audience into the real-time journey.
- Your body tells the truth. Learning how her stress response (flight) controlled her behavior helped her take back agency and make healthier decisions.
Timestamps
00:00 – Intro: “I see you with brand new eyes.”
01:20 – Recapping Part 2: Hitting bottom and coming home
03:00 – The power of bringing your story into the light
05:00 – Deep therapy and emotional healing at Onsite
06:15 – Feeling disillusioned with her former business model
07:10 – Launching “Beyond the Business” coaching calls
08:00 – The agonizing decision to shut down her signature programs
09:45 – Stewarding success well in seasons of plenty
11:00 – Letting go of external validation and facing public perception
12:30 – The fantasy of a “quiet, offline life” vs. the call to rebuild
15:00 – Discovering nervous system regulation as the missing link
17:00 – Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn: how they show up in your business
20:00 – Why she mistook her chronic stress for ambition
23:30 – Understanding burnout through the lens of dysregulation
25:10 – Building Sondera: from idea to messy execution
26:30 – Why healing happened through building, not before it
29:00 – Learning to express vulnerability to her husband
31:00 – Letting go of ego, hustle, and performance-driven identity
33:00 – Creating Sondera as a redemptive act
34:30 – Reconnecting with her story and reclaiming her voice
36:00 – An invitation to listeners: look for the growth in your own build
39:00 – Next up: nervous system regulation and what it means in daily life
Resources & Mentions
- Kristen’s New Company:
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