Be S.H.E.

What does it mean to be a gutsy woman and leader?

In this episode of the Be S.H.E. Podcast, Heidi Schalk talks with leadership expert and author Sylvia LaFair about courage, curiosity, intuition, and the patterns that shape how women show up in life and leadership.

Sylvia shares the story behind her award winning book Gutsy: How Women Leaders Make Change and her upcoming book Glimmers at Work, which explores moving from triggers to glimmers and using the head, heart, and gut to make better decisions.

They discuss how childhood patterns can follow us into the workplace, including people pleasing, avoidance, and overachievement, and how recognizing those patterns can help us respond differently.

Sylvia also explains why telling the truth is different from spilling your guts, how curiosity can open unexpected doors, and why listening to your intuition can lead to meaningful change.

Sylvia Lafair, PhD, is an executive coach, leadership expert, and founder of Creative Energy Options. For more than 35 years, she has helped CEOs, senior leaders, and organizations uncover the invisible patterns that shape behavior under pressure. By integrating behavioral science, family systems theory, neuroscience, and decades of executive coaching, she developed The GLIMMERS Effect™, a practical approach that helps leaders transform automatic reactions into moments of awareness, better decisions, and lasting cultural change. Her work enables leaders to spark awareness, align teams, and ignite cultures where people and performance thrive. 

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Website:  www.ceoptions.com 

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sylvia lafair

Facebook: https://www.facebook/com/ceoptions

Facebook: https:/www.facebook.com sylvialafair

Facebook: facebook.com/groups/ thestressmastery

Instagram: sylviaLafair8

Youtube: https://www.youtube/user/sylvialafair 

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/

HLH Growth Solutions:  https://hlhgrowthsolutions.com/ 

Ready to grow your biz: scalewithheidi.com

Heidi Schalk sits down with Sara Connell, five time bestselling author and founder of Thought Leader Media, whose work has been featured on Oprah, The New York Times, Good Morning America, and TEDx. Sara shares how a random book grabbed in an airport changed the direction of her life, why she still feels fear every day after 20 years in business, and what she calls the "Gremlins' greatest hits" that play whenever we go for something bigger.

Sara opens up about her upcoming book, The Download: Train Your Brain, Unlock Genius, Create Miracles (Hachette, October 6, 2026), and the science behind those sudden flashes of clarity we all experience. She explains how to recognize a true download, why tracking them builds trust, and her "why try, then AI" rule for protecting creativity and critical thinking in a world where AI is becoming the default. She also gets honest about the jump from six to seven figures, the six figure setback that nearly cost her everything, and how rebuilding her business model took her from 18% to 60% profitability.

Sara Connell is a 5x Bestselling author and the founder of Thought Leader Media where she helps coaches, experts and entrepreneurs scale impact + create 6-7 figures by becoming bestselling authors and in demand/TEDx speakers. She has been featured on/in Oprah, The New York Times, Good Morning America, TODAY, Forbes, Entrepreneur and TEDx. Her upcoming book The Download; Train Your Brain. Unlock Genius. Create Miracles which helps leaders overcome cognitive overload and access clarity, creativity, and innovation in the through human intelligence in the age of AI comes out with Hachette publishing on October 6th, 2026. 

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Substack: https://substack.com/@saraconnellthedownload

IG: https://www.instagram.com/saraconnell/

You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThoughtLeaderMedia 

Website: saraconnell.com

Email: [email protected]

🎁 Preorder The Download on Amazon or Barnes & Noble, then send Sara a screenshot on Instagram to receive the download tracker and bonus method.  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GS7J8V2Q

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In part two of her conversation with Dr. Maria Nemeth, Heidi Schalk digs into the topic Maria is best known for: our relationship with money. Featured on Oprah and author of The Energy of Money, Maria reframes money as one of six kinds of energy we get to use in life, alongside time, physical vitality, creativity, enjoyment, and relationship.

The conversation explores why money is so emotional, why capable women still wrestle with deserving it, and how limiting beliefs are just the brain's negativity bias talking us out of leaving the metaphorical cave.

