Wickedly Smart Women

What is trauma-informed leadership, and why does it matter in today's workplace? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Dr. Melanie Gray shares how trauma-informed care transforms leadership, strengthens workplace culture, and prevents burnout before it derails careers. Drawing from over 25 years in healthcare, higher education, and corporate leadership, Dr. Gray explains how trauma shapes behavior, how generational stress impacts performance, and why confidence is built through intentional self-leadership. If you are a high-achieving woman considering leaving corporate, building a consulting business, or leading teams through change, this episode delivers practical wisdom on resilience, emotional safety, confidence, and long-term leadership sustainability. What You Will Learn: How trauma-informed leadership shifts workplace culture by asking what happened to someone rather than what is wrong with them. What generational trauma and adverse childhood experiences mean for confidence, communication, and leadership development. How unresolved trauma contributes to burnout, anxiety, and disengagement in corporate environments. What practical steps leaders can take to build emotionally safe and resilient teams. How to assess personal skills and strategically prepare for a transition from corporate to entrepreneurship. What confidence truly looks like when it is built through preparation, data, and intentional action rather than perfectionism. How planning financial runway reduces anxiety when launching a consulting business. What separates sustainable business growth from temporary virality and surface-level success. How structured coaching with defined goals creates measurable transformation instead of dependency. What it takes to lead with compassion while still holding high standards for performance and accountability. FAQ: What is trauma-informed leadership? Trauma-informed leadership is a framework that considers how past experiences, including adverse childhood experiences and generational stress, influence present behavior, communication, and performance in the workplace. How does trauma affect workplace performance? Trauma can impact confidence, emotional regulation, communication patterns, and stress responses, which may show up as withdrawal, defensiveness, burnout, or disengagement. How do I confidently leave corporate to start a consulting business? Confidence increases when leaders assess their skills, create a financial runway, build required competencies in advance, and transition with a structured plan rather than reacting to anxiety or corporate restructuring. Connect with Dr. Melanie Gray Website Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

What happens after the baby arrives, and why has that conversation been missing for generations? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Aanchal Dasoar Arora, women's health innovator, pelvic floor physical therapist, and founder of Mendhai Health, shares how postpartum depression, pelvic floor dysfunction, and an identity crisis after motherhood led her to leave a high-level corporate healthcare career and build a digital maternal recovery platform born out of MIT. If you are a leader navigating identity shifts, a healthcare innovator, or a woman seeking support after pregnancy, this episode delivers both validation and visionary solutions. What You Will Learn: Why postpartum identity loss is more common than discussed and how it impacts leadership and relationships. How pelvic floor dysfunction and maternal recovery gaps affect long-term physical and mental health. The cultural and systemic barriers that prevent women from seeking therapy and recovery support. What inspired the creation of an all-digital maternal recovery platform born out of MIT. How technology can address clinician shortages and improve access to women's healthcare. What it takes to move from corporate healthcare leadership into entrepreneurship. Why hospital partnerships may be the fastest path to scaling maternal health innovation. How discipline and structure sustain founders through the emotional highs and lows of entrepreneurship. What it means to choose expansion over shrinking in motherhood and leadership. FAQ: Why is postpartum recovery not discussed as openly as pregnancy? Cultural norms have historically centered pregnancy preparation while minimizing postpartum physical and emotional recovery, leaving many women unsupported after delivery. How long are wait times for pelvic floor physical therapy in the United States? In many hospital systems, wait times can extend up to a year due to clinician shortages and limited access to specialized care. How can digital health platforms improve maternal recovery outcomes? Digital platforms increase access, provide education across the entire maternal journey, extend clinician support, and reduce barriers related to geography, childcare, and scheduling. Connect with Aanchal Dasoar Arora Mendhai Health Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

