I'm back with a solo episode after a few weeks of client spotlight interviews, and I'm diving into something that came up repeatedly after I spoke at an event recently: how to actually step into a new identity, whether that's becoming a coach, a speaker, an entrepreneur, or a retreat host. So many people came up to me asking what their first step should be, and my answer was the same every time — you just have to start, even before you feel ready or "qualified."

In this episode, I break down exactly how I claimed the identity of coach, speaker, and podcast host long before I had any real experience in those roles, including changing my social media bio before I'd ever spoken on a stage, and how that single move led to speaking invitations from people who found me because of it.

I talk about the discomfort of claiming an identity you haven't fully grown into yet, why that discomfort is a normal part of stepping into something new, and practical first steps you can take today, whether it's updating your bio, creating your first offer, or making content around who you're becoming, not just what you already are.

Eril Morales shares what it really looks like to relaunch a coaching business after stepping away. She shares her journey from pausing her coaching practice back in 2021, taking time to heal and live offline, to eventually rebuilding on her own terms. We dig into what it means to redefine success beyond likes and metrics, how to stay devoted to your craft without burning out, and why honoring your own timing matters more than rushing to catch up.

Eril also opens up about the belief work required to relaunch publicly after years away, the identity shift behind her rebrand to and what it was like stepping fully into her voice from writing to public speaking in front of over a hundred people. If you've ever taken a break from something you loved and wondered if it's too late to come back, this episode is a reminder that your timing is your own, and you're not too late — you're right on time.

Eril Morales is a coach, storyteller and the founder of Honor Your Growth — a coaching practice and written publication. With roots in Vallejo, California, Eril is passionate about helping multi-passionate creatives, visionaries, and heart-led people reconnect with their spark, grow unwavering trust in themselves, and build a life guided by possibility. Through her writing & 1:1 coaching program Heart-Led, she creates warm, expansive spaces for people to come home to themselves, whether that's to their creativity, their body + spirit, or the dreams that have been quietly asking for their attention. As a Filipino American & eldest daughter to an immigrant single mother, she's embarked on the journey of going from survival mode to seeing abundance everywhere she goes. Eril's mission is to ensure that deeply feeling, heart-centered people are resourced to steward their gifts forward — reminding them that they are not too late; they're actually right on time.

Follow Eril on Instagram @withloveeril

Doors are now open to Emergence, the 12-month group program for WOC coaches, healers and service providers. Learn more here: nicoletgsantos.com/emergence

Doors close July 29th.

In this episode, I sit down with Ilana Brown — a holistic spiritual guide, healer, and embodiment coach rooted in the Filipino healing arts — to talk about what it really takes to build a spiritual business from the ground up. Ilana shares her journey from a corporate career in brand strategy to becoming a modern-day priestess and shaman, including the pivotal, ancestor-guided trip that set her on this path and how she eventually found her way into Emergence.

We dig into what it looked like for Ilana to raise her prices, own her positioning, and finally feel confident selling her work without shrinking or second-guessing herself. She opens up about the emotional labor of holding space as a healer, the deep grief and identity work required to build a sustainable business, and what it meant to host her Hawaii retreat, Magbata: Born of Water. If you're building a spiritual or healing-based business and want to hear what it really looks like to charge what you're worth, root your work in ancestral medicine, and build with intuition instead of a rigid framework, this episode is for you.

Ilana is a holistic spiritual guide, healer, mentor and embodiment coach who bridges spirituality and science, and is rooted in the Filipino healing arts. Her mission is to connect people’s hearts back to mother earths heart to teach us to move at the pace of nature. She’s a mom, Manifestor and a lover girl with a Cancer stellium who loves to make spaces beautiful, and make people feel beautiful. 

Follow Ilana on Instagram @ilanaebrown

Doors are now open to Emergence, the 12-month group program for WOC coaches, healers and service providers. Learn more here: nicoletgsantos.com/emergence

In this episode, Kiana Clerkley talks about what it really looks like to return to social media after stepping away and how to grow a community. 