Maria shares two unforgettable client stories: Sally, who went from welfare to running her own business after starting with fifty dollars a month, and a supermarket cashier who funded a cruise once she saw how much money she was quietly leaking.

At the heart of it is Maria's definition of financial success: doing what you said you would do consistently with money, with clarity, focus, ease, and grace. She closes with practical guidance on charging your worth, taking one small sweet step today, and a Mark Twain reminder that twenty years from now you will regret what you didn't do far more than what you did.

Maria Nemeth, PhD, MCC, is the Founder and Director of the Academy for Coaching Excellence and has trained thousands of coaches around the world. An accomplished psychologist working with people in crisis, she is also a well-known expert in leadership excellence, personal/professional development, and financial empowerment. Voted one of the 50 most influential people in wealth management in the UK, her work has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show and Inc Magazine.  Maria is the author of two highly acclaimed books: The Energy of Money, available in five languages, and its follow-up, Mastering Life’s Energies.


To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Website:  https://marianemeth.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianemeth/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/DrMariaNemeth
Instagram: @Maria Nemeth
Email:  [email protected]

Connect with me:
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FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/femaleentrepreneursandleaders
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/
🎁Spotlight to Scale: https://www.spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint
Ready to grow your biz? Schedule a call: https://calendly.com/hlhgrowthsolutions/30minconnectcall

In this episode of the Be S.H.E. Podcast Heidi Schalk sits down with Dr. Maria Nemeth, founder of the Academy for Coaching Excellence, author of The Energy of Money and Mastering Life's Energies, and a coach who's trained tens of thousands worldwide. Dr. Maria shares how a $35,000 scam forty years ago became the unlikely origin of her life's work, and why "your breakdowns hold the key to your breakthrough."

The conversation digs into how to find your purpose by first discovering what it isn't, why contribution (not revenue) should anchor your business, and the neuroscience of fear. Why our 100,000-year-old brain treats going live on social media like stepping out of the cave toward a saber-toothed tiger. Dr. Maria closes with her definition of success: doing what you said you'd do, consistently, with clarity, focus, ease, and grace.

A part two on The Energy of Money is coming soon.

Maria Nemeth, PhD, MCC, is the Founder and Director of the Academy for Coaching Excellence, and has trained thousands of coaches around the world. An accomplished psychologist working with people in crisis, she is also a well-known expert in leadership excellence, personal/professional development, and financial empowerment. Voted one of the 50 most influential people in wealth management in the UK, her work has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show and Inc Magazine.  Maria is the author of two highly-acclaimed books: The Energy of Money, available in five languages, and its follow-up, Mastering Life’s Energies.


To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Website:  https://marianemeth.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianemeth/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/DrMariaNemeth
Instagram:  @drmarianemeth
Email:  [email protected]

Connect with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidischalkcoaching
FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/femaleentrepreneursandleaders
Spotlight to Scale: https://www.spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/
Ready to grow your biz: https://calendly.com/hlhgrowthsolutions/30minconnectcall

Burnout is not a personal failure. That single reframe sits at the heart of Heidi's conversation with Wendy S. Meadows, certified life coach, former lawyer, and author of Sparkle and Grit. Wendy's take is refreshingly freeing: burnout is not a sign you did something wrong, it is more like a common cold, something that keeps happening to busy women and moms no matter how many times we swear we have learned our lesson. The real skill is learning to see it coming and knowing exactly how to climb back out.

Wendy shares how she traded the courtroom for coaching by holding onto the part of law she loved most, the human connection, and letting go of the rest. She and Heidi dig into what it really means to live your best life, why finding the silver lining became second nature to Wendy after a childhood shaped by divorce and a demanding stepfather, and how our hardest seasons often carry our biggest growth.

Wendy S. Meadows, best-selling author of sparkle & GRIT, inspires others to live a technicolor life by finding balance and beating burnout. Wendy’s experience comes from her unique career path of family law attorney turned life coach. Recognized for her excellence in family law, Wendy holds the AV Preeminent rating and continues to be honored as one of Maryland’s Top 100 Lawyers and Top 50 Women Lawyers. With over 20 years of combined experience in litigating, mediating, coaching, and consulting, Wendy offers highly relatable and spot-on insight. Today, Wendy leverages her extensive expertise to coach clients, provide strategic consulting for law firms, mediate family law disputes with empathy and precision, and deliver engaging talks at professional events. In her free time, she loves playing in the water with her family and dreaming up her next travel extravaganza. 

