What happens when you stop following someone else's roadmap and start creating a life that aligns with your deepest values? This week, the magnetic Emily Elias joins us for a soul-stirring conversation about finding your path, creating boundaries between work and home, and stepping into authentic leadership.

When COVID forced a pivot in Emily and her husband Alejandro's plans, they didn't panic—they paused to ask deeper questions about what truly mattered to them.

🔥 In This Episode:

• Her inspiring vision to build 300 clinics—a legacy that might extend beyond her lifetime
• How Emily discerns between friction that signals growth versus discomfort that signals misalignment
• The profound truth about delegating: "Just because you can do it all doesn't mean you should"
• Why Emily believes balance is an absolute myth, and the two non-negotiables she focuses on instead
• How stepping into motherhood helped Emily reclaim her identity beyond business partnerships
• Embracing a vision larger than yourself while staying grounded in day-to-day purpose

Emily's life in Abilene, Texas—a place with tumbleweeds and barrel racing—wasn't the mountain paradise she initially envisioned, but it became the perfect foundation for her family and practice.

This conversation is a masterclass in discernment, offering practical wisdom for entrepreneurs navigating the complex dance between ambition and wholeness.

This isn't just another conversation about practice building—it's permission to design a life that honors all aspects of who you are.

Connect with Emily:

• Instagram: @dr.emily.elias
• Path to Victory Podcast: Listen on Spotify
• Website: pathtovictorychiro.com

Connect with us:

• Instagram: @drsaranelsongray, @dr.marisa.nicole10, @theheartworkpodcast
• Email: [email protected]

Join our community:The Heart Work Life Facebook Group

Ready to step into your most authentic leadership?

Dr. Sara is launching The Authentic Leader's Path—an 8-week transformation journey for leaders ready to break free from imposter syndrome and lead from their authentic selves. If you're ready to stop hiding behind what you think leadership should look like and start embodying who you truly are, this is your invitation.

Drop Dr. Sara a DM on Instagram @drsaranelsongray or find her on Facebook, and she'll get you all the details you need. Registration closes May 27th, and there are only a few spots left!!

Episode 35: Limitless Legacy - Breaking Beyond Blueprint Living with Emily Elias

What happens when you stop following someone else's roadmap and start creating a life that aligns with your deepest values? This week, the magnetic Emily Elias joins us for a soul-stirring conversation about finding your path, creating boundaries between work and home, and stepping into authentic leadership.

Emily's journey isn't just about building businesses—it's about intentionally designing a life where work supports her vision rather than consuming it. When COVID forced a pivot in her and her husband Alejandro's plans, they didn't panic—they paused to ask deeper questions about what truly mattered to them.

🔥 In This Episode:

• Her inspiring vision to build 300 clinics—a legacy that might extend beyond her lifetime
• How Emily discerns between friction that signals growth versus discomfort that signals misalignment
• The profound truth about delegating: "Just because you can do it all doesn't mean you should"
• Why Emily believes balance is an absolute myth, and the two non-negotiables she focuses on instead
• How stepping into motherhood helped Emily reclaim her identity beyond business partnerships
• Embracing a vision larger than yourself while staying grounded in day-to-day purpose

Emily's life in Abilene, Texas, a place with tumbleweeds and barrel racing, wasn't the mountain paradise she initially envisioned, but it became the perfect foundation for her family and practice. Her authenticity about the early days of their journey ("we started from the bottom, very humble beginnings") contrasts beautifully with the wisdom she's gained along the way.

This conversation is a masterclass in discernment. From knowing when to delegate to understanding when your identity has become too wrapped up in one role or relationship, Emily offers practical wisdom for entrepreneurs navigating the complex dance between ambition and wholeness.

This isn't just another conversation about practice building—it's permission to design a life that honors all aspects of who you are, not just what you do.

