(un)conversations: Leadership lessons from the pivotal moments of global CEOs, founders and execs

Robin Toft has built companies, survived cancer, led global teams, and raised millions for cancer research. Yet one of her most profound leadership lessons came from learning to quiet her ego and trust something deeper.

In this episode of the (un)conversations® podcast, Robin Toft, CEO of Curebound and 20-year colon cancer survivor, joins Dr. Alison Schmidt for a candid conversation about leadership, intuition, purpose, resilience, ...

Screw the "Startup Playbook." Do This Instead with Katie Sterns | S2.E15

How do you scale a startup when traditional business strategies fail? In this episode of the (un)conversations podcast, host Dr. Alison Schmidt sits down with Katie Sterns, Founder and CEO of Blyngz Luxury Technologies. Together, they break down why cookie-cutter startup guides fail and how to build a successful company using an unorthodox growth mindset.

If you...

Stop Peacocking! How to Build True Executive Presence

Are you a female leader who has achieved major career milestones, yet you still feel like you don’t look the part?

In this episode of the (un)conversations® podcast, host Dr. Alison Schmidt sits down with Executive Presence Strategist Melanie Lippman to break down why traditional corporate wardrobe advice is broken—and why trying to command a room with loud, overcompen...

The CEO's Leap of Faith: Trina Roffino on Grief, Resilience, and Project Unbroken.

What do you do when you reach the top of the corporate ladder, only to have your world shatter?

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Trina Roffino, former CEO of The Marketing Arm (TMA) and the Founder of Project Unbroken, to discuss the moment her world changed forever following the tragic loss of her husband to suicide. After 26 years of climbin...

Forget Everything You Know About Being a CEO: A Conversation with Krystal Zell

[S2.E12]

What happens when a Fortune 500 executive walks away from the "all-consuming" pace of corporate leadership to find a different path?

In this episode of the (un)conversations podcast, host Dr. Alison Schmidt sits down with Krystal Zell, Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer at Floor & Decor, for a raw look at what it truly takes to...

Why Most Leaders Fail: The (Un)Conventional Truth About Reinvention | Erika Hanafin Austria (S2.E11)

What is the reality of being a female founder and startup CEO? In this episode of the (un)conversations podcast, Dr. Alison sits down with Erika Hanafin Austria—the creator of MOMumental Reinvention, Co-Founder of Neon ID, and former CEO of HeyMama.

Erika shares the brutal truth of what it actually takes to succeed as a serial e...

"Sometimes you have to jump before you get pushed."

In this episode of the (un)conversations podcast (S2.E10), Dr. Alison Schmidt sits down with Dr. Felicia White, Director of Operations at Askar Management Group, to discuss the brutal reality of career pivots, professional resilience, and the power of radical authenticity.

Dr. White shares the personal philosophy that guided her through a "performance review from hell" and into high...

Show Notes: Can Business Astrology Predict Your Next Career Move?

“What got you here won’t get you there.” For most CEOs, the reality of that shift is a silent, internal crisis.

In this episode of (un)conversations, Dr. Alison Schmidt sits down with Barbara Alexander, a former IBM executive turned Business Astrologer and Strategy Advisor. Barbara spent 25 years climbing the Fortune 500 ladder before walking away wit...

Stop the Brain Fog: The Truth About HRT & Menopause with Dr. Z. Colette Edwards

Stop suffering through brain fog and medical gaslighting. In this episode, Dr. Z. Colette Edwards joins Dr. Alison to explain why your doctor might be wrong about HRT and how to regain control of your health in your 40s and 50s.

Whether you’re managing perimenopause symptoms or seeking workplace wellness strategies, this is the unconventional v...

What happens when a Disney-trained producer and Holocaust historian starts coaching elite leaders?

In this episode, Bryan Yates joins Dr. Alison to pull back the curtain on "The Unword Effect" and why the world’s most capable leaders often feel buried by their own brilliance. We dive deep into the mechanics of high-performance leadership, the reality of workaholism recovery, and why your perspective is your most valuable produ...

