What if burnout isn't a sign that you're failing—but a signal that something needs to change?In this powerful episode of Bring Your Fierce Energy, Stacey Kulongowski sits down with board-certified doctor of nursing, leadership coach, TEDx speaker, and founder of Empowered Moms, Dr. Emily Jacobs, to talk about what happens when successful women stop running on empty and start leading with intention.Dr. Emily shares the story behind Empowered Moms, a national community created to help ambitious women overcome burnout, reconnect with themselves, and lead with purpose. Through her work as a healthcare professional, leadership coach, and advocate for women, Emily brings a unique perspective to the challenges so many women face while trying to balance achievement, family, leadership, and their own well-being.This conversation isn't just about burnout or leadership. It's about recognizing when the way you're living no longer serves you, giving yourself permission to make a change, and understanding that success shouldn't come at the expense of yourself.✨ In this episode, you'll learn:• Why burnout can be a signal—not a personal failure• How ambitious women can redefine what success looks like• The importance of leading with purpose and intention• Why you can't pour from an empty cup• How to recognize when it's time to make a change• The power of building a community that supports and empowers women• Why taking care of yourself is essential to becoming the leader you want to beIf this episode inspires you to slow down, reconnect with your purpose, or finally give yourself permission to lead differently, don't forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE it with someone who's ready to bring their fiercest energy. ✨To learn more about what Emily is up to visit the following: https://empoweredmoms.co/ https://www.instagram.com/dremilyjacobs/https://dremilyjacobs.com/ Speaker Website https://www.linkedin.com/in/dremilyjacobs/

What if the thing that feels like a career setback is actually the beginning of the work you were meant to do?In this powerful episode of Bring Your Fierce Energy, Stacey Kulongowski sits down with Emmy-nominated producer, storyteller, speaker, and founder of 1 Girl Revolution, Kate Milligan, to talk about what happens when you stop waiting for someone else to create the opportunity you wish existed—and decide to create it yourself.Kate shares the story behind 1 Girl Revolution, which began with a simple desire to tell the stories of women and girls who were being overlooked and has grown into an award-winning multimedia organization featuring hundreds of inspiring voices. From leaving a career in PR and media to building a podcast, producing Emmy-nominated documentaries, and creating a community centered around women's stories, Kate's journey is a powerful reminder that one person with a vision can create a ripple effect far beyond what they ever imagined.This conversation isn't just about entrepreneurship or storytelling. It's about recognizing your purpose, trusting the idea that won't leave you alone, and understanding that your voice—and the stories you choose to amplify—can have an impact.✨ In this episode, you'll learn:• How frustration can become the catalyst for discovering your purpose• Why every woman has a story worth telling• How Kate turned an idea into an Emmy-nominated multimedia organization• The power of storytelling to create connection and change• Why you don't need to wait for permission to create something meaningful• How one person's passion can inspire an entire community• Why your unique gifts and experiences may be pointing you toward your purposeIf this episode inspires you to trust your voice, pursue the idea that's been on your heart, or tell a story that deserves to be heard, don't forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE it with someone who's ready to bring their fiercest energy. ✨