What if the reason you feel stuck isn't that you need to push harder but because you need to let go? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Ginny Priem, keynote speaker, #1 bestselling author, master certified coach, and host of the Unsubscribe podcast. Ginny shares how escaping a toxic relationship became the catalyst for transforming her entire life and career. If you've ever wondered whether it's time to let go of something you've invested years into, this episode will challenge and empower you to make bold, aligned decisions faster. What You Will Learn: Why trusting your intuition is often the first step toward meaningful change. The difference between being victimized and staying in a victim mindset. How corporate environments can reinforce unhealthy patterns if left unchecked. Why specificity in your message can dramatically increase visibility and opportunity. How to build a transition plan before leaving corporate life. Why clarity in positioning leads to greater revenue and impact. How to stop trying to be everything to everyone in your business. Why visibility should always be tied to revenue strategy. How to create structured accountability for business growth activities like outreach. The role of supportive leadership in career evolution. How to shift from valuing material success to prioritizing meaningful experiences. Why most people regret staying too long rather than leaving too soon. Connect with Ginny Priem Unsubscribe Official Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

What if working from home wasn't a trend but a calling you answered decades before the rest of the world caught up? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Lesley Pyle, a true pioneer in the remote work and entrepreneurship space. Lesley is the founder and CEO of Hire My Mom, a platform that connects small businesses with highly skilled virtual professionals. This episode is a must-listen for women who feel the inner nudge to do work differently, redefine success on their own terms, and create a business that aligns with their life. What You Will Learn: How personal necessity and motherhood can spark powerful entrepreneurial ideas. What it really looks like to leave a stable job and start a business with limited resources. Why early sacrifices can create long-term freedom and flexibility. How to navigate the emotional and practical tension between ambition and family priorities. What it takes to stay grounded when others question or misunderstand your choices. Why passion and determination matter more than chasing massive growth or external validation. How remote work has evolved and why small businesses are perfectly positioned to benefit from it. What types of roles and industries thrive in remote, flexible work environments. How supportive partnerships can make or break the entrepreneurial journey. Why building a business that serves your life is a form of leadership. How Lesley has sustained motivation and purpose across multiple life seasons. What it means to play the long game in entrepreneurship without burning out. Connect with Lesley Pyle For small business owners hiring remote talent: HireMyMom.com/podcast For moms seeking flexible, remote work opportunities: HireMyMom.com/podcast-moms Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

What if the reason you're exhausted, overworked, and questioning your worth at work has nothing to do with your talent and everything to do with a game no one ever taught you how to play? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Robin Goad, a senior technology executive at Amazon Web Services, speaker, and author, to unpack how childhood trauma, perfectionism, and unspoken corporate rules shape the careers of high-achieving women. With more than 30 years of leadership experience at Fortune 100 companies like Dell and Gartner, Robin shares how she built a wildly successful career while unknowingly operating from survival patterns formed in childhood. If you're a high-achieving woman navigating corporate life, considering a transition, or simply tired of sacrificing yourself for success, this episode will shift how you see leadership, power, and your place in the room. What You Will Learn: How childhood trauma and early survival patterns often drive high-achieving women in corporate environments. Why corporate success can feel empty or exhausting even when you are "winning." How performance and people-pleasing become coping mechanisms rather than conscious choices. What a true breaking point looks like and how it can become the doorway to transformation. Why separating your identity from your job title is essential for long-term fulfillment. How corporate America operates as a game with unspoken rules that most women are never taught. Why knowing the rules of the game makes leadership more strategic and less draining. What it means to recognize your personal superpower and why it often goes unnoticed for decades. How to establish a leadership strategy that benefits both you and the organization. Why authenticity is not a liability in leadership but a powerful advantage. How women can lead without losing their soul, voice, or values. Who the REAL Framework is designed to support and why earlier awareness changes everything. Connect with Robin Goad Website Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

What if the way you speak is the most powerful leadership tool you're underutilizing? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Julie Holunga, to explore how trust, communication, and intentional leadership language shape influence at every level of an organization. Julie shares her journey from nonprofit and corporate leadership into building a consulting practice rooted in integrity, trust, and meaningful impact. If you're a heart-centered leader, consultant, or professional considering a transition into more purpose-driven work, this episode offers both insight and grounded, real-world wisdom. What You Will Learn: How early life experiences can shape curiosity, empathy, and a lifelong desire to help others lead more effectively. Why being a natural helper can sometimes create tension in leadership and consulting roles. How to recognize when people want support versus when they are resistant to being helped. What inspired the transition from corporate and nonprofit work into building a consulting practice. The unexpected challenges and joys of starting a values-aligned business. Why managing every part of a business alone eventually limits growth and impact. How strategic delegation and hiring the right expertise can dramatically elevate a consulting practice. What the Trusted Voice Paradigm is and how it reframes leadership through trust and communication. The four core pillars of trust and how each one shows up in leadership behavior. Why aptitude and honesty about capability are essential to sustaining trust. How leaders unintentionally break trust when they promote technical experts without leadership support. What it looks like to lead with integrity while still honoring business results. How deep cultural change happens when leaders commit to doing the hard work together. Connect with Julie Holunga Website

