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🎧 Episode 177: How to Rise, Lead & Heal After Workplace Toxicity with Kaitlyn Rios (Part 2)

In Part 2 of this heartfelt and transformative conversation, Faced With Grace founder Kaitlyn Rios returns to explore the role of mental wellness in overcoming workplace adversity, why asking for help can be the scariest step, and how to build a future of healthier, more inclusive workplace cultures.

We talk openly about the stigma surrounding mental health, the shame that often keeps women silent, and why advocacy, both for yourself and for others, is non-negotiable. Kaitlyn also shares her long-term vision for equipping the next generation of female leaders with the tools, awareness, and confidence to recognize and avoid toxic environments before they begin their careers.

If you’ve ever felt unseen, unheard, or unsupported at work, this conversation will challenge and inspire you to take action, starting with yourself.

We explore:

• Why asking for help is often the hardest and most pivotal step
• The hidden cost of ignoring mental health at work
• How generational stigma still impacts conversations around therapy and wellness
• Practical ways leaders can create safe spaces for vulnerability without becoming a therapist
• The Grit and Grace Collective: Kaitlyn’s vision for mentoring young women before they enter the workforce
• How to be a “luminous leader” and make a difference where you are right now
• Why leaving a toxic job isn’t always the only solution
• Kaitlyn’s most surprising lesson since launching Faced With Grace
• The one piece of wisdom she would share if it were her last day on earth

🔑 Key takeaways:

• You are not alone in your struggles, support exists if you’re willing to reach for it
• Mental wellness is as critical as physical health and should be addressed openly
• Leaders have the power to reduce stigma by creating space for honest conversations
• Preparation and self-awareness can help the next generation avoid toxicity altogether
• Advocacy for yourself is not selfish, it’s essential

💡 Quotes to remember:

• “Never stop advocating for yourself, because you matter.”
• “If your gut says something isn’t right, it probably isn’t.”
• “Your journey with mental wellness doesn’t end, it evolves.”

📚 Resources mentioned:

 ✨ Learn more about Faced With Grace: www.facedwithgrace.org

 📧 Email Kaitlyn: [email protected]

 🎟️ Register for the August 25th Virtual Speaker Summit: Event Page

📲 Connect with Kaitlyn:

 LinkedIn – Kaitlyn Rios

A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!

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🎧 Episode 176: How to Rise, Lead & Heal After Workplace Toxicity with Kaitlyn Rios (Part 1)

In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, Faced With Grace founder Kaitlyn Rios shares her deeply personal journey from surviving a toxic work environment to building a mission-driven organization that empowers women to rise above adversity with confidence, poise, and purpose.

We dive into the signs of workplace toxicity, how to recognize them early, and the first small but impactful steps you can take to protect your mental and emotional well-being. Kaitlyn also reveals why purpose is the core value that anchors her mission and the tools she uses to help women transform pain into power.

If you’ve ever questioned your worth because of a toxic workplace—or wondered how to turn hardship into meaningful change—this episode will resonate deeply.

We explore:

• The moment that sparked Kaitlyn’s mission to create Faced With Grace
• How past workplace trauma can unknowingly follow you into new roles
• Practical ways to spot toxicity before it escalates
• The role of mentorship and coaching in navigating and healing from adversity
• How to prevent support spaces from becoming complaint sessions
• The five core values that guide Faced With Grace
• Small, actionable steps to lead positively—no matter your title

🔑 Key takeaways:

• Toxicity has many faces—learning to spot it early is key to self-preservation
• Purpose can transform even the lowest moments into a catalyst for change
• Mentorship provides validation, perspective, and a roadmap forward
• Leadership isn’t about titles, it’s about the example you set daily

💡 Quotes to remember:

• “You are not alone. You have a support system here built in.”
• “Purpose is the anchor that keeps me moving forward, even when it’s hard.”
• “We can’t always erase trauma—but we can use it to create something better.”

📚 Resources mentioned:

 ✨ Learn more about Faced With Grace: www.facedwithgrace.org

📲 Connect with Kaitlyn:

 LinkedIn – Kaitlyn Rios

A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!

On a health journey too? Join me as I navigate Hashimoto's and Perimenopause like a BEAST 🔥

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🎧 Episode 175: Passing the Baton – Becoming the You That You Were Meant to Be

What if your old self wasn’t meant to come with you into your next season?

In this powerful solo episode, Sonnie unpacks the concept of passing the baton—the idea that we must honor the version of ourselves that got us this far… but also recognize when it’s time to let her go.

This isn’t about becoming someone else.
 It’s about remembering who you’ve always been, underneath the layers of fear, pressure, people-pleasing, and pain.

