Fresh from hosting two transformative weekend retreats with 36 women, I'm sharing the essential principles that made these gatherings life-changing experiences for everyone involved. These principles aren't just for retreats but can transform how you approach every area of your life.

• Our retreats are known for beautiful venues, amazing food, great wine and guilt-free indulgence
• Working in flow state with no rigid agenda allows for true co-creation and intuitive guidance
• Vulnerability is not weakness but a source of immense power when shared from an authentic place
• The first person brave enough to cry gives everyone permission to be vulnerable
• Deep connection with like-minded women provides nourishment many didn't know they were missing
• Carefully curated gatherings create space for profound healing that might otherwise take years
• When flow, vulnerability and connection combine, women step fully into their power
• These principles create a flywheel effect that transforms how we show up in all areas of life

Visit balanceandbeyond.com/future to join our RISE leadership program with a free workshop on the future of female leadership starting April 4th.

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone

Feeling stretched too thin in your leadership journey? You're not alone. The pace of change in 2025 demands a new approach to success—one that doesn't sacrifice your wellbeing on the altar of achievement.

My deep dive into the three critical leadership skills that ambitious women need right now reveals surprising truths about what's actually holding you back. First, authenticity has become your greatest competitive advantage in an AI-dominated landscape. When everything else can be perfected with technology, your humanity—complete with quirks and vulnerabilities—is what makes you irreplaceable. Yet many workplaces have become coldly transactional, with meaningful connections replaced by robotic interactions. Learning to be strategically vulnerable, especially in those small moments before meetings or during brief exchanges, creates the foundation for genuine leadership influence.

Equally important is visibility—a skill many talented women avoid due to discomfort with self-promotion. Like it or not, your excellent work doesn't speak for itself anymore. While you're heads-down producing exceptional results, others (often men) are actively claiming the spotlight and getting promoted. The truth? Your nervous system needs conditioning to feel safe while being seen, whether you're presenting to senior executives or sharing content online. The most successful leaders aren't necessarily the most capable—they're the ones who've mastered both capability and visibility.

Finally, adaptability separates those who will thrive from those who'll burn out. When you're already running on empty, even small disruptions can cause complete system failure. True adaptability isn't about fragmenting yourself further—it's about creating enough capacity to bend without breaking. This means prioritizing self-care, letting go of perfectionism, and developing the confidence to pivot quickly when circumstances change.

Ready to transform your leadership approach and create sustainable success? These skills aren't just nice-to-haves—they're the foundation of a leadership style that allows you to advance your career while maintaining balance in every area of life. What leadership skill will you focus on developing first?

To view the Transcript from this week's episode, visit our Balance & Beyond Podcast webpage: https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast/2025/91

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone

We explore the hidden superpower that many women have lost access to in their lives - heart intelligence. Moving beyond our logical, solution-oriented thinking reveals an intuitive knowing that can transform our relationship with ourselves and create genuine fulfillment.

• Women often over-function in logical thinking due to professional demands
• Living solely from our heads leads to resentment and burnout despite outward success
• Having all the markers of success doesn't guarantee happiness
• Heart intelligence/intuition is our forgotten superpower
• We already access intuition in some areas like parenting
• Intuitive knowing often manifests as physical sensations in the body
• Genuine fulfillment comes from balancing logical thinking with intuitive wisdom

If this resonated, share it with a friend who needs to hear it today, and don't forget to subscribe to Balance and Beyond for full episodes and more of these bite-sized breakthroughs.

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone

Ever wondered why working harder isn't getting you ahead? Despite your exceptional output, strategic thinking, and dedication, do you find yourself passed over for opportunities while watching others progress with seemingly half the effort?

In this eye-opening exploration of leadership barriers, we dive deep into the three invisible traps keeping ambitious women stuck in cycles of burnout and career stagnation. The "workhorse trap" might be the most dangerous—that childhood-instilled belief that if you just work hard enough, someone will eventually notice and reward you. We unpack how this industrial-era mindset actively prevents your progression into strategic leadership roles while fueling exhaustion.

The "perfectionism paradox" compounds this problem, creating a crippling cycle where you're both drowning in tasks and spending disproportionate time on details that ultimately don't matter. Rather than appearing thorough, this often damages your reputation by making you seem slow, defensive about feedback, and unable to prioritize effectively. Meanwhile, the "permission loop" keeps you waiting to be tapped on the shoulder while others advocate for themselves. This explains why women typically wait until they can fulfill 85-90% of job requirements before applying, while men will confidently apply with just 25%. 

Breaking these cycles doesn't require working harder—it requires working differently. By recognizing these traps and choosing to step out of them, you can accelerate your leadership journey, reclaim your strategic voice, and create success without sacrificing your wellbeing. Ready to write yourself a permission slip for the leadership role you know you deserve? This episode provides the blueprint for breaking free.

To view the Transcript from this week's episode, visit our Balance & Beyond Podcast webpage: https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast/2025/90

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone

The word "selfish" has powerful women shaking in their boots and affecting our behaviour in profound ways. Examining the dictionary definition and our cultural conditioning reveals why women go to extremes to avoid being perceived as selfish, often at great cost to themselves.