What if the feeling that something is missing in your career isn't confusion, but wisdom trying to get your attention? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Aleksandra Ceho, whose work bridges the worlds of spirituality, leadership, and business strategy. Aleksandra shares her remarkable journey from studying kinesiology and working in motor vehicle accident clinics to building a thriving astrology practice rooted in authenticity, self-awareness, and aligned decision-making. If you've ever felt like a square peg in a round hole or sensed that there is "more" waiting for you, this episode offers a powerful perspective. What You Will Learn: How astrology can be used as a practical framework for self-awareness, leadership development, and business decision-making. Why the feeling of "there must be more" often signals misalignment rather than failure. How multiple archetypes exist within each person and how ignoring your dominant archetype creates burnout. What cognitive dissonance looks like at a soul level and why it intensifies over time. How astrology can indicate when it may be time to leave a career or make a major life transition. Why authenticity is essential for long-term success, fulfillment, and resilience. How Aleksandra's leap from healthcare into astrology unfolded and what it taught her about trust. The astrological influences often connected to midlife awakenings and identity shifts. Why some people burn bridges while others build them during transitions and how astrology explains both. How businesses have their own energetic charts and why alignment matters for sustainability. What astrology can reveal about whether a business or opportunity is the right fit before investing. How forecasting helps entrepreneurs focus their energy where it will have the greatest impact. Why perceived credibility and age can become barriers when starting a purpose-driven business. How astrology supports values-driven decision-making rather than rigid personality labels. Why deep self-knowledge is the foundation for building meaningful relationships, wealth, and legacy. Connect with Aleksandra Ceho Astrologer Royale Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

What if burnout isn't proof you're failing but proof something in you is begging to change? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Tracy Doyle, author of Life Storms: Finding Your Clear Sky and creator of the Aurora Method. Tracy shares the childhood trauma and survival patterns that shaped her drive, her leadership, and her belief that sacrifice meant abandoning herself. If you've ever felt like you have to hold everything together, this episode will meet you right where you are and offer a real path forward. What You Will Learn: How early childhood experiences can quietly wire your nervous system for burnout later in life. Why "looking fine on the outside" can mask unprocessed trauma that eventually demands attention. How survival skills like self-reliance can become leadership liabilities as your responsibilities grow. The difference between a breaking point and a turning point—and how to use burnout as a transformation portal. Why burnout often isn't caused by your job or your family, but by the beliefs you formed while trying to belong. How the belief "If I don't do it myself, it won't get done" fuels control, resentment, and isolation. The real reason personal growth tools can fail when they're done in isolation instead of as a connected process. What a "loving look back" self-assessment is and how it helps you recognize patterns without drowning in shame. How unmet needs can shape fear-based thinking and drive high-achievers into over-functioning. How emotional burnout fractures relationships and how acknowledgement conversations rebuild trust fast. What it looks like to create a personalized mindfulness practice that actually fits real life. Why high-achieving women often fear vulnerability, especially in corporate environments, and how community changes that. Connect with Tracy Doyle Website Book: Life Storms: Finding Your Clear Sky Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

What if everything you've done in your career has been preparing you for something far more expansive than you ever imagined? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Julie Ryan, world-renowned medical intuitive, psychic medium, inventor, entrepreneur, and bestselling author of Angelic Attendance. Julie shares her extraordinary journey from founding nine companies across five industries to fully stepping into her intuitive and spiritual calling later in life. This episode is a powerful reminder for women feeling called to leave corporate, pivot their careers, or honor unconventional paths. What You Will Learn: How reading Anatomy of the Spirit and Hands of Light opened the door to energy healing and intuition. Why intuition, psychic ability, mediumship, and healing are not separate gifts but expressions of the same spiritual connection. Why everyone goes to heaven and why fear-based beliefs about death are deeply outdated. How medical intuition works and why healing always comes from within the person themselves. The surprising role maternal ancestors play in guiding souls during the dying process. Why spiritual awakenings are happening more frequently on a collective and planetary level. How women are often the natural leaders in spiritual healing and intuitive development. Why your existing skills, education, and business experience are never wasted when answering a spiritual call. How science is beginning to validate what intuitive and energy healers have known for centuries. Connect with Julie Ryan Ask Julie Ryan Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