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Website: https://wendysmeadows.com/ 

Linked In:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-s-meadows/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/wendy.s.meadows

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendy_s_meadows/ 

sparkle & GRIT:  https://amzn.to/4fg9IKo 

Pause Time Playbook - https://www.sparkleandgrit.com/playbook 

Connect with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidischalkcoaching

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/

Ready to grow your biz: https://calendly.com/hlhgrowthsolutions/30minconnectcall

This episode dives into her journey from misdiagnoses to full recovery, highlighting how mold impacts health differently for everyone and how to take proactive steps to protect your family.

Aubree is the founder of Mold Free Mom and host of the top 2.5% globally ranked Mold Free Mom Podcast. As a Board Certified Holistic Practitioner and Mold Recovery Specialist, she guides families through the entire mold illness journey, from first suspecting mold is the issue all the way through full recovery. A mom of three boys and former national champion collegiate gymnast and personal trainer, Aubree spent 12 years and more than $250,000 consulting over 30 doctors before finally identifying mold as the root cause of her mystery illness. Years later, a second exposure put her back at square one, and she recovered fully again. What came out of both journeys is a 5-step protocol built on knowing exactly what the body needs to heal, in what order, and what most approaches get wrong. She's on a mission to give families the roadmap she never had, so they can reclaim their health.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Website: https://moldfreemom.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586676996007 

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mold-free-mom-toxic-mold-mold-illness-mold-detox-chronic/id1780459318 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/moldfreemom 

Connect with me:

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/

Ready to grow your biz: scalewithheidi.com

In this episode, I welcome Kim Reynolds of AI Advantage Agency to explore the transformative role of AI in business, especially in marketing and SEO. Kim shares her inspiring journey from early entrepreneurial ventures to becoming a leader in AI-driven marketing solutions, as well as insights on how businesses can leverage new technologies to stay competitive.

Kimberly Reynolds is a seasoned digital strategist and the co-founder of AI Advantage Agency. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, she specializes in transitioning brands from traditional search models to Agentic Commerce and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO).

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Website: http://aiadvantageagency.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlyannreynolds/  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ai-advantage-agency/ 

 X: x.com/kimreynolds 

X: x.com/aiadvantage 

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/

Ready to grow your biz: scalewithheidi.com

Is artificial intelligence something to fear, or could it become one of our greatest tools for opportunity and impact?

In this episode of the Be S.H.E. Podcast, I sit down with technology pioneer, author, and professor, Beth Simone Noveck, to discuss how AI and emerging technologies can empower individuals, strengthen communities, and create new possibilities. Beth shares how the strong women in her family inspired her passion for technology and explains why she believes innovation can be a force for freedom, flexibility, and positive change.

Whether you're curious about AI, navigating career changes, or wondering how technology fits into your future, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on embracing innovation with confidence instead of fear.

Beth Simone Noveck is a professor and director of the Burnes Center for Social Change at Northeastern University. She leads The Governance Lab and InnovateUS, the fastest-growing AI learning community for public sector professionals. Previously, she served as Chief AI Strategist for the State of New Jersey and has worked in the White House and 10 Downing Street, advising governments around the world on technology and policy. She is the founder of AI for Impact, whose fellows build democratic AI tools with communities. Noveck is the author of several influential books on digital governance, including Solving Public Problems, Smart Citizens, Smarter State, and Wiki Government.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Website: https://rebootdemocracy.ai/ 

Connect with me:

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/

Ready to grow your biz: scalewithheidi.com

What does it really take to leave the security of a 9-to-5 and build a business from the ground up?

In this episode of the Be S.H.E. Podcast, I sit down with Jennifer Davis, founder of King Palm Tax, to discuss her journey from the corporate finance world to entrepreneurship. Jennifer shares how she overcame fear, navigated uncertainty, found mentors who believed in her, and built a business centered on serving others through some of their most stressful financial challenges.