I Loud Quit: Why Artist Lisa Congdon Stopped Being “Nice”

Are you stuck on the "hamster wheel" of obligation? In S2 | E6, world-class artist Lisa Congdon joins Dr. Alison Schmidt to discuss "Loud Quitting," the secret to avoiding burnout, and why "half-assing" is a creative superpower.

In this episode, we explore:

• The "Loud Quit": Why Lisa stopped performing for others to find her true voice.

• Permission to be Human: Emb...

Stop waiting until you’re "ready." Bevin Mahon (CEO of Dentaltech Group) did the opposite—and built Ireland’s largest dental provider for nursing homes.

In this episode of (un)conversations (S2 | E5), Dr. Alison sits down with Bevin to discuss her journey from "winging it" to leading a digital transformation that turned 4-hour technical headaches into 3-minute wins.

🔔 Follow (un)conversations on Spotify to never mi...

Is the "Scaling Trap" destroying your returns—and your purpose? 📉

Former Nike VP Dirk Van Onsem reveals why the traditional corporate growth model is failing and how a single question from his daughter forced him to walk away from a 25-year executive career to pursue regenerative leadership.

In this episode of (un)conversations (S2 | E4), Dr. Alison sits down with the founder of Beyonders Collective to explore "The Unknowing"&...

What does it cost to lead at the highest level? 💼

Jess Bass Bolander (SVP at Lockton) joins Dr. Alison to peel back the curtain on the mental load of high-stakes leadership. From a "scrappy" start in the insurance industry to the C-suite, Jess reveals why your childhood survival triggers (the "Unhealed 8-Year-Old") might be sitting at the boardroom table with you—and how to manage them.

In this episode of (un)conversations (S2...

Tariffs, supply chain chaos, and global manufacturing shifts nearly shut Bivo down overnight. 🚲

In this episode of (un)conversations (S2 | E2), Dr. Alison sits down with Carina Hamel, co-founder of Bivo, to unpack the raw reality of disrupting a $300M industry. Carina reveals how her team engineered a high-flow stainless steel bike bottle to solve the "plastic taste" problem—only to face COVID-era supply chain collapses and s...

AI, 3D denim design, and sustainable leadership are no longer the "future"—they are the present. 👖

In this Season 2 premiere of (un)conversations (S2 | E1), Dr. Alison sits down with Kirsten Lee, CMO of One Jeanswear Group. Kirsten has shaped iconic American brands like Ralph Lauren, Gloria Vanderbilt, and Jessica Simpson. Today, she’s leading the charge on AI-powered product development and 3D digital denim.

If you are ...

How do leaders use energy—not strategy—to gain a true competitive edge?
Dr. Alison sits down with energy strategist Faryl Moore to explore emotional capacity, boundaries, and embodied leadership in high-pressure environments.

In this episode of the (un)conversations® podcast, Faryl shares insights from more than 20 years of guiding corporate executives through burnout, misalignment, and energetic overwhelm. Together, ...

🎙️ What Does It Really Mean to Have Power—and Use It Ethically?

With Shana Francesca | Cult Survivor, CEO & Leadership Scholar

What happens when you break free from a high-control environment—and rebuild your identity from the inside out?
In this powerful episode of (un)conversations®, Dr. Alison sits down with Shanna Francesca, a cult survivor turned CEO, leadership scholar, and change-maker. Together, they explo...

💥 Ready to Stop Playing Small? Step Into Your Most Powerful Chapter (with Cathy Derksen)

What if your most life-changing chapter begins after everything seems to fall apart?

In this inspiring episode of (un)conversations®, Dr. Alison sits down with Cathy Derksen, Founder of Inspired Tenacity, international speaker, publisher, and bestselling author who empowers midlife women to find unstoppable confidence and reinvent their lives on...