What happens when a high-achieving corporate leader realizes her legacy must be about more than titles, promotions, and golden handcuffs? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Liat Kaplan, a global product innovation leader turned founder and CEO, to explore what it truly takes to leave corporate life, trust your inner conviction, and build something that matters. If you are a woman standing at the edge of change, questioning whether it's "too late" to start something meaningful, this conversation will remind you that your most important work may still be ahead of you. What You Will Learn: How personal conviction becomes essential when stepping away from corporate identity and external validation. Why clarity around purpose matters more than having everything figured out before starting. What it truly means to take a leap later in life and why age can be an advantage, not a limitation. How releasing fear of judgment creates freedom and sharper focus on what actually matters. What surprises many founders when they leave corporate structure behind. How passion and impact fuel resilience during the entrepreneurial journey. Why building a product-based business requires patience, long timelines, and strategic planning. What to consider when funding a startup, especially the importance of aligned and supportive investors. How innovation can be shaped by curiosity rather than rigid corporate processes. Why real-world problems and lived experiences often spark the most powerful business ideas. How technology can empower people to make informed, self-directed choices. Why safety, awareness, and informed decision-making are key components of modern leadership and legacy. How letting go of unnecessary processes can reignite creativity and love for one's work. Why legacy is often defined by contribution and impact rather than titles or income. How building something meaningful often requires balancing intuition with discipline. Connect with Liat Kaplan Get Wisp Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

What if your "willpower problem" with food was never about food at all? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Amber Romaniuk, an emotional eating, digestive, and hormone expert with 12+ years of experience. Amber shares the childhood roots of emotional eating, the intense turning point that forced her to face her own binge-restriction patterns, and the multidimensional healing path that led to true body freedom. This episode explores why feeling emotions can feel unsafe and how to create real nervous system safety. What You Will Learn: A clear understanding of how childhood moments can become identity wounds that drive emotional eating for decades. Language for naming the difference between discomfort and being unsafe, so emotions stop feeling like an emergency. A simple way to work with the brain's threat response without letting it run your life. A practical starting point for emotion work: set a timer for 30 seconds and build capacity gradually. Why food becomes a regulator when life feels helpless, out of control, or emotionally unsupported. Insight into how the binge–restriction cycle can intensify after weight loss, breakups, and "perfect body" beliefs. A realistic picture of what root-cause healing actually involves: mental, emotional, behavioral, energetic, spiritual, and physical layers. Tools that help create safety while feeling emotions, including breathwork, EFT tapping, self-holding, music, and affirmations. Why chronic stress and fight-or-flight make it harder to heal digestion, blood sugar, and hormones. A grounded approach to "breaking the lineage" by combining inner healing with loving boundaries when family dynamics push back. Why progress requires structures that support "doing the reps," not just inspiration or insight. How long-term support helps women stay consistent when real life hits. Why new success can trigger fear and how identity work helps you maintain change without self-sabotage. Connect with Amber Romaniuk Amber Approved Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

What if the "perfect life" is actually the most convincing hiding place for emptiness? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Sylvia Resnick, a fulfillment and purpose coach for high-achieving women. Sylvia shares how a lifelong ache for connection shaped her drive to achieve. The conversation also goes deeper into the tension between honoring cultural traditions and evolving practices that harm women, including the urgent reality of female genital mutilation and how Sylvia's organization, Empower Her, is working from within community partnership to create change through education, support, and empowerment. What You Will Learn: Why "looking successful" can coexist with feeling emotionally empty. How early experiences of not feeling seen can quietly shape adult identity, ambition, and relationship patterns. The hidden motivation behind perfectionism: trying to earn love, belonging, and "enoughness." Why external achievements don't automatically create self-worth. How a single experience of deep community can interrupt lifelong loneliness and recalibrate what matters. What true connection can feel like in the body. How indigenous culture can offer profound healing while still containing traditions that require conscious evolution. A grounded explanation of FGM in the Maasai context, including the rite-of-passage framing and the high human cost. Why sustainable change must be led from within a community, not imposed by outsiders. How education becomes a protection strategy for women and girls. What it means to "bridge two worlds" in coaching: bringing connection back to high achievers while also resourcing underserved communities. How travel can become transformational when it's relationship-centered rather than consumption-centered. What a purpose-led business transition can look like when it grows out of lived experience, not branding. Connect with Sylvia Resnick Simple Life Journey EmpowerHer Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

