In this episode of Celia’s Corner, Cecilia sits down with Steve Anderson, an expert in strategic risk and business growth and the author of the international bestselling book The Bezos Letters: 14 Principles to Grow Your Business Like Amazon.

Steve deconstructs Jeff Bezos’ letters to Amazon shareholders through the unique lens of risk, revealing the principles that helped transform Amazon from an online bookstore into a trillion-dollar company.

Together, they explore why Bezos is considered a master of risk, the difference between being customer-focused and truly customer-obsessed, Amazon’s customer-experience principles, and why high-velocity decision-making can help businesses move faster and grow more effectively.

If you’d like to learn more about Steve Anderson and explore the principles from The Bezos Letters, visit:

https://www.TheBezosLetters.com

You can also download additional material designed to help you apply the principles revealed in the book.

Whether you’re a small business owner, entrepreneur, or leader looking to accelerate growth, this conversation offers practical lessons inspired by one of the most influential business leaders of our time.

In this episode of Celia’s Corner, I’m joined by Ted Kopecko, author of the #1 International Best Seller Finding JOY… Journey Of You and a commercial real estate broker with more than 30 years of experience in business, architecture, and entrepreneurship.

Ted introduces a powerful distinction between Life-Led and JOY-Led living. While Life-Led living often means reacting to circumstances, staying busy, and pursuing externally defined measures of success, JOY-Led living is about intentionally aligning your mindset, identity, time, and choices with the life you genuinely want.

We explore why hardworking and successful people can still feel stuck or burned out, the hidden cost of misalignment, how identity influences our definition of success, why time is one of our most valuable resources, and how people can begin rewriting their stories when they feel trapped in routine or survival mode.

Ted also shares lessons from more than three decades of entrepreneurship and business, including the failures, pressure, reinvention, and personal growth that shaped his philosophy.

This is a conversation about moving beyond simply being productive and asking a deeper question: Are you building the life you truly want—or just staying busy living the one you have?

You can learn more about Ted and explore Finding JOY… Journey Of You, including the free Finding JOY Workbook and other growth-focused resources, at FindingJOY.us.

In this episode I’m joined by Cody Sisco, author, editor, publisher, and literary culture producer, for a conversation about queer science fiction, neurodivergence, resilience, independent publishing, and the power of characters who refuse to surrender.

We explore what it means to write queer characters who refuse to break, how to portray neurodivergence without falling into stereotypes, the realities of building a readership outside traditional publishing gatekeepers, and how a writing career can evolve into something bigger: a thriving literary community.

Cody also shares his approach to creative discipline, his work as a developmental editor, the influence of Los Angeles on his writing, and his thoughts on technology, manipulation, mental health, cognitive science, and resilience.

You can learn more about Cody’s work and support the deluxe 10th anniversary edition of Broken Mirror through his Kickstarter campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/codysisco/broken-mirror-a-science-fiction-novel-in-a-cyberpunk-world

In this episode of Celia’s Corner, we sit down with Fee Gentry, Founder and CEO of Handled Home Solutions, to have an honest conversation about the realities facing today’s Sandwich Generation.

Fee brings together expertise in healthcare, rehabilitation, technology, real estate, human systems, and lived caregiving experience to help families rethink how they prepare for aging. Through Handled Home Solutions, she is working to create what she calls a “home operating system” for seniors and families, focusing on fall prevention, home safety, safe return-home planning, and aging in place.

We discuss the warning signs that a home may no longer be safe, how adult children can support aging parents without taking away their independence, why families often wait until a crisis occurs, the role of technology in senior safety, caregiver guilt and overwhelm, the financial realities of aging, and what it truly means to age with dignity.

Fee also shares her vision for transforming the systems surrounding aging so families don’t have to choose between unsafe independence and institutional care.

This is a conversation about prevention, dignity, family, and building better systems before a crisis forces us to.

You can also learn more about Fee and Handled Home Solutions and schedule a free home wellness consultation at:
 https://handledhome.com/book-your-free-consultation

In this episode of Celia’s Corner, I sit down with Olaolu Ogunyemi, a proud U.S. Marine Officer, father, award-winning author, and leadership mentor, for a powerful conversation about the connection between parenting, faith, resilience, and leadership.

Olaolu shares how his experiences in the Marine Corps, fatherhood, and his own personal journey shaped his philosophy of “Leading Last” and his mission to build stronger leaders from the boardroom to the living room.

We explore raising emotionally healthy and resilient children, navigating insecurity, balancing discipline with empathy, the role of faith in leadership, the importance of parent-child connection, and why communities have a responsibility to help young people avoid destructive paths.

Olaolu also shares practical insights from Parent-Child-Connect and his leadership work, giving parents, mentors, educators, and leaders tools they can begin applying immediately.

Whether you’re raising children, leading a team, mentoring young people, or simply trying to become a better leader, this conversation offers a powerful reminder: leadership isn’t just about the position you hold—it’s about the people you influence and the legacy you leave behind.

You can find free resources from Olaolu, including conversation guides, worksheets, and leadership reflections, at:

https://Parent-Child-Connect.com/free-resources

In this episode of Celia’s Corner, I sit down with award-winning author Teri M. Brown for a heartfelt and inspiring conversation about writing, imposter syndrome, women’s issues, aging, menopause, resilience, and finding the courage to pursue your dreams.