Candice Wilmuth’s journey to founding Tahoe Dog Co. didn’t begin with a perfectly mapped-out business plan. It started with an unexpected career transition, a little more time to reconnect with what mattered to her, and a growing realization that the life she loved in Lake Tahoe could become something bigger. After being laid off from Google, Candice spent time volunteering in her community, fostering dogs, and reconnecting with the outdoors and the place she called home. Somewhere along the way, an idea sparked: what if there were a way to celebrate the dogs, people, and places that make Tahoe so special?That idea became Tahoe Dog Co., a lifestyle brand inspired by real Tahoe dogs and the adventures they share with their humans. What started with a poster of her dog, Sampson, exploring the Rubicon Trail has grown into a brand featuring collars, leashes, bandanas, hats, stickers, and a community-centered mission.But this conversation isn’t just about starting a dog brand. It’s about what can happen when an unexpected change gives you the opportunity to ask yourself what kind of life you actually want to build. Candice shares what it was like to step away from a long corporate career, follow a creative idea, and turn something deeply personal into a business. We talk about reinvention, taking a leap when you don’t have everything figured out, finding inspiration in everyday life, and building a brand around something you genuinely care about.We also talk about the importance of community, creativity, and letting your own experiences shape the work you create. For Candice, Tahoe Dog Co. isn’t simply about merchandise — the products are a way for people to show that they’re part of something bigger: a lifestyle centered around dogs, the outdoors, adventure, connection, and the place they love.One of the most meaningful reminders from Candice’s story is that sometimes the biggest opportunities can come from moments you never planned for. You don’t always need to know exactly what comes next. Sometimes you just need to pay attention to what makes you feel excited, follow the idea, and be willing to build something along the way.If you’ve ever found yourself wondering what comes next, feeling stuck between the path you planned and the life you actually want, consider this episode your reminder that a new chapter can start in the most unexpected places. Because sometimes losing one direction gives you the space to discover another.CONNECT WITH CANDICE WILMUTHLearn more about Tahoe Dog Co.:Tahoe Dog Co. Website: http://tahoedogco.comInstagram: @tahoedogcoWANT MORE BIG ENERGY?Join the Bring Your Big Energy newsletter for coaching insights, inspiration, behind-the-scenes updates, and practical ways to bring more Big Energy into your career and life.Subscribe and stay connected so you don’t miss what’s coming next!

What happens when you stop waiting to feel qualified and start saying yes to the opportunities that intrigue you?

In this episode of the Bring Your Big Energy Podcast, I sit down with Dana Ayers, former White House staffer, Navy reservist, national security professional, Afghanistan veteran, and bestselling author of Confessions of an Unlikely Runner.

Dana’s incredible journey began with a White House internship she never expected to land and continued through FEMA, the Department of Homeland Security, the Navy, Afghanistan, and countless other experiences she simply decided to raise her hand for.

But this conversation isn’t really about having an extraordinary résumé. It’s about what can happen when you stop talking yourself out of things.

Dana shares why she follows the “cracked doors” in front of her instead of relying on a perfectly mapped-out five-year plan, why she treats new opportunities as experiments, and how experiencing failure has actually made her more willing to take risks.

We talk about FOMO, courage, reinvention, other people’s opinions, following your gut, doing things simply because they sound cool, and why you don’t need to feel completely ready before you begin.

One of my favorite reminders from Dana?

“You’re never going to be ready. Start now and start wherever you are.”

If there’s something you’ve been quietly thinking about trying, consider this episode your invitation to push that door open a little farther.

Because you get one life. And as Dana says: Do the thing.

CONNECT WITH DANA AYERS

Best place to buy Dana’s book, Confessions of an Unlikely Runner:Amazon

Website:DC DANA

Facebook:@DanaLAyers

Instagram: @danaayersauthor

WANT MORE BIG ENERGY?

Join the Bring Your Big Energy newsletter for coaching insights, inspiration, behind-the-scenes updates, and practical ways to bring more Big Energy into your career and life.

Subscribe and stay connected so you don’t miss what’s coming next!

What happens when you realize you've spent years encouraging everyone else to dream bigger… while quietly shrinking your own dreams?

Stacey sits down with entrepreneur, speaker, community builder, and BADE movement creator Monica Curtis for an honest, energizing conversation about choosing yourself, finding fulfillment, and having the courage to go after more.

Monica shares the story behind Be Anything, Do Everything, including the moment she realized she believed her children could do anything—but had stopped believing the same thing about herself. From there, she began building a life around purpose, authenticity, community, and the willingness to do it scared.

You'll hear powerful insights about confidence, failure, entrepreneurship, boundaries, self-investment, finding your people, and taking back the pen to write your own next chapter.

If you've ever thought, “Is this it?” or “I'm meant for more,” press play.

This is your reminder: your dreams count, too.

#BringYourBigEnergy #BringYourFierceEnergy #WomenEmpoweringWomen #FemaleEntrepreneur #PersonalGrowth #WomenInBusiness #Confidence #Mindset #ChooseYourself

What if confidence starts before you ever say a word?

In this episode, Stacey Kulongowski sits down with personal stylist Jessica Renee to uncover the surprising connection between what we wear, how we feel, and the opportunities we create.

Together, they explore why investing in yourself isn't vanity—it's leadership. From overcoming decision fatigue and decluttering your closet to dressing for the life you want instead of the life you're settling for, this conversation is filled with practical advice and powerful mindset shifts.

