Thinking That Matters with Elizabeth Mahusay

If you've ever told yourself "I'll just do it myself, it's faster," this conversation is for you. 

In this episode of Thinking That Matters, I sit down with Alexandra Phoenix, known as Alex, founder of Crimson Create Studio, a branding and creative studio in McKinney, Texas. Alex brings a classically trained artist's eye and a business builder's mindset to a conversation that moves from perfectionism and delegation to the way s...

If you've ever stayed late at work, said yes to one more favor, or quietly kept score of how much you're doing for everyone else, this episode is for you.

In this episode of Thinking That Matters, I sit down with Angela Piper, a director of operations, mom of three, and self-described "recovering people-pleaser," to unpack a thought pattern that hides in plain sight: overachievement that looks like helping.

Angela shares how a belief...

What if some of your greatest achievements have been fueled by a question you didn’t even realize you were asking: Am I good enough?

For high achievers, doing more can feel responsible. Carrying more can feel capable. Being the person who keeps everything together can even look like leadership.

But what happens when achievement becomes part of how you prove your worth?

In this episode of Thinking That Matters, I sit down with...

What happens when you work hard, prepare well, and still don’t get the outcome you wanted?

For high achievers, disappointing results can quickly become personal. Instead of asking, “What can I learn from this?” we start wondering, “What does this say about me?”

In this episode of Thinking That Matters, I sit down with criminal defense attorney Morgan McNabb to talk about imposter syndrome, professional...

[This episode is Part 3 of our conversation with Lisa Hammett on building habits that support how we think, work, and lead. In Part 1, we explored habits for starting the day well. In Part 2, we focused on practices to use throughout the day. This final conversation turns to how we end the day well and how small, intentional habits can help us disconnect, reset, and prepare for what comes next. ]

You may have closed the laptop but ...

there as we lay the foundation for habit formation before exploring how to build healthy leadership habits throughout the day.]

How you respond to stress during the middle of your day can shape the way you lead.

In Part 2 of this conversation, I continue the discussion with leadership and wellness expert Lisa Hammett about habit stacking, not just for productivity, but for cultivating healthier thinking throughout the day.

Together...

What if the reason your habits don't stick isn't a lack of discipline?

Many leaders believe lasting change comes from pushing harder, trying longer, or simply having more willpower. But what if sustainable leadership habits begin somewhere else entirely?

In this special three-part conversation, I welcome leadership coach and wellness expert Lisa Hammett to explore the science behind habit formation and why understanding how habits ...

Sometimes the greatest barrier to your calling isn't your circumstances, it's the story you're telling yourself about what obedience will cost.

In this episode of Thinking That Matters, I sit down with Keri Steele, founder and executive director of Little Hearts of Hope, an organization serving children who have a parent or sibling battling cancer. After losing her husband to cancer while raising three young children, Keri found pu...

Sometimes the biggest opportunities begin with an ordinary conversation.

For Elizabeth and Dorothy, those conversations happened on the sidelines of their children's soccer games. What started as two friends talking about their future eventually became a shared vision and today, they're the co-owners of The Little Gym of McKinney.

In this episode of Thinking That Matters, I sit down with the business partners to explore what it rea...

What happens when achievement quietly becomes overachievement?

For many leaders, entrepreneurs, and high achievers, striving feels normal. Productivity becomes identity, success becomes the measure of worth, and slowing down begins to feel uncomfortable. But what if the problem isn't your ambition, it's the thinking driving it?

In this episode of Thinking That Matters, Elizabeth welcomes entrepreneur, speaker, and coach Dawn Shanno...

What if one conversation could change the way you see an entire group of people?

Many of us move through life making assumptions without realizing it. We fill in gaps with our own experiences, form opinions from a distance, and often miss the humanity behind someone's story.

In this episode of Thinking That Matters, Elizabeth welcomes author Andrew for a conversation about curiosity, compassion, and the thinking patterns that shape...

Many high achievers know how to push through challenges, solve problems, and keep moving forward but what happens when the thing keeping you stuck isn’t external?

What if the struggle is connected to something deeper?

In this episode of Thinking That Matters, I sit down with Jessica Hammock, a trauma therapist, trauma recovery coach, and Director of Behavioral and Mental Health, to explore how unresolved emotional wounds can ...

What if the biggest challenge in your leadership isn’t your workload, your team, or your circumstances but the thinking patterns guiding how you respond to them?

In this special episode of Thinking That Matters, I have the privilege of being interviewed by my dear friend Lisa Hammett, fellow bestselling author, coach, and speaker. We have known each other for many years, and I’m excited to share this conversation center...

What happens when the symptoms you’ve been told to ignore are actually your body trying to tell you something?

For many women, conversations around hormones, menopause, fatigue, weight changes, and emotional shifts have been surrounded by confusion and silence. Instead of understanding what is happening inside their bodies, many women have learned to simply push through, normalize exhaustion, or search for quick answers witho...

Many business owners start with a vision.

But somewhere along the way, that vision gets buried beneath emails, client work, daily decisions, and the pressure of keeping everything moving.

In this episode, I sit down with Christina Nwachukwu, founder of The Nwachukwu Group, to explore why so many founders feel overwhelmed not because they're incapable, but because they're carrying too much.

Together, we discuss the tension between w...

Many people think abuse is only physical.

In this episode of Thinking That Matters, Dr. Brooke Jones shares how emotional manipulation, isolation, shame, fear, and control can slowly reshape a person's identity long before physical violence ever appears.

Brooke vulnerably shares her journey through domestic violence, trauma, and healing, revealing how abuse impacts self-worth, relationships, boundaries, and the way we think. Togeth...

What do you do when you feel called to something you don’t fully know how to build?

In this episode of Thinking That Matters, I sit down with Jana O’Guin, founder of Building Families for Tomorrow and author of The Forgotten Women of Kenya. Jana shares how one visit to a women’s prison in Kenya changed the trajectory of her life and led to a nonprofit helping women rebuild their lives, support their children, and ...

What happens when life enters a new season and the identity that once grounded you no longer fully fits?

In this episode of Thinking That Matters, I sit down with Vesta Schneider for a deeply honest conversation about identity shifts, vulnerability, meaningful relationships, faith, and learning how to rediscover yourself through honest conversation and intentional community. From immigrating to America from Lithuania to navigating ...

What happens when the biggest obstacle in your business… is your own thinking?

In this conversation, I welcome back Ashley Bledsoe, founder of Bledsoe Hydromulch, to reflect on what has changed over the last two years not just in business growth, but in mindset, leadership, and decision-making. As Ashley’s company expanded from residential projects into large-scale commercial work, she began recognizing a difficult tru...