Teri shares her journey from writing nonfiction and homeschooling her children to publishing historical fiction, inspirational nonfiction, and a children’s picture book. We also talk about her transformative 3,102-mile tandem bicycle journey across the United States, how she found strength after an emotionally abusive marriage, and why it’s never too late to reinvent yourself.

We dive into her latest book, Peg Unhinged, her honest and humorous approach to menopause, and the importance of helping women recognize their worth. Teri also shares practical advice for aspiring writers, insights into overcoming imposter syndrome, and what she has learned throughout her remarkable writing journey.

You can find Teri’s books, learn more about her work, and sign up for her newsletter at www.terimbrown.com. You can also find her books on Amazon.

And don’t forget to look out for her newsletter, where you can receive her list of “10 Historical Fiction You’ve Never Heard of That Will Bring You to Tears.”

In this episode of Celia’s Corner, I sit down with internationally recognized relationship and happiness expert Anil Gupta, known as The Love Doctor. Anil is a double best-selling international author, TEDx Speaker, relationship coach, and founder of The Happiness Score.

We explore the biggest mistakes people make in relationships and parenting, how to improve communication with a spouse, overcoming adversity and feelings of unworthiness, the power of forgiveness, and whether lasting happiness is truly possible.

Anil also shares insights from his own journey, his work with people across 18 countries, and the practical methodologies he has developed to help people create richer, fuller, and happier lives.

For everyone listening, if you’d like to learn more about Anil’s work and explore more resources designed to help you lead a richer, fuller, and happier life, visit https://meetanil.com/.

Anil Gupta brings a powerful combination of personal experience, practical relationship wisdom, and a deep commitment to helping people live more fulfilled lives.

In this deeply personal episode of Celia’s Corner, I sit down with Wayne Hesler-Mondore, host of Looking In: Growing Up Gay, Impoverished, and Forgotten.

Wayne takes us back to his childhood in Floyd, New York, where he grew up in poverty, struggled with feeling invisible, and learned to hide his sexuality in an environment that didn’t always feel accepting.

We talk about discovering his sexuality, coming out at 33, being a gay father with biological children, navigating relationships, and eventually finding his husband and the happiness, acceptance, and stability he had spent years searching for.

Wayne also opens up about the difficult reality of acting homophobic as a way to survive, the experience of being a gay teenager in 1984, and why looking honestly at our past can be an important part of healing.

His story is ultimately one of resilience, authenticity, love, and finally allowing yourself to be seen.

For everyone listening, if Wayne’s story resonated with you and you’d like to learn more about his work, his creative business, and his podcast episodes, visit https://hmprintdesign.com/. You can also explore Tango Talks: The Human Experience, Confessions from the Chair, and Looking In: Growin  TV g Up Gay, Impoverished and Forgotten, along with HM Print & Design’s creative work and gift offerings.

In this episode of Celia’s Corner, Cecilia sits down with Geoff Howard, CEO and Executive Director of the Money Confidence Project and an accomplished technology, media, and nonprofit executive, to explore how entertainment can transform the way people learn about financial literacy and entrepreneurship.

Through the Singleton Foundation for Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship, Geoff and his team are taking a completely different approach to financial education. Instead of relying solely on traditional teaching methods, they use storytelling, digital entertainment, familiar faces, real-life experiences, and even gaming to make important financial lessons engaging and accessible.

We discuss why money remains such a difficult topic for people to talk about, how financial education can be adapted for different generations, and why confidence can be just as important as knowledge when it comes to making financial decisions.

Geoff also explains the foundation’s esports-style financial literacy game, the role technology can play in educating future generations, and how the organization measures whether its approach is actually making a difference.

Whether you’re a parent trying to teach your children about money, a young adult learning to manage finances, or simply someone who wants to become more financially confident, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on why financial literacy doesn’t have to be boring.

Learn more and explore the foundation’s free resources at https://singletonfoundation.org/.

Geoff Howard brings together financial expertise, technology, media, and a genuine commitment to impact, helping redefine how we can engage people with one of life’s most important subjects: money.

In this episode, Cecilia sits down with Brigitta Dau, a Life Coach, Reiki Master, Author, Speaker, Facilitator, and Creative Synergist, for a powerful conversation about energy healing, creativity, self-worth, sobriety, purpose, and personal transformation.

Brigitta shares how her journey through professional acting, recovery, creative expression, and energy work ultimately led her to help others reconnect with their inner wisdom and create lives infused with purpose.

We explore what Reiki is, how energy healing can be experienced virtually and in groups, why creative expression can be such a powerful tool for healing, and what it means to stop hustling for your self-esteem.

Whether you’re navigating a major life transition, searching for your purpose, working on your relationship with yourself, or simply feeling called to create something different, this conversation offers a compassionate reminder that you don’t have to know the entire path—you just need to start following your North Star.

For everyone listening, if you’d like to learn more about Brigitta, explore her upcoming workshops, Reiki experiences, coaching programs, and other offerings, visit:

https://www.brigittadau.com/in-person-workshops