Whether you're dreaming of starting a business or you're already in the trenches of entrepreneurship, this conversation is full of practical wisdom on mindset, community, faith, and taking the leap…..even when it feels scary.

Jennifer Davis is the founder of King Palm Tax, where she helps individuals and business owners get clarity around tax problems, IRS debt, unfiled returns, business valuation needs, and self-directed retirement strategies. As an Enrolled Agent, Certified Tax Resolution Specialist, and Certified Valuation Analyst, Jennifer brings both technical expertise and practical guidance to people facing big financial decisions. Her work is rooted in helping clients understand their options, take the next right step, and feel more empowered around their money, taxes, and business.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Website: http://www.kingpalmtax.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingpalmtax 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kingpalmtax 

Connect with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidischalkcoaching

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/

Ready to grow your biz: scalewithheidi.com

What if your greatest strength is the very thing that makes you feel different?

Sandra Cavanaugh is a renowned Creativity and Communication Specialist, Transformational Coach, Consultant, Keynote Speaker, Educator, Podcast Host, and Bestselling Author. She has taught and coached thousands of successful entrepreneurs, business leaders and their teams, creative artists, actors, writers, parents, students, and educators. As the founder and CEO of Spontaneous Brilliance® LLC, she empowers neurodivergent individuals who feel unheard, unseen, unaccepted, unclear, or undervalued. Sandra helps them move beyond fear and frustration to find their voice, overcome adversity, and unlock their potential, achieving the success they dream of—regardless of age, education, occupation, neurodiversity, or perceived ability.

A multipassionate creative artist, Sandra has cultivated an award-winning career spanning over 40 years in the entertainment industry as a Writer, Director, Actress, Producer, Singer/Songwriter, and Teacher of Acting and Improvisation. Since 1986, she has taught acting, improvisation, movement, voice, and writing at universities and conservatories nationwide, developing curricula and coaching educators in the art of teaching. Her innovative work includes creating interactive programming and scenario-based training for diverse sectors, including law enforcement, social services, education, and healthcare.

In 1997, Sandra founded The New Heritage Theatre Company, a professional resident repertory company and school, under the mentorship of Anthony Hopkins and Olympia Dukakis. As Artistic Director for a decade, she earned numerous awards, including the Governor’s Brightest Stars Award in 2006. Sandra has directed over 100 professional stage productions, from Neil Simon to Shakespeare, and orchestrated large-scale events like The Special Olympics World Winter Games “Share the Magic” extravaganza starring Henry Winkler, and the unprecedented Dalai Lama’s Children’s Day event in Sun Valley.

An entrepreneur and business consultant, Sandra co-founded Silverdraft LLC in 2007, pioneering virtual production technology in the entertainment industry. She currently leads Spontaneous Brilliance LLC and Miracle Group LLC. In 2011, she was honored as one of Idaho Business Review’s Business Women of the Year.

Sandra is a proud mother of four daughters, three of whom are adoption miracles. Her personal journey fuels her advocacy for children’s issues, including foster care, adoption, mental health, FASD, Autism, Neurodiversity, LGBTQIA+ rights, and creativity in education. Through her program “The Art of Unconditional Commitment,” she supports parents of children adopted from foster care, helping them navigate challenging behaviors with resilience and dedication. Sandra also coaches parents in effective advocacy for their children, drawing on her expertise in communication and problem-solving.

Her decades of work with children with special needs have shaped her profound belief that “Everyone is brilliant! We have no shortage of brilliance in the world, just a reluctance to offer it and a resistance to accepting it.”

In her internationally bestselling book, Spontaneous Brilliance, she illuminates the meta meaning of Shakespeare’s assertion that “All the world’s a stage…” with her playful and powerful Metaphorical Metaphysical Guide™ to sharing your unique creative genius in this 24/7 improv on the great stage of life.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Website: http://sandracavanaugh.com 

Linktr.ee https://linktr.ee/spontaneousbrilliance 

Connect with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidischalkcoaching

FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/femaleentrepreneursandleaders

Spotlight to Scale: https://www.spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/

Ready to grow your biz: scalewithheidi.com