She was thriving in corporate — big teams, big projects, 60-hour weeks, addicted to the next promotion. Then her son was born five weeks early, and she almost didn't make it.

In that hospital room, everything she thought she wanted stopped mattering.

In this episode of Girl, Why Not You?, I sit down with Wendy Jensen — bestselling children's book author and founder of Scandinavian Hearts — about the moment she realized climbing the corporate ladder wasn't her path anymore. Not because she hated it. Because she loved something else more.

Wendy shares how she went from corporate executive to freelance consultant to launching a heritage-inspired brand — starting with stickers — that turned into four bestselling children's books. No publishing deal. No writing degree. Just a woman who Googled "how to write a children's book" and went for it.

We get into:

• Why she almost died during childbirth and how it rewired everything
• The difference between corporate success and the success that actually fills you up
• How helping small business owners inspired her to become one
• Turning family traditions into a bestselling book series
• Why "test and learn, fail fast" isn't just corporate jargon — it's how she built her whole second chapter

If you've ever felt stuck on a ladder that doesn't even lead where you want to go — this one's for you.

Find Wendy at scandinavianhearts.com and on Instagram @scandinavianhearts.

She went from accounting at one of the largest mining companies in the world to growing a financial firm from $500 million to $4.6 billion in four years — as a single mom.

Then her body stopped letting her push through.

In this episode of Girl, Why Not You?, I sit down with Jackie Yoder — executive consultant, leadership strategist, and growth advisor — for the conversation women in leadership aren’t having out loud. We’re talking about what happens when perimenopause collides with your biggest professional season. The brain fog. The anxiety out of nowhere. The moment you realize "just push harder" isn’t going to work this time.

Jackie shares how burnout and premature menopause forced her to completely rethink how she led — and how letting go became the thing that actually made her team (and her business) stronger.

We also get into:
- What feminine leadership actually looks like in male-dominated industries
- Why high-performing women hide what they’re going through
- The delegation breakthrough that changed everything
- Jackie’s new female executive roundtables in Scottsdale (and virtual options coming soon)

If you’re a woman in leadership quietly wondering what’s happening to your brain, your energy, or your edge — this one’s for you.

Find Jackie at jackieyoder.com and on Instagram @jackiemyoder.

More than 50% of women are unsatisfied with their lives because they gave up on their dream. In this episode of Girl, Why Not You?, bestselling author and women's leadership expert Emily Lampkin reveals exactly why — and gives you the step-by-step playbook to start changing that THIS week.

Emily is the founder of the Women Leaders Series, has spent 25+ years training thousands of women across corporate, nonprofit, education, and politics, and her book Duct Tape and White Lies is the practical, no-fluff guide women have been begging for. We go DEEP: why talking to men the way you talk to women is costing you promotions, deals, and respect. The 3 things you must do before walking into any networking event (I learned this the hard way after eating alone at a millionaire conference). The "dream slashers" keeping you stuck — and how to fire them today. Plus, the wild story of a country president who flew back just to hear Emily speak again.

If you've been waiting for permission to bet on yourself, this is your sign. Stop waiting. Start now.

 Grab Duct Tape and White Lies on Amazon ($17 paperback | audiobook available)

SHOW NOTES:

About the Guest
Emily Lampkin is a bestselling author, sought-after speaker and advisor, and the founder of the Women Leaders Series. She has spent more than 25 years training thousands of women across the country and around the world in corporate, nonprofit, education, and political leadership. Her book Duct Tape and White Lies: A Woman's Practical Guide to Real-Life Success was published by Simon & Schuster and is available now.

Connect with Emily

• Website: emilylampkin.com
• Instagram: @emilyklampkin
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/emilylampkin
• Facebook: facebook.com/emily.k.lampkin
• Book: amazon.com — Duct Tape and White Lies Emily Lampkin

 Connect with Jennie

• Website: jennieblackwood.com
• Instagram: @girlwhynotyou_
• Podcast: Girl, Why Not You?

You work hard for your money. So why does it still feel like you're behind?

Maybe you've been telling yourself you'll "figure it out later." Maybe you've googled "what to do with savings" at midnight and closed the tab more confused than when you opened it. Maybe you just feel like everyone else has it together and you're the only one faking it.

You're not. And this episode is proof.

I sit down with Hayley Dickson — Certified Financial Planner, CEO and founder of Rippl Wealth Management — and she pulls back the curtain on the 3 things silently eating your wealth alive: taxes, inflation, and your own emotions. We talk about why "I'm not a money person" is the most expensive story you've ever believed, why your savings account is actually working against you, and what financial freedom really looks like (hint — it's not some far-off retirement dream).

Hayley left a cushy Hollywood career, started over with a toddler on her hip and a baby on the way, and built a firm specifically to help women like us — women who weren't handed a trust fund, who are building something from scratch, and who deserve a financial partner that actually speaks their language.

Whether you're a mom, a 9-to-5er, a business owner, or all three — this conversation will make you feel seen, fired up, and ready to stop leaving your money on the table.

FREE OFFER: Hayley is gifting every listener a complimentary 30-minute chemistry session — normally $500. No pressure, no pitch. Just real talk about your money and what to do next. Email her for details!

Find Hayley:
www.rippl.nm.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hayleywdickson/

Email: [email protected]

If that quiet little voice inside you is saying "maybe it's time" — listen to it. This is your permission slip. 

