Big Girls Don't Cry Podcast

Johno Meintjes’ story is one of building, losing and rebuilding. After a career in elite sports conditioning — including work across cricket, field hockey and South African rugby — Johno moved into entrepreneurship and built JEFF Fitness, a remote fitness business that grew rapidly during the pandemic.

After the breakdown of that business and a painful separation from an investor/partner, Johno started again. He self-funded The Daily J, building a new wellness community around movement, nutrition, wellbeing and connection.

His conversation with Georgie and Shan explores what happens when the company you built is taken away, the grief that follows, what betrayal teaches you about trust and governance, and how to rebuild without simply recreating what existed before.

Links and Resources:

The Daily J Website: dailyj.co.za

Meet Johno + The Daily J team: Meet the Daily J Team

Instagram: @johnomeintjes and @dailyj_fitness

OFFER FOR BIG GIRLS DON’T CRY PODCAST LISTENERS

Johno is offering our listeners 50% off his membership to the Daily J, access the link here for the offer: 50% off DailyJ

After a season spent talking about resilience, we realized there was another question waiting for us: what happens after you’ve made it through?

In the opening episode of Season Two, Reinvention, we turn the microphones on ourselves. We talk about the versions of us we’ve outgrown, the identities we’ve held onto, the things we’re still figuring out — and what it really looks like to begin again when you don’t have the whole plan mapped out.

We also share something new that has grown from this little podcast and the incredible community around it: the Big Girls Don’t Cry Podcast Club. A place to take the conversations beyond the episode, with reflections, tools and resources designed to help you explore your own story — starting with our free Embers worksheets, and The Rekindle Guided Journal coming soon!

Because maybe reinvention isn’t about becoming someone completely new.

Maybe it’s about asking yourself, honestly…

So, what now?

Natasha Dehesh joins Georgie and Shan to reframe resilience: how strength can become armor, why softness is its own power, and what it looks like to raise grounded kids in a very different world. Tender, practical, and refreshingly honest — this episode offers simple daily practices for nervous-system regulation, real talk about parenting without guilt, and a new way to move from surviving to designing a meaningful life. Tune in for warmth, clarity, and actionable takeaways.

Links and Resources:

• ​Website: natashadehesh.com
• ​IG: @natasha.dehesh
• ​Elizabeth Gilbert — TED talk “Your Elusive Creative Genius”: www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius
• ​Glucose Goddess IG: @glucosegoddess website glucose goddess.com

Rhodie Lorenz knows that life rarely unfolds the way we imagine. In this deeply honest conversation, she shares how navigating unexpected change and uncertainty has shaped her perspective on resilience, gratitude, and what it truly means to keep moving forward.

Contact Rhodie:

Website: https://rhodielorenz.com

IG: @rhodielorenz

Links and Resources:

- Song by David Guetta & Sia: Titanium 

- The Artist’s Way — Julia Cameron: https://juliacameronlive.com/the-artists-way

- Lotus and the Mud — by Elisabeth Schilling: The "lotus and the mud" is a profound Buddhist metaphor signifying that personal awakening, peace, and beauty cannot exist without struggle. The phrase "lotus in the mud" represents the human capacity to rise above adversity and achieve spiritual enlightenment, mental clarity, or personal growth. It symbolizes resilience—showing that beauty, wisdom, and strength can emerge from the darkest and messiest parts of life

https://feminismandreligion.com/2016/11/08/lotus-in-the-mud-a-metaphor-for-humanity-on-our-darkest-days-by-lachelle-schilling.

Marni Lane shares her journey from breaking news to Olympic storytelling, motherhood, and the heartbreaking loss of her firstborn after a heart transplant. With honesty, warmth, and wisdom, she reflects on how grief shaped her, why advocacy matters, and how moving forward doesn’t mean leaving love behind.

Resources and links:

• Rowboat: First You Have To Row A Little Boat - Richard Bode
• Howard Stern: https://www.howardstern.com

Contact Marni Lane:

• LinkedIn:marni-harriman-lane
• IG: @kriskeylane

Episode 2 featuring Lynn Mull

What happens when success no longer feels aligned with who you’re becoming?

Lynn Mull shares her journey from Wall Street to Wellness, exploring resilience, reinvention, and the courage to trust a new path.

A powerful conversation about change, growth, and finding alignment.

Big Girls Don’t Cry - because to be human is to have a story.

Show note links and resources:

• Website: https://www.lynnmull.com
• IG: @_lynnmull/

Resources:

• IFS Institute: https://ifs-institute.com/ and Book: No Bad Parts, Author: Richard Schwartz: https://ifs-institute.com/nobadparts
• Ina Garten — Barefoot Contessa: https://barefootcontessa.com
• Byron Katie — The Work: https://thework.com
• Brené Brown — official site / books: https://brenebrown.com
• Shonda Rhimes — The Year of Yes: https://www.shondaland.com/shonda/year-of-yes

Songs: 

• Baby Steps by Olivia Dean
• Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson
  

What started as two friends stepping outside their comfort zones unexpectedly became a podcast. Big Girls Don’t Cry is hosted by Georgie and Shan, two South African friends who believe that everyone has a story worth telling.

Through honest conversations with people from all walks of life, we explore resilience, reinvention, heartbreak, courage, laughter, and the moments that change us. Some stories are extraordinary. Most are beautifully ordinary. All of them remind us that life is rarely a straight line. So whether you’re navigating a challenge of your own or simply curious about the human experience, pull up a chair and join us.

Because to be human is to have a story.

Show notes and resources:

Media and Branding Services: 

• https://www.zwaanz.com/solutions
• https://switchonmymedia.com

BGDC host photos by:

• https://privateportraits.com