If you’ve been stuck, restless, or quietly craving a new level of yourself—this is your moment.

We explore:

• Why your old self deserves gratitude, not judgment
• A live exercise to reconnect with the version of you who was on fire
• What’s keeping your greatness buried (and how to release it)
• The patterns that keep you on autopilot and how to interrupt them
• How to shift from surviving to creating
• Why your 2.0 self isn’t a fantasy, it’s your truest self waiting to rise

🔑 Key takeaways:

• The version of you that felt brilliant, bold, and confident is still you
• Your next level requires a new identity...not new credentials
• Shedding the old isn’t a loss, it’s a return
• You don’t have to hustle for your worthiness
• It’s time to say yes to the version of you that’s been waiting

💡 Quotes to remember:

• “Your old self got you this far. Thank her—and then pass the baton.”
• “You are not behind. You are not too late. You are ready.”
• “Stop dragging your old identity into a future that wasn’t built for her.”
• “Don’t let this be a slow burn. Let it be a blaze.”

A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!

On a health journey too? Join me as I navigate Hashimoto's and Perimenopause like a BEAST 🔥

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Check out my website: www.evokegreatness.com

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🎧 Episode 174: How to Build Executive Presence, Resilience, and Real Influence with Whitney Faires (Part 2)

In Part 2 of this high-impact conversation, executive coach and leadership expert Whitney Faires returns to unpack the deeper barriers holding leaders back—and how to break through them with clarity, confidence, and courage.

We dive into the real cost of unchecked ambition, how to coach even the most resistant high performers, and what it takes to develop executive presence in a noisy, distracted world.

If you’ve ever struggled to slow down, stay present, or shift from proving to truly leading—this episode will hit home.

We explore:

• How to redefine executive presence in the age of Zoom, distraction, and burnout
• Why imposter syndrome is more common at the top than you think
• The keys to coaching high performers who are stuck in ego, resistance, or exhaustion
• How ambition can sabotage your impact if left unchecked
• Why mid-level leaders are the most overlooked (and most important) tier in every company
• One daily gut-check Whitney uses to help leaders align with their values
• The most powerful advice Whitney would give if it were her last day on earth

🔑 Key takeaways:

• Executive presence starts with internal clarity—not external polish
• Resistance isn’t a personality trait, it’s often unprocessed fear
• Ambition without awareness can hurt your leadership brand
• You don’t need a title to lead, but you do need intention

💡 Quotes to remember:

📚 Resources mentioned:

✨ Learn more about Whitney’s work and coaching:
 www.whitneyfaires.com

📲 Connect with Whitney:
Instagram – @whitney_faires
LinkedIn – Whitney Faires

A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!

On a health journey too? Join me as I navigate Hashimoto's and Perimenopause like a BEAST 🔥

Rho Discount Code: https://rhonutrition.com/SONNIE15

Meraki Discount Code: http://www.merakimedicinal.com/EVOKEGREATNESS

Check out my website: www.evokegreatness.com

Follow me on:
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🎧 Episode 173: How to Build Executive Presence, Resilience, and Real Influence with Whitney Faires (Part 1)

In Part 1 of this conversation, Whitney Faires shares her journey from collegiate athlete to executive leader to globally recognized coach—and the self-doubt, grit, and intentionality that shaped her path along the way.

With two decades of experience leading high-performing teams in healthcare, Whitney opens up about the mindset shifts that transformed her leadership—and how she now helps others do the same through her Courageous Leader Roadmap and Excellence Equation frameworks.

We explore:

• The identity crisis that came with becoming a working mom—and how Whitney redefined what success looked like
• The most overlooked but critical step in her Excellence Equation framework
• How to perform a “readiness reality” check before a big leap
• Whitney’s personal battle with self-doubt—and how mentors and mindset helped her rise
• The truth about managing negative thought spirals (and why mindset mastery is like going to the gym)
• How to separate emotion from action in moments of adversity
• The 5 components of courageous leadership—and why fearless communication is a skill, not a personality trait

🔑 Key takeaways:

• Leadership isn’t about titles—it’s about showing up with courage and conviction
• You don’t need to feel ready to be ready
• Self-doubt doesn’t disqualify you—inaction does
• Resilience isn’t about avoiding emotion, it’s about channeling it into forward motion

💡 Quotes to remember:

📚 Resources mentioned:

✨ Learn more about Whitney’s work and coaching:
 www.whitneyfaires.com

📲 Connect with Whitney:
Instagram – @whitney_faires
LinkedIn – Whitney Faires

A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!