Connect with Emily:

• Instagram: @dr.emily.elias
• Path to Victory Podcast: Listen on Spotify
• Website: pathtovictorychiro.com

Connect with us:

• Instagram: @drsaranelsongray, @dr.marisa.nicole10, @theheartworkpodcast
• Email: [email protected]
• Join our community: The Heart Work Life Facebook Group

What happens when you finally stop performing for approval and start creating from the depths of who you truly are? This week, the magnificent Bailey Sloan joins us for a soul-stirring conversation about shedding identities that no longer serve and stepping boldly into leadership that feels like coming home to yourself.

Bailey's evolution from high-capacity church service through divorce to co-founding Cadence Chiropractic isn't just impressive, it's revolutionary. Her practice achieved its most successful year just two years after opening, but the real wealth? It's in the transformation of her leadership.

🔥 In This Episode:

• The exquisite tension between friendship and partnership when building a business with your best friend
• Why being "the best #2" might be the identity holding you back from claiming your true power
• The profound moment Bailey realized her worth wasn't tied to church attendance or performance metrics
• Creating a workplace culture where vulnerability isn't just accepted—it's the foundation of authentic leadership
• The transformative shift from "what do you want me to do?" to "what do I actually want to create?"
• How Bailey's relationship with money evolved from religious guilt to "I want more money so I can have more fun and do more good"

Bailey reveals, "I worked my way into achieving the life I didn't want. That all came from not being authentic to who I am." Her team now starts each morning with vibe checks because "faking it till you make it is actually faking it till you break it."

Perhaps our favorite insight: "Trust that your next season doesn't have to be the next step in the game plan. When you sense a grace being over a season, a place, or a person, do the inner work to sit with yourself and see where that grace is leading you next."

This isn't just another business conversation, it's permission to stop apologizing for your evolution and start embracing the leadership that only you can bring to the world.

Connect with Bailey:

• Instagram: @baileyysloan
• Cadence Chiropractic: @cadencechiro

Connect with us:

• Instagram: @drsaranelsongray, @dr.marisa.nicole10, @theheartworkpodcast
• Email: [email protected]

Join our community:The Heart Work Life Facebook Group

What makes a team thrive even during seasons of change? Dr. Sara and Dr. Marisa explore this question while drawing inspiration from "The Fred Factor," a book about how ordinary people create extraordinary experiences through authenticity and genuine care.

While navigating their own practice transitions—welcoming new associates and saying farewell to others—the hosts share candid reflections on maintaining heart-centered leadership even when stretched thin. They explore how intentional culture-building creates team members who step up during challenging seasons without being asked.

🔥 In This Episode:

• How transitions reveal the true strength of your team culture
• What "the soul of your practice" means and how to nurture it
• The power of team members who step up without being asked
• Ways to create community within your team through intentional activities
• Why there are "no unimportant jobs, just people who feel unimportant doing their jobs"

Break free from seeing transitions as merely challenging, and discover how these seasons can become powerful opportunities to refocus on your core values and strengthen your team. This episode proves that with the right people and culture, your practice can thrive even during times of change.

✨ If this episode has you thinking about how to lead with more authenticity and clarity—not just with your team, but with your brand—then you’ll love this:

Join the Million Dollar Movement, a 2-week live experience where you’ll learn how to build a magnetic brand, create content that actually converts, and sell from a place of alignment and service.

Created by Stephanie Wigner for entrepreneurs who are ready to stop playing small and start showing up as the expert they already are.

📅 Live transformational trainings happening May 12, 14, 19, and 21 at 1 PM EST

🎯 Join here to step fully into your leadership and attract your dream clients with ease.

Connect with us: Instagram: @drsaranelsongray | @dr.marisa.nicole10 | @theheartworkpodcast Email: [email protected]

In this episode, we sit down with Amanda Burg, founder of Liberty Type—a boutique brand messaging and copywriting agency that helps female founders scale their businesses with authenticity and magnetism. Amanda has built her business from a small Etsy shop into a thriving 7-figure company that empowers women to step into their CEO identity through words that sound exactly like them while converting powerfully.

