Her Story Unscripted

S3 Ep17 Episode Shownotes:

“What is happening is happening to you, but it doesn't define who you are, it doesn't change who you are. It doesn't make you any less credible in your business because you want to talk about it. It doesn't make you lazy because you have to go down to the status quo in your business for a little while while you focus on helping yourself.” —Emily Sereno

Providing exceptional service is the cornerstone of any thriving business. But how do you cultivate a service-driven venture that not only fulfills your clients but also ignites your own passion? In this episode, we uncover the secrets to building a resilient and purpose-driven service-based business.

Emily Sereno is the founder of The ServicePreneur Network, a community dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs who offer their expertise as a service. With over 12 years of corporate marketing experience, Emily has harnessed her passion for helping others achieve their business goals.

Tune in as Heather and Emily dive into the resilience required to build a thriving service-based business, navigating personal challenges like fertility struggles, the importance of community and authenticity in entrepreneurship, Emily's podcast strategy and vision for empowering early-stage service-based entrepreneurs, and more. 

Connect with Heather: 

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Episode Highlights:

01:58 Meet Emily

07:32 Challenges and Rewards of Entrepreneurship

11:32 Emily’s Podcast and Business Vision 

23:38 Personal and Professional Growth

33:50 The Importance of Support and Connection 

43:22 Does Your Business Reflect Your Values   

47:29 Show Up

Connect with Emily: 

Emily Sereno, the founder of The Servicepreneur Network, is a corporate marketing executive turned entrepreneur, business and branding consultant, fractional CMO, and podcast host.

She’s dedicated her career to helping executives find their voice, positioning them as credible experts in their field, while building brand and marketing strategies for Fortune 500 companies, startups, and more.

After more than 12 years, Emily is bringing her signature framework to service-based business owners to help them navigate and overcome the challenges they face promoting their business while connecting them with the resources, support, and platform to connect with their ideal clients.

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S3 Ep16 Episode Shownotes:

“Most people don't go to school thinking they will end up working in the nonprofit space. So there is really a talent pipeline for nonprofit professionals that can feed the talent needs of the nonprofit sector which is ever-growing and ever-expanding.” —Mariya Yurukova

Nonprofits are the unsung heroes, quietly transforming communities and empowering those in need. Yet, the challenges they face in securing talent and funding can be daunting. How can we bridge the gap between deserving causes and sustainable support? 

Mariya Yurukova is the CEO of Charity Search Group, a talent recruitment firm dedicated to the nonprofit sector. With over 20 years of experience, she has made it her mission to connect organizations with the right leaders to drive meaningful impact.

Tune in as Mariya shares her insights on navigating nonprofit fundraising, leadership transitions, and the power of providing opportunities to those who need them most.

Connect with Heather: 

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Episode Highlights:

01:39 Career in the Nonprofit Sector 

09:44 Charity Search Group’s Services and Impact

11:24 Challenges and Strategies in Nonprofit Fundraising

20:24 Fertility and Surrogacy 

44:15 The Emotional and Practical Aspects of Surrogacy

51:39 The Role of Nonprofits in Providing Opportunities

Connect with Mariya: 

Mariya Yurukova is the CEO of Charity Search Group, a talent recruitment firm that works exclusively with nonprofits. With over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Mariya has dedicated her career to helping organizations find the right talent to drive their mission and impact. 

In addition to her work at Charity Search Group, Mariya is also a passionate advocate for fertility awareness and support. She has navigated her journey with fertility challenges and surrogacy and is open to sharing her experiences to help others going through similar situations. 

Mariya splits her time between Bethesda, Maryland, and Niagara, Canada, where she lives with her husband and young son. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis, which she credits as a way to maintain her sanity and well-being.

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S3 Ep15 Episode Shownotes:

New year, new possibilities! As the calendar flips, it's the perfect time to reflect on the past and set intentions for the future. What dreams are you ready to bring to life in 2025? 

Heather seems to have it all figured out— a thriving business, a passion for empowering women, and the ability to juggle it all with grace. How does she do it?

Tune in as Heather shares her secrets for getting excited about the new year, from reflective journaling to strategic decluttering and goal-setting. Discover Heather's top tips for making 2025 your best year yet!

Connect with Heather: 

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Episode Highlights:

02:53 The Importance of Reflection 

07:23 Achievements and  Personal Growth

11:53 Decluttering for a Fresh Start 

18:11 Setting Goals for the New Year

25:29 Actionable Steps for Achieving Goals 

26:14 Thank YOU!! 