"We wake up every morning as a soul in a human body. That alone should be so incredibly fascinating to us." What if the hardest things you've lived through weren't punishments, but assignments your soul chose to help you grow? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Steffani LeFevour, modern-day soul strategist and author of You Are a Badass Mom and the forthcoming book Soul Assignments. Stteffani shares how childhood trauma, an alcoholic father, and the tragic loss of her sister cracked her open to a lifelong search for spiritual truth. What You Will Learn: The impact of childhood trauma and grief on emotional development and identity. How growing up with an alcoholic parent shapes beliefs, coping mechanisms and adulthood patterns. Why families often end up on "grief islands" when they lack tools, language or support to process loss. How early exposure to death can spark a lifelong search for meaning, spirituality and healing. The role spiritual teachers and books can play in offering language and comfort when religion wasn't present at home. How alcohol can become an unconscious way to avoid feelings, fit in socially, or suppress unresolved pain. What it looks like to break generational chains of addiction through awareness, boundaries and intentional behavior. How to examine your own relationship with alcohol and shift from unconscious use to empowered choice. The importance of creating an alcohol-free "safe house" environment for teens and modeling a different norm. The concept of soul assignments and how reframing painful experiences can move someone out of victimhood. Why radical acceptance of past experiences becomes the foundation for emotional freedom and conscious creation. How thoughts, words, feelings, beliefs and stories function as "power tools" that shape every experience. The difference between using those power tools unconsciously vs. consciously. How to identify outdated stories and rewrite them into truer, more empowering narratives. The process of finding gifts inside even the most difficult events and how that transforms inner resilience. The value of viewing life from a soul-level perspective rather than only through a human-level lens. The path from learning spiritual principles to embodying them, teaching them and serving others with them. How a long-held dream can manifest through clarity, courage and consistent sharing of one's message. Why owning your unique perspective allows your voice, work and mission to expand in powerful new ways. Connect with Steffani LeFevour Coach with Steph Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

"Horses don't care if you're afraid. They care if you're honest." In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Sue Willoughby, founder of Willoughby Coaching, certified equus coach, real estate investor, and a woman who has rewritten her life more times than most people dare to dream. Raised by a single alcoholic parent and a two-time high school dropout, Sue charted a path from instability to a six-figure career, a multidimensional portfolio of work, and a coaching practice rooted in the intuitive wisdom of horses. If you're feeling the whisper that something in your life or career needs to change, this episode gives you permission, perspective, and possibility. What You Will Learn: The emotional and psychological impact of being raised by a single alcoholic parent and how early instability can shape lifelong patterns of independence and resilience. What it feels like to reach the moment where corporate life becomes unbearable, and the emotional complexity of leaping from stability into entrepreneurship. How passion projects and side ventures can become bridges out of corporate life without risking everything at once. How horses instantly sense incongruence between what you say, what you feel, and what your body is actually communicating. Why humans store emotional stories in the body while horses process, react, and release without carrying narratives, resentment, or drama. How corporate teams can use horse-led experiences to learn authentic leadership, strengthen team dynamics, and understand each other's communication patterns. Why it is never too late to reinvent yourself, take risks, pursue a new career, or bring long-buried creative visions into reality. A simple daily practice for reconnecting with presence and intuition. Connect with Sue Willoughby Willoughby Coaching Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