Jennifer Blair was a stay-at-home mom of four with no business plan, no investor, and no experience. She just wanted a way to feel like herself again.

She took a one-day lash certification class, ran a Groupon expecting maybe 20 sales… and over 300 people showed up. She almost quit before she even started. Instead, she leaned all the way in — practiced on friends' couches, opened a tiny studio, created her own training program, and built Deka Lash into a nationwide franchise with 125+ locations.

In this episode, Jennifer shares:
• How a Vegas trip sparked the entire idea
• Why her Groupon almost made her quit on day one
• How she created a training academy when the industry didn’t have one
• What it took to go from 1 rented chair to 125+ franchise studios
• The real talk on mom guilt, imperfect starts, and betting on yourself

If you’ve ever felt like you’re carrying everything and wondering when it’s YOUR turn — this episode is for you.

 Find Jennifer & Deka Lash:
dekalash.com — use "Find a Studio" to locate a Deka Lash near you

Jennifer Blair on LinkedIn — speaking events & more

Shop Deka Lash products at dekalash.com or on Amazon

They told her to sit to the side. Wear all black. Don't take up too much space. So she wore a golden dress to the Emmys — and won.

Shannon Malone DeBenedictis is a two-time Emmy Award-winning filmmaker who's worked alongside James Cameron, Sigourney Weaver, Netflix, Disney+, and National Geographic. But for years, she made herself small in an industry that wanted her to disappear.

In this episode, Shannon opens up about what it's really like navigating Hollywood as a plus-size woman, the blunt comment from a colleague that changed everything, and why she's done apologizing for who she is. Now through her company Paddlin' Creative, she helps women step into their voice and tell powerful stories that move people.

If you've ever felt like you're too much — or not enough — press play.

 Connect with Shannon: paddlincreative.com

She was climbing the corporate ladder in education — doing everything "right" — until she was told she'd be more successful if she wore lipstick and pulled her hair back. That was the moment Stacey Ryan realized she was becoming a leader she didn't even respect.

So she quit. No backup plan. No safety net. Just self-trust.

What followed was a dog treat company (yes, really), an abusive marriage she had the courage to leave, and a leap of faith into an organization called School of Rock — where she went from consultant to President, growing it from under 100 locations to 445+ and 80,000 students worldwide.

In this episode, Stacey gets raw about toxic leadership, knowing your worth (a promise she made to a dying friend), why imposter syndrome is just the modern-day "bicycle face," and why she refuses to dull her edges for anyone but herself.

If you've been staying somewhere that no longer aligns — in your career, your relationship, your life — this is your sign.

Join Front Women: frontwomen.org

What happens when your “random idea” turns into a viral business… before you even graduate?

At 25, Elena DiStefano, the founder of Cozy Clip is running a brand that blew up online—but she started it as a junior in college with zero experience in product design.

She just knew one thing: claw clips were uncomfortable.

So she fixed it.

That one decision turned into a viral product, selling out in minutes and launching her into full-blown entrepreneurship almost overnight.

But here’s the part no one talks about—
 what happens after it takes off.

In this episode, we get into:

•  Building a product from scratch with zero experience 
•  Going viral—and keeping up with the chaos that follows 
•  Handling copycats, pressure, and rapid growth 
•  Staying grounded while running a business solo 

Because she didn’t wait to feel ready.
 She didn’t have a perfect plan.

She just started.

If you’ve been sitting on an idea, overthinking your next move, or waiting for the “right time”—this is it.

Girl, why not you? 💥

Connect with her + check out the product:
🌐 Website: www.thecozyclip.com
📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cozyclip/

What if all it took to start your business… was $100 and the decision to just go for it?

In this episode of Girl, Why Not You?, I sit down with Nellie Akalp, founder and CEO of CorpNet, who built and sold her first company for $20 million—all while raising a family.

We talk about what it really looks like to build a business from scratch—no investors, no shortcuts, just consistency, grit, and solving real problems.

Nellie shares:

•  How she and her husband started with just $100 and a one-page website
•  The truth about bootstrapping (and why it still works) 
•  What most people get wrong about starting a business 
•  How she built CorpNet differently—with transparency and long-term trust 
•  The reality of balancing entrepreneurship and motherhood 
•  Why waiting for the “perfect time” is the biggest mistake you can make 

This episode is your reminder that you don’t need everything figured out—you just need to start.

Because… why not you?

What if the reason things aren’t working… isn’t because you’re doing it wrong?

In this episode of Girl, Why Not You?, Jennie sits down with master coach and facilitator Ebonie Allard to challenge everything you’ve been taught about success—and why forcing yourself into someone else’s blueprint might be the very thing keeping you stuck.

Ebonie shares her journey from early independence to working in the film and TV industry, navigating massive financial loss and even homelessness during the 2008 recession. Those experiences ultimately led her to a deeper understanding of alignment, resilience, and what it really means to build a life that works for you.

We dive into human design and how understanding your unique energy, strengths, and tendencies can completely shift the way you approach business, relationships, and life.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  Why you’re not failing—you’re just misaligned 
•  What human design is (and how to actually use it) 
•  The problem with forcing yourself into traditional success models 
•  How self-awareness can save you years of frustration 
•  Why it’s never too late to pivot and do things differently 

This conversation is your permission slip to stop trying to be someone you’re not—and start building a life that actually feels aligned.

Because you’re not doing it wrong…
 you’re just not designed that way.

CONTACT EBONIE

https://www.ebonieallard.com/get-chart