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S3 Ep14 Episode Shownotes:

“For someone in hospitality, the greatest gift is to serve others.” —Diane Mina

Building a successful business is no easy feat. It takes a whole lot of passion, perseverance, and strategic vision to make it happen. And when it comes to the hospitality industry, the challenges can be even more intense. But the ones who rise to the occasion? They often uncover some seriously valuable insights that can inspire and guide others on their own entrepreneurial journeys. In this we're diving deep into the keys to sustained success in the culinary world.

Diane Mina is a seasoned hospitality pro and the wife of the one and only Chef Michael Mina. With a diverse background spanning hotels, restaurants, and her own entrepreneurial ventures, Diane has a wealth of experience and an infectious enthusiasm that make her a total force to be reckoned with in this industry.

Tune in as Diane shares her remarkable story, from her early days in hospitality all the way to the incredible growth and evolution of the Mina Group, the secrets behind their team-driven approach to running a culinary empire, the challenges of navigating the ever-changing restaurant landscape, Diane's signature Bloody Mary mix and future plans, plus much more!

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Episode Highlights:

03:29 Early Career

07:30 The Growth of Mina Group

26:41 Challenges and Success in the Resto Industry

35:05 Diane’s Bloody Mary Mix and Personal Projects

47:16 Restaurant Concepts  

50:45 Challenges and Future Plans

Connect with Diane: 

Restaurateur Diane Mina created a one-of-a-kind, 100% Italian Bloody Mary Mix from her three decades of service working in the hospitality industry. She and her husband, Chef Michael Mina, founders of The Mina Group based out of San Francisco, own and operate over 30 restaurants across the globe. In 2014, Diane made her mark in creating a signature culinary blend specifically for their restaurant collection and within three years, launched her own company, TerraMina LLC, producers of Diane Mina's Garden Grown Blends® featuring, Diane's Bloody Mary and Dirty Diane's Jalapeño Bloody Mary both made with San Marzano tomatoes. Garden fresh taste with rich umami ingredients, Diane Mina's Garden Grown Blends® drink beautifully straight from the bottle or mixed with any chosen spirit.

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S3 Ep13 Episode Shownotes:

“Healing is not like a one-size-fits-all thing…The circumstances might look different, but there's a lot of principles that we can apply that the Enneagram brings into the picture that gives us a clear path forward.” —Bekah Burns

Are you seeking to improve your relationships, enhance your leadership skills, or simply gain deeper insight into the human experience? Self-discovery is now made simpler using Enneagram. 

Enneagram is a powerful self-discovery tool that provides a framework for understanding the nine distinct personality types. By exploring our motivations, behaviors, and unconscious patterns, Enneagram offers a path towards greater self-awareness and personal growth. 

This week, we are joined by Bekah Burns, a certified life coach and Enneagram practitioner. With over 15 years of experience navigating personal and professional challenges, Bekah helps her clients tap into their inner resources and find regenerative ways to move forward.

Tune in as Heather and Bekah discuss the core principles of Enneagram, types of Enneagram personalities, its application in relationships and teams, Bekah’s coaching approach and future directions in exploring regenerative systems, and more.

Connect with Heather: 

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Episode Highlights:

01:25 Navigating Existential Crisis and Self-Discovery

05:08 Transitioning to Life Coaching and Enneagram

11:41 Enneagram: Definition and Types 

16:21 Understanding Enneagram Wings

25:41 Application of Enneagram in Relationships and Teams

33:25 Bekah’s Offers and Coaching Packages

35:36 Diving Into Regenerative Systems

Connect with Bekah: 

Bekah Burns is a certified life coach and Enneagram practitioner based in Sonoma County, California. With over 15 years of experience navigating personal and professional challenges, Bekah helps her clients tap into their inner resources and find regenerative ways to move forward. 

As an Enneagram 9 with a strong one wing, Bekah brings a grounded, empathetic approach to her coaching. She specializes in helping individuals and teams understand their Enneagram types, identify common roadblocks, and develop strategies to access their full range of reasoning, emotions, and intuition. 

Bekah is passionate about supporting her clients in aligning their values and goals to create meaningful change, both personally and professionally. Through her monthly coaching programs and one-off sessions, she provides customized support to help her clients overcome depletion, build self-awareness, and step into their authentic leadership.

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S3 Ep12 Episode Shownotes:

“When we recognize that we have so much more to give, we stop playing small.” —Delisa Abraham 

Ever wondered what it takes to juggle a thriving career, raise an inspiring child, and make a meaningful impact on the world? Delisa Abraham's story is one of resilience, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of purpose.

Delisa is a dynamic leader, author, and parental coach who has dedicated her career to empowering others. With a diverse background that spans the military, corporate, and entrepreneurial realms, Delisa has harnessed her experiences to empower others as a dynamic leader, author, and parental coach.