"Anytime my managers are not out front, a problem happens. I want them where they can actually make the store money." In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Jana Franklin, serial entrepreneur, franchise expert, and CEO of CEO Concierge. Jana shares her experiences scaling brick-and-mortar franchises and how the pandemic inspired a major pivot. If you're an executive overwhelmed by operations or a woman entrepreneur considering consultancy, this episode offers actionable advice and the inside scoop on delegation done right. What You Will Learn: How a corporate fashion merchandising start laid the foundation for franchise management and people skills. The power of starting a business before getting entrenched in corporate. What it took to open, scale, and eventually sell multiple Fantastic Sams salons. How 80-hour weeks forced Jana to confront what she loved about her role. Why virtual assistants can "clone" your strengths. Creative ways brick-and-mortar businesses use virtual assistants. Building trust and growing into delegation. Addressing common fears: control, trust, cost, and support for first-time outsourcers. How women can add niche roles as their business scales. Connect with Jana Franklin CEO Concierge Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

"I had my ladder on the wrong wall. I was putting all my energy into getting people to want McDonald's instead of Burger King. Who cares, really?" In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Kate Grant, CEO Emeritus of the Fistula Foundation and author of No Woman Left Behind. Kate explains what obstetric fistula is and how a relatively low-cost surgery can restore a woman's health. She shares the practical steps she took to move from advertising into nonprofit leadership and why investing in your own retooling can be the most powerful career move. If you're thinking about leaving corporate for mission-driven work, this episode is full of tactical and emotional wisdom. What You Will Learn: How working in advertising at big agencies means using dark arts of consumer research to create psychological needs for products. The decision process of choosing to go back to graduate school and completely retool rather than making a lateral move into nonprofit communications. The reality that career change doesn't happen on the plane ride home from your transformative trip, it happens gradually like a pair of shoes that doesn't fit anymore, and it takes time to empower that voice that says you're done with this chapter. What an obstetric fistula actually is. How women with fistula are often stigmatized and how they're frequently blamed for an injury that's caused by a lack of medical access. Why Fistula Foundation went from being one of several support organizations for a single hospital in Ethiopia to becoming the global leader doing more surgeries than the UN or US government. The strategic decision not to take government money. Why 90% of the fistula surgeries are successful and truly give women their lives back. The permanent pay cut that comes with leaving the private sector for nonprofit work. How ruthlessly thrifty operations with 19 consecutive years of four star Charity Navigator ratings prove worthiness of donor support by getting as much money as possible into the hands of doctors and hospitals in far-flung corners that do the real work. Connect with Kate Grant Fistula Foundation Book: No Woman Left Behind Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

At 50, I thought my body was broken. I knew everything about nutrition, but nothing was working anymore. In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Heather Awad, MD, a family doctor and certified coach, helps professional women in perimenopause and menopause lose weight without counting or deprivation. Learn why kindness precedes confidence, how insulin resistance shifts at midlife, and why moving from grazing to real meals restores energy, focus, and leadership clarity. Professional photos can be retaken. But kindness and confidence can start today. What You Will Learn: Why eating less and moving more, does absolutely nothing during perimenopause, revealing that something fundamentally different is happening in the body. The moment at age 50 of wondering if the body was broken and questioning how someone with extensive nutrition knowledge could be failing at weight management. How combining an understanding of the biology and nutrition of menopause with coaching to address emotional eating made weight loss simple and sustainable. Why many professional women including those in corporate leadership hold themselves back from seeking promotions or starting businesses because they feel their body isn't under control. The critical distinction that mindset work and being kind to yourself is a completely separate track from getting your body under control or losing weight. How kindness to yourself is the precursor to confidence, and that being kind doesn't cost anything except intention and time unpacking the parts of yourself that don't want to be kind. The fundamental difference between the weight loss world that asks us to work hard, measure, and count calories, versus nutrition that can be simple and nourishing without ever going hungry or counting anything. How our culture has normalized overeating to the point where having a stomach ache after meals seems normal. Why this meal-based eating pattern helps with the natural bump in insulin resistance that comes at menopause. The biological reality that when estrogen drops during menopause, it affects the entire body including digestive hormones. Why insulin resistance means the body suddenly needs much more insulin just to process the same food. Why grazing becomes the default feeding pattern during intense parenting years. Why nourishing your body becomes increasingly important at midlife. Connect with Heather Awad, MD Website Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