• Women fear being called selfish so much that they neglect their own needs entirely
• Childhood conditioning taught girls to share, be quiet, and put others first
• Mixed messages told women they could "do anything" while still expecting self-sacrifice
• 1980s mothers modeled martyrdom while career women were labeled neglectful
• Current generation attempts to work like they don't have children and parent like they don't work
• Chronic overgiving leads to resentment when unreciprocated
• Running on empty makes us less effective in all roles
• We have inherited and weaponized this fear against ourselves

Share this with a friend who needs to hear it today, and don't forget to subscribe to Balance and Beyond for full episodes and more of these bite-sized breakthroughs.

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone

Ever wondered how to juggle a bustling household, demanding career, and personal hobbies without losing your balance? In today’s episode, Jo answers the top three questions she gets asked: how does she juggle all the parts of her life, what rituals keep her sane and who supports her on this journey of life.

Discover the secrets to achieving harmony as Jo shares her journey of balancing two energetic children, a husband, a household, and her own passions. This episode of Balance and Beyond tackles the myth that managing these components seamlessly is impossible and offers insights into how you, too, can redefine success and balance on your own terms.

To view the Transcript from this week's episode, visit our Balance & Beyond Podcast webpage: https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast/2025/89

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone

Welcome to Balance & Beyond Mindset Moments, a brand new bite-sized short from Jo. This week we explore the powerful concept of being "at cause" in your life, calling back to Season 1 Episode 18.

This is about recognizing that while we can't control all circumstances, we can choose our responses and intentionally create our lives within the context of our responsibilities.

If this resonates with you, you can find the rest of Episode 18 here: https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast/2023/18

Thanks for taking this moment for yourself. If this resonated, share it with a friend who needs to hear it today, and don't forget to subscribe to Balance & Beyond for full episodes and more of these bite-sized breakthroughs.

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone

Coach Jaclyn joins us to explore a profound question: How can working mothers find true balance without falling into the burnout trap? This episode tackles the societal pressures that demand women to excel in dual roles—professionally and as mothers—without missing a beat. We unravel the pervasive narrative of working as if you’re not a parent, and parenting like you don’t work. This expectation leads to a split identity, contributing to feelings of overwhelm and exhaustion. Together, we shine a light on the cultural forces that fuel perfectionism and a relentless mental load. By understanding these dynamics, women can begin to build emotional resilience, process emotions effectively, and prioritise self-care, guiding them toward a more fulfilling life.

Our conversation moves toward the development of self-leadership and the necessity of flexible self-care, especially in the absence of traditional communal support. Many women experience the challenge of finding their voice, seeking validation, and setting boundaries—often leading to disconnection and burnout. Jaclyn shares insights into how cultivating self-trust and asserting personal needs can lead to empowerment and community transformation. We aim to inspire women to break free from cultural norms by embracing a balanced and self-caring lifestyle. It's time to redefine success and well-being on your own terms, creating a ripple effect that not only strengthens individual women but also empowers entire communities.

To view the Transcript from this week's episode, visit our Balance & Beyond Podcast webpage: https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast/2025/88

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone

Welcome to Balance & Beyond Mindset Moments, a brand new bite-sized short in which Jo shares more of her powerful insights or some of the best clips from previous episodes. For this first moment, we have a journey of intuition, decision-making, and embracing what feels right unfolds through a family's quest to adopt kittens. The story highlights the importance of trusting your gut and knowing when to say no in pursuit of what truly fulfills you.

• Family visits a shelter with hopes set on cute kittens 
• The emotional conflict between immediate desire and intuition 
• Understanding the concept of "hell yes" in decision-making 
• Discovering the right kittens strengthens the family's bond 
• Lessons on patience and faith over fear 

If this resonated, share it with a friend who needs to hear it today, and don't forget to subscribe to Balance and Beyond for full episodes and more of these bite-sized breakthroughs. 

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone

Ever found yourself driven by anxiety, striving for perfection, or constantly seeking validation from others? Jo used to be in that exact spot, and it left her utterly exhausted. Today, she’s uncovering a different path—one that moves beyond the temporary rush of "F-U energy" and towards motivations that truly nourish and sustain us. 

She’ll explore the common trap of chasing accomplishments to prove others wrong, and how this often leads to nothing more than hollow victories. It’s time to break free from these confines and embrace a motivation rooted in love and intrinsic satisfaction.

Join Jo as she navigates the challenging yet rewarding journey of shedding fear-based drivers like self-sabotage and perfectionism. This conversation delves into the power of identifying core personal drivers such as purpose, contribution, and self-love. This isn’t just about making changes; it’s about redefining how we perceive and pursue success, leading to a healthier, more balanced life.

To view the Transcript from this week's episode, visit our Balance & Beyond Podcast webpage: https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast/2025/87

Send a text message to Jo

The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

If something landed today, there's more where that came from.

And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

🎙️https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
🔗 www.balanceinstitute.com
💼https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
📷 @therealjostone