On a health journey too? Join me as I navigate Hashimoto's and Perimenopause like a BEAST 🔥

Rho Discount Code: https://rhonutrition.com/SONNIE15

Meraki Discount Code: http://www.merakimedicinal.com/EVOKEGREATNESS

Check out my website: www.evokegreatness.com

Follow me on:
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🎧 Episode 172: Change Your Mindset, Change Your Life 

If statistics were the deciding factor in my life… I’d be a nobody.

I came from a broken home, raised by a single mom who worked three jobs just to keep the lights on. I didn’t graduate high school. By all accounts, I wasn’t supposed to become a CEO, start a business, or lead anything of significance.

But statistics don’t determine your destiny, your mindset does.

In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on how your beliefs are building your life ...whether you realize it or not. I share my own journey of breaking free from a fixed mindset and how I rewired the limiting stories I used to tell myself. I also unpack the science of neuroplasticity and how you can start training your brain to believe something better.

This one’s for anyone who’s been playing small, shrinking to fit, or wondering if it’s too late to go after something bigger.

Here’s what I dive into:

• Why most people don’t fail from lack of skill, they fail because they feel unworthy
• The mindset that kept me stuck for 30+ years
• What neuroplasticity is and how it proves you’re never too old to change
• How I went from CNA to CEO...and why I’m just getting started at 47
• How to audit your self-talk and write a new narrative
• What to do when shame, fear, or past trauma tries to keep you in your cage
• And why it’s time to walk out of the jail cell that’s been wide open all along

🔑 Here’s what I want you to take away:

• You are not broken. You’re not behind. You’re not too late.
• You can rewrite your story...starting now.
• Your brain will believe whatever you train it to.
• The same voice telling you “you can’t”… can be trained to say “let’s go.”

💡 A few things I said that I hope you carry with you:

A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!

On a health journey too? Join me as I navigate Hashimoto's and Perimenopause like a BEAST 🔥

Rho Discount Code: https://rhonutrition.com/SONNIE15

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Check out my website: www.evokegreatness.com

Follow me on:
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🎧 Episode 171: Wealthy, Well-Known & Wildly Intentional with AJ Vaden (Part 2)

In Part 2 of our powerful conversation, AJ Vaden returns to share what happens after the breakdown, how she redefined identity, rebuilt her priorities, and found peace on the other side of losing everything.

From re-centering faith and family to redefining success through obedience and clarity, AJ opens up about the deeper message behind Wealthy and Well-Known and why your past might just be the key to your purpose.

We explore:

• How AJ unraveled the lie that her identity was tied to work
• What obedience looked like after her “super firing”
• The moment that shifted her question from “Why is this happening?” to “What do you want to teach me?”
• How she and Rory restructured their life, marriage, and business from the ground up
• Why being seen in the struggle creates real connection
• The principle behind her most quoted line: “You are most powerfully positioned to serve the person you once were”
• What she hopes every reader takes away from Wealthy and Well-Known

🔑 Key takeaways:

• Your identity is not your title
• Peace starts when purpose takes the lead
• Real leadership begins in the valleys not the mountaintops
• You don’t need more platforms, you need more alignment

💡 Quotes to remember:

📚 Resources mentioned:

✨ Order Wealthy and Well-Known:
www.wealthyandwellknown.com

🎧 Get the audiobook for FREE:
 freebrandaudiobook.com/aj

📲 Follow AJ on Instagram:
 @aj_vaden

A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!

On a health journey too? Join me as I navigate Hashimoto's and Perimenopause like a BEAST 🔥

Rho Discount Code: https://rhonutrition.com/SONNIE15

Meraki Discount Code: http://www.merakimedicinal.com/EVOKEGREATNESS

Check out my website: www.evokegreatness.com

Follow me on:
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🎧 Episode 170: Wealthy, Well-Known, and Wildly Intentional — Redefining Success with AJ Vaden (Part 1)

In Part 1 of this two-part series, Sonnie sits down with personal branding powerhouse AJ Vaden—co-founder of Brand Builders Group and co-author of the brand-new book Wealthy and Well-Known (pre-order by July 1 for $350.00 in amazing bonuses!).

AJ shares her incredible story of reinvention after being “super fired,” losing everything she had built—and the unexpected opportunity that followed with Lewis Howes. This episode is a masterclass in redefining success, reclaiming peace, and building a brand rooted in purpose.