Tune in as Delisa shares her inspiring journey, covering topics ranging from her military and corporate experience, the success of the "Faith and Sparkle" book series, her transition to leadership coaching, parental leadership and child development, navigating multiple homes, her work with entrepreneurs, and her personal development and self-care practices.

Connect with Heather: 

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Episode Highlights:

01:44 Learning Self-Ownership Amidst a Male-Dominated Environment 

06:48 Faith and Sparkle Book Series

16:36 Parental Leadership and Child Development

25:03 Navigating Multiple Homes and Parental Influence

30:56 Leadership Development Coaching

36:36 Personal Development and Self-Care

40:22 Recognizing the Strength and Authority of Mothers

47:00 Fill Up Your Cup

Connect with Delisa:

Delisa Abraham is an Empowered Leadership Coach dedicated to guiding individuals, businesses, and leaders toward transformation and empowerment. With a background as a veteran, she brings discipline, resilience, and a strategic mindset to her coaching practice. Delisa holds a degree in the humanities and a postgraduate research degree, blending the art and science of leadership to foster a holistic approach. 

She is also the co-founder of Faith and Sparkle's World, a publishing company she owns with her daughter, Faith, which aims to inspire and empower through storytelling and literacy. Delisa has worked with diverse businesses and coaching professionals, helping them overcome challenges, redefine goals, and cultivate a leadership style that aligns with their aspirations. Her approach emphasizes innovation, resilience, and continuous improvement, guiding leaders and entrepreneurs on a transformative journey toward success, fulfillment, and impact.

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S3 Ep11 Episode Shownotes:

“There is no midlife crisis. It's not a crisis. You reborn your skills and talent after [your kids] leave. Because now, you have the wisdom and the time. You can start your own. This is the best time!” —Sairan Aqrawi

Raise your hand if you've ever felt stuck in a midlife rut. Or maybe you're craving a fresh start after your kids leave, but you're not sure where to begin. 

Well, in this week’s episode, we are talking about midlife priceless, a time to ditch the “crisis” mindset and shed old identities, embrace new passions, and uncover the extraordinary within the ordinary.  

Meet Sairan Aqrawi, a certified coach who specializes in guiding midlife women to find their hidden gems and ignite their entrepreneurial spirit. With a background as a full-time engineer and a passion for mentoring, Sairan empowers her clients to navigate the priceless years with confidence and joy. And if we’re willing to lean on it, midlife can actually offer a unique opportunity to reinvent ourselves and live with purpose. 

Tune in as Sairan shares her insights on her role as an engineer, her journey to the US, the transition to coaching, the importance of being a role model, the power of finding one's purpose, the pursuit of fulfillment, and the courage to embrace new challenges.

Connect with Heather: 

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Episode Highlights:

01:30 Sairan’s Career Journey 

05:14 Transition to Coaching and Writing

12:56 The Importance of Being a Role Model

27:35 The Power of Fulfillment and Joy

30:24 It’s the Midlife!

34:03 Midlife Crisis and Finding Purpose

40:01 Overcoming Fear and Embracing Challenges in Midlife

Connect with Sairan: 

Sairan Aqrawi, M.Sc. is an accomplished Engineering Innovator and Leadership Strategist with over a decade of experience at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). With a strong background in Systems Integration Engineering, she excels in engineering design, quality assurance, and compliance with industry standards. Sairan is passionate about leadership development and effective communication, as well as empowering individuals and teams through mentorship and training. She holds a Master's degree in Engineering & Technology Management from George Washington University and a Bachelor's in Civil Engineering from the University of Mosul. Sairan is also an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) and actively volunteers with organizations like Stand Beside Them, Inc. and the Center for Women in Engineering at George Washington University.

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S3 Ep10 Episode Shownotes:

“If you want to go for it, you will do it no matter what your age.” —Galilee Arga

Age is just a number, and it's never too early or too late to chase your dreams and make a difference. 

Galilee is a 13-year-old dynamo who's already running her own successful balloon business, Free Spirit Balloons, while also excelling in school, sports, and extracurricular activities. This driven young girl has her sights set on a college scholarship to Stanford, where she hopes to continue her volleyball career and pursue a business degree.

Tune in to hear Galilee's inspiring story, from entrepreneurship and sports to academics and community involvement, and discover how Galilee is already making her mark on the world.