🔥 In This Episode:

• Amanda's unexpected path from covering breaking news as a journalist to helping women entrepreneurs find their authentic voice
• How becoming the sole breadwinner transformed Amanda's identity from "writer" to confident "business owner"
• Why technical jargon and industry language often create barriers between you and potential clients
• The power of testimonials in uncovering the language your ideal clients actually use
• Why branding is like gift-wrapping: presenting your services in beautiful packaging so people want to experience your magic
• Practical tips for creating boundaries between work and personal life as a business owner
• The immense value of support systems and delegation in sustainable business growth

Breakthrough Insight:

"If someone can go to your site or place of business and say, 'Oh, that's just like me' or 'They get it. That's my story too'—the work of the quote-unquote sell is already done because they're already emotionally bought into the story and the solution."

Amanda's expertise lies in helping women entrepreneurs discover their authentic voice and create messaging that resonates deeply with their audience. Her journalism background gives her a unique ability to find the hook in any business story and translate complex services into language that connects emotionally with ideal clients.

Ready to step into your authentic brand voice? This episode will inspire you to communicate with clarity, confidence, and connection.

Connect with Amanda:

• Instagram: @libertytypeco
• Website: www.libertytype.com

Connect with us:

• Instagram: @drsaranelsongray @dr.marisa.nicole10 @theheartworkpodcastt
• Email: [email protected]

What does it look like when your life's path takes an unexpected turn? When your dreams of practice ownership transform into something entirely different - yet equally fulfilling? Dr. Amanda Alcamo joins us to share her powerful journey from sleeping in her car during the early days of helping build someone else's practice to becoming a thriving associate doctor who treats the business as her own.

In this raw, heartfelt conversation, Amanda opens up about overcoming severe health challenges that sparked her chiropractic journey, navigating identity struggles when her original plans shifted, and finding her true purpose beyond the title on the door. Nine years into her associateship at Restoration Chiropractic, she reveals how heart work transformed her relationship with success, leadership, and self-worth.

🔥 In This Episode:

• How a devastating spinal surgery and subsequent complications led Amanda to discover her chiropractic calling
• The vulnerable reality of sleeping in her car while helping build a practice from scratch
• Why letting go of "needing" to own a practice created space for deeper fulfillment
• The importance of early, honest conversations between associates and practice owners
• How inner work changes everything - from team leadership to patient care

Whether you're contemplating associateship, currently working as an associate, or a practice owner wanting to better understand your team, Amanda's story reminds us that sometimes our greatest purpose isn't found in the title or position we imagined for ourselves - but in showing up fully wherever we are.

Connect with Dr. Amanda: Instagram: @one_restoring_lives @restorationchiropractic

Connect with us: Instagram: @drsaranelsongray @dr.marisa.nicole10 @theheartworkpodcastt Email: [email protected]

What happens in those critical first 90 days when you bring a new doctor into your practice? In Part 2 of our associate series, Dr. Sara and Dr. Marisa unpack the intentional onboarding process that transforms a new hire into a confident practitioner who truly embodies your practice's vision and values.

From day one celebrations to strategic shadowing periods, this episode reveals the exact framework that successful practice owners use to ensure both their patients and new associates feel supported, connected, and empowered. Whether you're hiring your first associate or looking to improve your current onboarding process, this conversation shows why rushing clinical responsibilities rarely creates the deep connection and confidence you're looking for.

🔥 In This Episode:

• The critical 30-60-90 day framework that builds confidence without overwhelming
• Why having associates shadow for 30 days creates stronger patient relationships and clinical skills
• How to incorporate celebration, team bonding, and regular check-ins from day one
• The importance of cross-training doctors on front desk operations and practice flow
• Practical systems for tracking patient interactions and case knowledge before hands-on adjusting

True onboarding isn't just about clinical training—it's about creating an experience where your new doctor feels valued, capable, and deeply connected to your mission. This episode offers the step-by-step blueprint to transform your hiring process into a relationship-building journey that benefits everyone: you, your new doctor, and every patient who walks through your door.