We explore:

• The true meaning of being wealthy (hint: it’s not money or time)
• Why being well-known is more about alignment than audience size
• How hustle culture leads to burnout and distraction
• The core philosophy behind Brand Builders Group: “Diluted focus gets diluted results”
• The myth of multiple income streams—and the surprising truth about growth
• How AJ and Rory’s lowest point became the launchpad for their life’s work
• Why trust and reputation—not followers—are your greatest assets
• What it really means to be a “mission-driven messenger”

🔑 Key takeaways:

• Peace is the new profit—and it’s available now
• You already have a personal brand… but is it the one you want?
• Focus is a growth strategy—not a limitation
• Your greatest influence happens offline, in real relationships

💡 Quotes to remember:

📚 Resources mentioned:

✨ Pre-order Wealthy and Well-Known by July 1st and claim $350 in free bonuses:
https://www.wealthyandwellknown.com/

Learn more about AJ’s work at Brand Builders Group:
 https://www.brandbuildersgroup.com/

AJ's Instagram:

A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!

On a health journey too? Join me as I navigate Hashimoto's and Perimenopause like a BEAST 🔥

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Check out my website: www.evokegreatness.com

Follow me on:
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🎧 Episode 169: Stop Micromanaging, Start Leading — Building Unbreakable Trust & Navigating Tough Conversations with Ashley Cox (Part 2) 

In Part 2, Sonnie and Ashley go beyond delegation—straight into the art (and science) of trust. This episode is packed with real talk about what it takes to build a team you can rely on, how to let go of micromanagement for good, and the not-so-obvious reason your toughest conversations are often the most powerful.

We explore:

• Ashley’s “Triangle of Trust” framework—and why most leaders get trust backwards
• How micromanagement destroys trust (and how to fix it)
• Why your fear of being outshined is holding everyone back
• How to balance compassion and assertiveness (even in hard conversations)
• “Help me understand…”: The 3 words that transform every difficult conversation
• Why your team’s “bad boss baggage” is sabotaging success (and what to do about it)
• The simple mindset shift that turns feedback into fuel for growth
• Why real leadership is about love, not control

🔑 Key takeaways:

• You hired smart people—now get out of their way
• Trust starts with YOU (and how you show up)
• Difficult conversations are a muscle—start training it now
• Compassion and assertiveness are not opposites; together, they’re unstoppable

💡 Quotes to remember:

📚 Resources mentioned:

• Ashley Cox’s Empowered Leader Experience: https://ashleycox.co/
• Connect with Ashley on:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-cox-phr-shrm-cp-30565017/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleycox.co/

A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!

On a health journey too? Join me as I navigate Hashimoto's and Perimenopause like a BEAST 🔥

Rho Discount Code: https://rhonutrition.com/SONNIE15

Meraki Discount Code: http://www.merakimedicinal.com/EVOKEGREATNESS

Check out my website: www.evokegreatness.com

Follow me on:
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🎧 Episode 168: Stop Micromanaging, Start Leading: Your Guide to Building a Team You Trust with Ashley Cox (Part 1)

In this episode, I sit down with Ashley Cox, founder of the Empowered Leader Experience, to unpack why so many women founders and executives feel trapped running their businesses instead of leading them. Ashley shares her own evolution from overworked “worker bee” to empowered mentor and reveals the hard truths and practical solutions that help ambitious women escape burnout, build thriving teams, and reclaim their vision.

We explore:

• The myth of “doing it all” and why it keeps leaders stuck in overwhelm
• How self-awareness and ego-checks are the non-negotiable starting points for growth
• The damaging leadership advice women are told (“Be tougher, be less emotional…”) and what actually works
• Why your team’s problems are often a mirror of your own leadership
• The control vs. growth paradox: Why you have to let go to level up
• Delegation 101: How to empower your team without handing over the keys to the kingdom
• Building a culture where people feel seen, valued, and inspired to go above and beyond
• Practical ways to stretch into letting go (without watching everything fall apart)

🔑 Key takeaways:

• When you let go of ego and listen to feedback, you unlock real leadership potential.
• Your team’s performance is a direct reflection of your leadership approach.
• Empathy and vulnerability are strengths, not weaknesses—in fact, they’re how you build high-performing, loyal teams.
• Effective delegation is about giving others a chance to grow, not abdicating responsibility.
• When leaders do the hard work of self-awareness, everyone wins: the business, the team, and the leader.

💡 Quotes to remember:

Final wisdom:
Stepping back and letting go isn’t just good for your sanity, it’s the key to real growth, for you and everyone you lead.

📚 Resources mentioned:

• Ashley Cox’s Empowered Leader Experience: https://ashleycox.co/
• Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-cox-phr-shrm-cp-30565017/

A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!

On a health journey too? Join me as I navigate Hashimoto's and Perimenopause like a BEAST 🔥

Rho Discount Code: https://rhonutrition.com/SONNIE15

Meraki Discount Code: http://www.merakimedicinal.com/EVOKEGREATNESS

Check out my website: www.evokegreatness.com

Follow me on:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonnie-linebarger-899b9a52/

https://www.instagram.com/evoke.greatness/

https://www.tiktok.com/@evoke.greatness

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