Connect with Heather: 

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Episode Highlights:

02:20 Meet Galilee 

06:33 A Mother-Daughter Entrepreneurial Venture

10:28 BAlancing School, Sports, and Aspirations

18:09 Leadership Activities

20:06 Navigating Stereotyping on Young Generations

29:39 Galilee’s Role Models and Advice

Connect with Galilee:  

Galilee is a remarkable 13-year-old from Santa Rosa, California who is already making waves as an entrepreneur, student-athlete, and community leader. At just 13, Galilee co-founded the successful balloon decor business Free Spirit Balloons with her mother. In addition to running her own company, Galilee excels academically. 

However, Galilee's true passion is volleyball, and she aspires to earn a college scholarship to continue her athletic and academic pursuits, with dreams of attending the prestigious Stanford University. 

Galilee's infectious positivity, discipline, and determination make her an inspiring role model for her peers, showcasing the power of pursuing your passions with unwavering focus.

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S4 Ep9 Episode Shownotes:

 “Using spirituality to control people with money is disgusting.”—Jenessa Wyatt

The captivating world of psychic mediumship takes center stage in this thought-provoking episode, as we delve into the profound connections between the spirit realm and the earthbound. 

Jenessa Wyatt is a highly sought-after psychic medium based in Northern California, with over 3,000 clients and a thriving business spanning stage shows, group readings, and private sessions. Known for her warm, engaging personality and unwavering commitment to her craft, Jenessa has earned a loyal following of clients whose lives have been profoundly impacted by her work.

In this episode, Heather and Jenessa and delve into the details of Jenessa's work, exploring the dynamics of her group readings, the life-changing moments she has facilitated, and her personal journey of growth and resilience. Whether you're a skeptic or a believer, this conversation is sure to leave you inspired and eager to explore the transformative power of psychic mediumship. Join us as we uncover the extraordinary stories that unfold when the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds is lifted.

Connect with Heather: 

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Episode Highlights:

02:59 Heather’s Experience with Jenessa’s Readings

06:06 Jenessa’s Approach

15:11 Personal Stories

26:59 Not Everything is Meant to Be

36:51 What Dreaming of a Gum Means

41:42 Challenges and Personal Growth

45:40 What’s Next?

Connect with Jenessa: 

Jenessa Wyatt is a renowned psychic medium based in Northern California. With over 3,000 clients, Jenessa has been operating her successful business for the past 5-6 years, after overcoming personal challenges earlier in her life. 

As a gifted psychic medium, Jenessa facilitates connections between the spirit world and her earthbound clients. She offers a variety of services, including stage shows, group readings, and private sessions both in-person and via Zoom. Jenessa is known for her ability to provide detailed, validating information to her clients, helping them find closure, guidance, and a deeper understanding of their lives and relationships.

In addition to her thriving practice, Jenessa has also worked with law enforcement on various cases. She is committed to using her abilities to make a positive impact and help people in meaningful ways. Jenessa's warm, engaging personality and commitment to her craft have earned her a loyal following of clients whose lives have been transformed by her work.

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S3 Ep8 Episode Shownotes:

“Order brings me a certain amount of peace.” —Landra Barta

Feeling like your home (and your life) is just a little too...overwhelming? It's like there's just so much stuff, so many thoughts, and it can all feel a bit suffocating. But the truth is, the key to finding that much-needed clarity and breathing room could be as simple as a little decluttering.

Landra Barta has mastered the art of decluttering, transforming both her personal space and her life. After navigating the challenges of single motherhood and building a successful career, Landra discovered her natural talent for organizing and staging homes. Now, as the owner of Dirty Deeds, she helps others achieve the same sense of clarity and calm by guiding them through the life-changing process of decluttering.

From overcoming a difficult divorce and financial struggles as a single mother, to building a successful organizing and home staging business, Landra Barta's inspiring story of resilience, entrepreneurship, and the power of community support is a must-listen for anyone seeking empowerment and guidance on their own journey. Tune in!

Connect with Heather: 

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Episode Highlights:

02:15 Meet Landra 

12:33 A Shift in Marriage 

19:31 The Yellow Note

26:00 The Lack of Resources for Women 

31:33 Dirty Deeds: Professional Organizing

37:08 Show Up and Let the Unexpected Happen 

41:38 How to DeClutter 

Connect with Landra: 

Landra has been organizing everything within reach since the day she first encountered a disordered pack of crayons. As a single mom of three successful multi-sport athletes, Landra honed organizing down to a science. 

Beyond the challenging role of  "Mom," each stage of Landra's career included elements of sorting, rearranging, and systematization.

Today, Landra does what she loves most— creating comfortable living spaces. Her minimalist approach helps her clients de-clutter their environments and simplify their lives. As Landra says:  "A tidy home is a peaceful home...and don't we all deserve a little peace?"

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