Ready to leave corporate and build a business that actually funds your life. In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Estelle Gibson, CPA and TED speaker. Estelle shows you how to create a simple profit plan, price with confidence, and move through the money life cycle with intention. From childhood money scripts to corporate exits to packaging your offers, Estelle shares a calm and practical path that turns wisdom into wealth and replaces hustle with clarity. What You Will Learn: The critical distinction between being a launcher versus a leaper when it comes to leaving corporate. Why business owners are always in a learning and accumulating knowledge phase regardless of age. The reality that people are no longer retiring in the traditional sense but moving into next acts. The concept of environmental design coaching created by Thomas Leonard. The importance of recognizing when corporate values no longer match your personal values. How taxes work completely differently as a business owner compared to an employee. How the knack for making complex things very simple became the foundation for a coaching practice. Why funding decisions need to address whether someone is funding the business personally or seeking investors. How packaging services differently, examining time constraints, adjusting pricing, and restructuring client flow can create profitability without necessarily adding more clients or working longer hours. Connect with Estelle Gibson Jouney to Freedom Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

Feeling wired, tired, and secretly dreading Mondays? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Jasmin Dennis, health and wellness leadership coach. Jasmin breaks down her Burnout Pie Framework so you can recognize early signals, prevent a crash, and lead with resilience. Whether you're considering leaving corporate or staying and thriving, this episode gives you the tools to assess where you are and what to do next. What You Will Learn: The critical distinction between burnout as an occupational phenomenon rather than a medical disease. The dangerous cultural pattern of wearing burnout as a badge of honor or turning it into water cooler talk. Why burnout can easily mask clinical depression and go undiagnosed, leading to devastating outcomes when the chronic stress is treated as just exhaustion. How money becomes the primary driving force keeping people trapped in burnout cycles. Practical holistic prescriptions for common burnout symptoms. The power of holding space for someone in emotional crisis by simply allowing them to cry for 15 to 20 minutes without saying a word. How asking someone in crisis to return in two days rather than making decisions in the moment gives them time to release toxicity and get clear about what they actually need. The principle that pulling one thread of wellness unravels the entire tapestry of unwellness. Why the goal is not to eliminate all stress but to successfully manage chronic stress before it accumulates into the eight slices of burnout that require intensive intervention. How burnout affects not just corporate environments but also self employed entrepreneurs, healthcare workers, and stay at home caregivers, making community wellness talks essential for reaching people outside traditional workplace settings. How to use body awareness and emotional intelligence to recognize when someone else's mood or energy is triggering your irritability. Why the scientific community and World Health Organization are still working to identify the root cause of burnout. Connect with Jasmin Dennis LinkedIn Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com

When was the last time you asked clearly for what you are worth. In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Amy Cosper, storyteller and brand builder to talk about risk, money, and the power women unlock when they find their voice. Hear why acting like Silicon Valley dulls your authenticity, how stories shape culture, why we cannot outsource them to AI, and the simple courage move that flips fear into forward motion. Smart, practical, and heart forward. What You Will Learn: Why many women are trained to avoid risk and how regular practice with small asks makes courage feel normal. A quick test to notice when you are using a fake voice versus your true voice in rooms, pitches, and content. How authenticity grows as an asset over time and becomes a moat that cannot be bought or borrowed. Why community makes courage easier and how to borrow bravery from other women until yours grows. How classic story arcs help you frame your work so people remember it. Why AI can remix words but cannot create your lived experience and how to keep your stories original. How to use emotional honesty without oversharing and without losing authority. Why asking is non negotiable for funding and fees and how to state your value without apology. What shifted in recent decades for women and business credit and why that context matters for courage now. How to stop giving away ideas and execution and install healthy boundaries around your work. A clean way to reframe failure so sunk costs turn into useful data. How to build a personal story engine so your brand shapes culture instead of chasing it. Why moving one person today is a worthy metric when scale feels far away. A two part mantra for hard conversations. How to turn everyday moments into sticky brand metaphors people repeat. Connect with Amy Cosper Website Connect with Anjel B. Hartwell Wickedly Smart Women Wickedly Smart Women on X Wickedly Smart Women on Instagram Wickedly Smart Women Facebook Community Wickedly Smart Women Store on TeePublic Wickedly Smart Women: Trusting Intuition, Taking Action, Transforming Worlds by Anjel B. Hartwell Listener Line (540) 402-0043 Ext. 4343 Email listeners@wickedlysmartwomen.com