If you've ever felt stuck, overlooked, or disconnected from the woman you know you're capable of becoming, this episode will remind you that confidence isn't something you find—it's something you choose every single day.

Carol Lin spent decades telling the world's biggest stories—from breaking the news of 9/11 on CNN to reporting from war zones across the globe. But the most important story she would ever tell became her own.

In this deeply moving conversation, Carol opens up about navigating grief, losing her husband to cancer, becoming a mother, walking away from a prestigious career, and redefining what success truly means.

Together, Stacey and Carol explore:
• Why walking away isn't failure
• The courage it takes to reinvent yourself
• Motherhood, identity, and finding purpose after loss
• The hidden cost of achievement and burnout
• Why financial independence creates freedom
• How to build a life that aligns with who you truly are

If you've ever questioned your career, your purpose, or wondered what's next, this episode is a reminder that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is choose yourself.

Your greatest chapter may still be ahead.

Grief isn't just about losing someone you love. Sometimes it's the loss of a dream, your health, your identity, or the future you thought you'd have.

In this heartfelt conversation, Stacey welcomes grief counselor Peggy Haymes to explore what grief really looks like—and why there's no right way to experience it. Peggy shares her own journey through childhood trauma, how grief shaped her life's work, and why healing isn't about "getting over it," but learning to live alongside it with courage and compassion.

Together, they discuss how to stop judging your grief, practical tools for processing difficult seasons, and how our deepest losses can become catalysts for growth.

If you've ever felt like your grief didn't "count," this episode is for you.

What is life really like as a military spouse? How do you navigate grief, mental health, resilience, and finding your identity when life keeps asking more of you?In this episode of the Bring Your Big Energy Podcast, host Stacey sits down with Allison Burton—author, military spouse, advocate, and speaker—for an honest conversation about grief, military family life, mental health, resilience, personal growth, and finding your voice.After unexpectedly losing her mother while living overseas, Allison found herself navigating overwhelming grief, anxiety, depression, deployments, solo parenting, and the invisible challenges that so many military spouses face. Her upcoming book, Silent Ranks, Loud Burdens, shines a light on the untold realities of military family life and empowers women to speak their truth with courage.Whether you're a military spouse, veteran family member, working mom, caregiver, or someone struggling with grief, burnout, anxiety, or identity, this episode will remind you that you're not alone—and that healing begins when we tell the truth about what we're carrying.In this episode, you'll learn:✔️ The hidden realities of military spouse life✔️ How grief can impact your mental health and relationships✔️ Why asking for help is one of the strongest things you can do✔️ How therapy helped Allison rediscover herself✔️ Finding purpose through pain and adversity✔️ Letting go of perfection and embracing authenticity✔️ Why women need to stop waiting for "their turn"✔️ How sharing your story can create healing for others🎙️ Follow Bring Your Big Energy on Spotify for inspiring conversations about personal growth, mindset, entrepreneurship, women's empowerment, resilience, healing, mental health, leadership, and living with purpose.

What if the biggest thing standing between you and the life you want isn't your circumstances—but what you believe about yourself?

In this deeply moving episode of Bring Your Big Energy, Stacey sits down with Mishkin Cyr, whose life has taken him from surviving childhood trauma in Africa, to homelessness, addiction, and rock bottom, before rebuilding a life filled with purpose, family, and meaningful work.

Mishkin shares the raw truth about addiction, self-worth, resilience, and why recovery isn't about becoming someone new—it's about uncovering who you were underneath the pain all along.

Together, Stacey and Mishkin dive into:

• Why addiction is often a symptom—not the root problem.
• How trauma quietly shapes our decisions and relationships.
• The connection between self-worth, values, and lasting change.
• Why perfection keeps us stuck—and "workable" is a better goal.
• How to rebuild trust in yourself after you've lost everything.
• The simple mindset shift that helped him transform his entire life.

Whether you've struggled with addiction, perfectionism, burnout, people-pleasing, or simply feel like you're carrying the weight of your past, this conversation will remind you that your story isn't over.

Sometimes your greatest struggle becomes the very thing that allows you to change someone else's life.

This episode is an honest, hopeful reminder that healing is possible—and that your past does not get the final say.