Stay tuned for Part 3 next week where we'll interview a current associate to get their perspective on what makes a successful associate experience!

Connect with us:

• Instagram: @drsaranelsongray @dr.marisa.nicole10 @theheartworkpodcast
• Email: [email protected]

What makes the difference between an associate who stays for years and one who leaves after months? Dr. Sara and Dr. Marisa unpack the truth about building a thriving doc team that goes beyond transaction to transformation. Drawing from Dr. Sara's 8+ years of experience managing multiple associates and Dr. Marisa's current journey hiring her first part-time doc, this conversation reveals how the traditional "workhorse" model is failing both practices and practitioners.

🔥 In This Episode:

• The difference between hiring for clinical excellence vs. growth-focused associates
• How to create benefit packages that attract and retain incredible talent
• Why the "work-horse" mentality is destroying associate relationships
• How leading from abundance creates a culture associates want to stay in
• Real talk about contracts, PTO, maternity leave, and competitive compensation

When you prioritize finding people who align with your values, create benefits that honor their whole lives, and lead from a place of abundance rather than fear—you build a practice where everyone can grow together. The results go beyond just business metrics to creating a team that stays, thrives, and serves your community with heart.

Join us next week as we dive into the essential onboarding process that sets your associates up for success from day one.

Connect with us: Instagram @drsaranelsongray@dr.marisa.nicole10@theheartworkpodcast Email: [email protected]

In this powerful episode, Dr. Marisa welcomes her father, Bud Bauman, to share his journey from entry-level programmer to corporate executive managing 500+ employees and overseeing $250 million projects.

Bud's career spanning Cigna, Dow Jones, News Corp, and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield provides a masterclass in authentic leadership and value-driven decision making. You'll hear how establishing clear personal values guided his most pivotal career decisions—even when they seemed counterintuitive to others.

✨ In This Episode:

• How to identify and leverage your unique strengths in any environment
• The career-defining moment of turning down a promotion to honor his commitments
• The five personal values that haven't changed since 1995
• Why "Be Here Now" became Bud's leadership philosophy after a touching moment with his daughter
• How to build teams that thrive by recognizing individual strengths

Key Takeaways:

On Personal Values: "Family is the most important thing to me. And so when I start thinking about what grounds me, the first thing I say is, what's the impact to my family?"

On Leadership: "The greatest mistake new leaders make is believing they have all the answers."

On Decision-Making: "Your fears have a front-row seat to your transformation. The most rewarding things I ever experienced were accomplishments where I took a total risk."

On True Presence: "Whatever aspect you're dealing with, you have to be there now. Heart, mind, soul, body."

This episode offers invaluable wisdom for entrepreneurs and corporate leaders alike on maintaining integrity while pursuing ambitious goals.

Connect with us: Instagram @drsaragray@dr.marisa.nicole10@theheartworkpodcast Email: [email protected]

That feeling when everything's going right... and you're secretly waiting for it all to fall apart? Dr. Sara opens up about her recent "life is beautiful" season and the surprising question her coach posed: "How long can you actually let yourself stay here?"

In this raw conversation, Dr. Sara and Dr. Marisa dive into why we sometimes sabotage our happiest moments and how to break the cycle of only feeling "productive" when we're healing through hardship.

🔥 In This Episode:

• Why we subconsciously create problems when everything's flowing perfectly
• The trauma response of "waiting for the other shoe to drop" even in healthy relationships
• How stopping personal development work at the first breakthrough sets us up for failure
• Building your "emotional savings account" to handle life's inevitable challenges

"Life is life-ing" whether things are messy or magnificent - and your journey deserves both the healing AND the celebrating. This episode challenges the narrative that growth only happens through struggle, inviting you to embrace the beautiful, brilliant flow that's available on the other side of your inner work.

As Dr. Sara puts it: "I would so much rather ride life here and have it beautiful and brilliant and mysterious and adventurous and joyful all the freaking time."

Connect with us: Instagram: @drsaragray@dr.marisa.nicole10@theheartworkpodcast Email: [email protected]