We get into the mindset shift that helped Kiana show up online again with more confidence and consistency, and why serving your audience matters so much more than chasing perfection. Kiana breaks down how building a community online starts with small actions — the kind that build real trust over time.

We also talk about what it's really like to hold multiple identities at once: entrepreneur, mother, healer, human and how to manage the overwhelm that can come with being a busy mom while still building a business. Kiana shares how she stays committed to her vision even in seasons that call for rest, flexibility, and grace.

If you've been hesitant to re-enter social media, grow your online presence, or invest in your own growth, this episode is your permission slip. Kiana's advice: align with your why, bet on yourself, and take inspired action — one step at a time.

Kiana Clerkley is a heart centered, holistic life coach, healer, therapist & mental health advocate who’s re-emerging into the spirit led entrepreneurship and ready to serve her community!

Join me for Selling as Reclamation — a free live webinar on July 20th where I'll show you how to sell in a way that feels rooted, not forced. Doors to Emergence, my 12-month group coaching program for WOC entrepreneurs, opens immediately after. 

https://nicolesantos.myflodesk.com/webinar

In this episode, integrative life coach Karina Zavala opens up about her journey from burnout in the mental health field to building a coaching business. Karina shares how shadow work, subconscious patterning, and somatic practices became the foundation for both her own healing and the transformation she now guides her clients through, along with the mindset shifts that helped her push past self-doubt and social anxiety to show up consistently and visibly in her business.

The conversation also dives into the practical side of building a values-aligned business — from community-building through free offerings like her Self-Care Sundays, to navigating limiting beliefs around being "too much" or too vulnerable to be taken seriously. This episode is a must-listen for any entrepreneur ready to build a business that feels true and authentic.

Join me for Selling as Reclamation — a free live webinar on July 20th where I'll show you how to sell in a way that feels rooted, not forced. Doors to Emergence, my 12-month group coaching program for WOC entrepreneurs, opens immediately after. 

https://nicolesantos.myflodesk.com/webinar

I’m welcoming back Jesenia and Alisha of The Medicine Women's Collective to talk about building a spirit-led community, launching a virtual membership, and the mindset shifts that helped them move through self-doubt. We dig into how a year of consistent in-person events and aligned community care laid the foundation for a launch that welcomed 40 women into their beta round, and how their collective keeps growing through portal calls, in-person meetups, and expanding offerings.

We also get into the real challenges of launching something new — trusting your own value and leaning on community feedback and validation along the way. From Alisha’s upcoming Goddess Care workshop to their sold out retreat in Mount Shasta, this episode is a reminder that sustainable business growth happens when you stay grounded in purpose, integrity, and sisterhood.

Jesenia is a curandera, hypnotherapist, and spiritual guide. She offers deep ceremonial healing containers blending indigenous practices with modern techniques like hypnosis for deep soul healing. Jesenia is the co-founder of The Medicine Women's Collective, a sacred sisterhood for entrepreneurs, creatives, and spirit-led women. 

Alisha is an Ayurvedic practitioner who helps spirit led humans support their mind, body , and soul through ancient holistic practices. She combines ancestral healing, energy work, and daily rituals as a way to find health and sustainable healing. Alisha is the co-founder of The Medicine Women's Collective, a sacred sisterhood for entrepreneurs, creatives, and spirit-led women.------------

Listen to episode 16 to see how far Alisha and Jesenia have come since January 2026. 

