What if the smartest career move you could make is intentionally climbing DOWN the corporate ladder?

In this episode, Blakely and Heather sit down with Alden Hultgren, a tech executive and founder of the Conscious Leadership Collective who made a radical choice: she's not stepping down—she's creating a new ladder. Alden chose wellness over titles and discovered that "creating a life you don't have to heal from" is the ultimate success metric.

This conversation includes a live breathwork session, real talk about chronic stress and burnout, and permission to redefine success on your own terms. Plus: Heather reports live from Dreamforce, everyone discovers they've been breathing backwards their whole lives, and Clay gets kicked out of an anniversary dinner.

In this episode, Alden reveals:

• The moment she realized she needed to “climb” down the corporate ladder (and why it was the right decision)

• What "creating a life you don't have to heal from" really means

• The physiological sigh: a 3-breath technique to reset your nervous system anywhere, anytime

• Why breathwork in the boardroom could change corporate culture

• How to shift from being a victim to the corporate world to being the creator of your life

• What the Conscious Leadership Collective offers to high-achieving professionals who want both success AND wellness

LINKS & MENTIONS

• Conscious Leadership Collective: Join the waitlist at thealdeneffect.com/conscious-leadership/

• For 1:1 coaching with Alden: Visit thealdeneffect.com 

• Dreamforce 2025 by @salesforce

• Saysh Shoes

• Ozone IV Therapy: Mentioned as treatment for chronic fatigue/Epstein-Barr

• Huberman Lab: Physiological sigh research

  
  

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