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/ep-16-real-talk-case-study-hosting-8-events-building/id1768913945?i=1000745509020 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7nrd8K88weFpAtxbQ5lvGR?si=D9VLRYGoR2CxnUWySgZN8g 

------------

Join me for Selling as Reclamation — a free live webinar on July 20th where I'll show you how to sell in a way that feels rooted, not forced. Doors to Emergence, my 12-month group coaching program for WOC entrepreneurs, opens immediately after. 

https://nicolesantos.myflodesk.com/webinar

In this episode, I dive into my personal journey with authenticity in sales, entrepreneurship, and self-expression — starting all the way back from my college sales jobs. I share what I've learned about mirroring and connecting authentically with clients, the challenge of being a "chameleon" versus showing up as my true self, and how your values shape your business identity and client relationships. I also talk about overcoming the fear of standing out as an outlier, embracing niche clarity, and why accepting every facet of yourself is the key to genuine branding. 

Plus, I share details on my free webinar on storyselling and values-driven business growth. Selling as Reclamation — a free live webinar on July 20th where I'll teach you how to embrace your authenticity as a strategy. Doors to Emergence, my 12-month group coaching program for WOC entrepreneurs, opens immediately after. 

https://nicolesantos.myflodesk.com/webinar

In this episode, I open up about why I rebranded The Belief Game podcast — shifting from self-trust embodiment coaching to empowering women of color entrepreneurs in building sustainable, impactful businesses.

I share why belief is like a muscle you have to build, how borrowing belief from mentors and community gets you through until you trust yourself, and why consistency and community are the real keys to lasting success in business and in life.

Discover how Veronica Suazo stopped self-sabotaging and finally launched her coaching business — while staying rooted in her community and true to herself. This episode is a real client case study in what mindset shifts, self-belief, and the right support system can actually do for an entrepreneur.

Veronica gets into her journey from a party girl youth to becoming a therapist and now coach and community advocate, the mental blocks she had to push through around worthiness, fear of judgment, and never feeling like she could finish what she started. She shares how she learned to see her past as a source of strength instead of shame, why decision-making and commitment are the real foundation of entrepreneurship, and how to take aligned action even when fear is still present. She also talks about the role community plays in sustainable success and shares what she's building next — including upcoming events and season 3 of her podcast.

If you've been sitting on your idea, waiting to feel ready, this episode is for you.

Veronica Suazo is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, coach, motivational speaker, and host of the podcast Get Real with V. Born and raised in San Francisco's Mission District, Veronica is passionate about helping people build self-confidence, heal from past experiences, and create lives that align with their values. Through her coaching, speaking engagements, and podcast, she creates space for authentic conversations around self-love, resilience, personal growth, and community empowerment. As a first-generation Latina and mental health advocate, Veronica's mission is to inspire others to choose themselves, lead with love, and embrace their journey with courage and authenticity.

Connect with Veronica: http://instagram.com/motivationwithv

Ready to stop self-sabotaging and start selling from a place that actually feels like you? Join me for Selling as Reclamation — a free live webinar on July 20th where I'll show you how to sell in a way that feels rooted, not forced. Doors to Emergence, my 12-month group coaching program for WOC entrepreneurs, opens immediately after. 

https://nicolesantos.myflodesk.com/webinar

Discover how Veronica Suazo stopped self-sabotaging and finally launched her coaching business — while staying rooted in her community and true to herself. This episode is a real client case study in what mindset shifts, self-belief, and the right support system can actually do for an entrepreneur.

Veronica gets into her journey from a party girl youth to becoming a therapist and now coach and community advocate, the mental blocks she had to push through around worthiness, fear of judgment, and never feeling like she could finish what she started. She shares how she learned to see her past as a source of strength instead of shame, why decision-making and commitment are the real foundation of entrepreneurship, and how to take aligned action even when fear is still present. She also talks about the role community plays in sustainable success and shares what she's building next — including upcoming events and season 3 of her podcast.

If you've been sitting on your idea, waiting to feel ready, this episode is for you.

Ready to stop self-sabotaging and start selling from a place that actually feels like you? Join me for Selling as Reclamation — a free live webinar on July 20th where I'll show you how to sell in a way that feels rooted, not forced. Doors to Emergence, my 12-month group coaching program for WOC entrepreneurs, open immediately after. 

https://nicolesantos.myflodesk.com/webinar