What happens when life doesn’t follow anything close to the plan?

In this episode, Becca and Meredith sit down with Nicci Smith, photographer, nurse, mom, and self-described recovering people pleaser, for an honest conversation about resilience, empathy, creativity, and finding where you belong.

Nicci shares how the premature birth of her son changed the way she saw everyday moments and helped shape her love of photography. She also opens up about surviving a brain aneurysm, returning to school to become a nurse, working in labor and delivery, her personal experience with addiction and recovery, and how caring for people through trauma ultimately led her toward forensic nursing and behavioral health.

The conversation also gets deeply personal as Nicci talks about vulnerability, painful experiences with community, and what it means to finally find people around whom you can be completely yourself.

Through all of her different chapters, one theme keeps emerging: people deserve dignity, compassion, and the chance to be fully seen.

From photography and motherhood to nursing, mental health, belonging, humor, and healing, this episode is a reminder that life rarely unfolds according to plan—and sometimes the unexpected chapters shape us the most.

Living BIG is about creativity, courage, and the communities that help us grow. Learn more at biginc.org.

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00:00 Meet Nicci Smith: The Woman with Nine Lives
01:37 How Nicci Became Part of the BIG Story
03:32 Creativity, Identity & a Recovering People Pleaser
04:50 A Premature Birth That Changed Everything
06:24 Photography as a Lifeline
07:18 Finding Beauty in the Everyday
10:08 From Creativity to a Career in Medicine
11:22 “What Makes You Think You Could Be a Nurse?”
12:34 A Brain Aneurysm & Choosing to Go Back to School
13:43 Why Women Deserve Better Care
16:10 Birth Trauma, Grief & Giving Moms Permission to Feel Both
18:32 The Humanity Behind Healthcare
20:26 Your Nurses Are on Your Team
21:10 Birth Plans & Making the Next Best Choice
26:06 The “Nicci Patients” & a Move Toward Mental Health
28:42 Behavioral Health & Becoming a Forensic Nurse Examiner
31:19 Dignity, Consent & Caring for the Whole Person
33:26 “You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know”
35:16 Empathy Behind the Camera
36:31 When Community Is Hard
38:32 What It Feels Like to Never Quite Belong
39:27 Finally Finding a Place to Be Yourself
41:47 Finding Your Weirdos—and a Little Whimsy
43:14 Finding Humor in the Dark
44:10 What Support Looks Like Now
45:09 Capturing Reality Instead of Perfection
46:00 Chaos, Beauty & Belonging

What happens when Becca and Meredith start talking before they actually start recording the podcast?

Apparently…you get the podcast.

In this Living BIG mini-sode, Becca and Meredith turn an ADHD-fueled conversation about Audible speeds, timers, therapy, algorithms, and floor chips into a surprisingly honest discussion about personal growth, relationships, and what it means to be human.

They talk about why growth doesn’t mean showing up perfectly, how healthy relationships survive rupture through repair, and why learning to have hard conversations sometimes means accepting that not everyone is going to like you. They also reflect on owning the moments when you weren’t your best self, circling back when you can, and choosing curiosity over judgment.

And when the world feels overwhelming? Becca and Meredith talk about focusing on the corner of the world you can influence—building braver people, stronger relationships, and communities where people have room to grow.

Because living BIG isn’t about becoming perfectly healed.

It’s about becoming more self-aware, repairing when things break, and choosing how you want to show up next.

Living BIG is about creativity, courage, community, and becoming more fully yourself. Learn more at biginc.org.

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00:00 ADHD, Audible & Why Everything Is Faster
01:48 The Diagnosis Meredith Doesn’t Have
02:02 Couples Therapy & Secondhand Therapy
03:26 Can Self-Improvement Become Its Own Trap?
04:28 Rupture, Repair & Stronger Relationships
05:19 Being Nice vs. Being Honest
06:02 Learning to Let People Not Like You
07:34 Growth Means You Won’t Be for Everyone
08:00 Owning the Times You Weren’t Your Best Self
09:18 Repair, Reconciliation & Circling Back
09:42 What the Algorithm Is Feeding Us
11:15 Proof That We Actually Do Grow
12:05 Wait…Was This Already the Podcast?
13:02 Parenting, Big Reactions & Modeling Better
14:15 Floor Chips & Choosing Your Response
15:26 Life Becomes What You Choose
16:06 You Can’t Control How the World Spins
17:03 Control Your Corner of the World
17:45 Building Braver, Stronger Communities
18:01 Landing the Mini-Sode

What happens when everything you've built disappears?

In Part 2 of Becca's story, Meredith picks up where the last episode ended to explore the season that ultimately gave birth to BIG.

After leaving traditional education, navigating burnout, juggling multiple jobs, and taking an enormous leap of faith, Becca shares the unexpected series of events that led to launching what would eventually become BIG. From quitting steady work and starting a business, to losing her home, temporarily moving into a friends' basement, and building a dream with little more than conviction and community, this conversation is an honest look at what it takes to build something that matters.

Along the way, Becca and Meredith unpack the origin of the BIG name, the meaning behind "Big. Brave. Bold.," why community has always been the true mission, and how creating spaces where people feel seen is more important than creating great performers.

This isn't just the story of a nonprofit.

It's the story of choosing courage when certainty isn't an option.

In this episode you'll hear:

• The surprising origin of the BIG name
• Why burnout became the catalyst for change
• The leap from education into entrepreneurship
• The season of living with another family while rebuilding life
• How BIG Deal Show Choir was born
• Why authentic community matters more than performance
• Building culture instead of simply building an organization
• What "Go BIG" has come to mean

Whether you're building a business, raising a family, starting over, or simply wondering if your dream is worth pursuing, this episode is a reminder that some of the most meaningful things we build begin during life's most uncertain seasons.

00:00 Previously on Becca's Story: Picking Up Where We Left Off

00:36 Burnout, Ministry & Knowing It Was Time for Something New

02:24 Quitting Everything to Become a Life Coach

03:19 Rebranding...and Accidentally Discovering "BIG"

05:00 Building Something Bigger Than Yourself

06:15 The Stone Soup Philosophy of Community

07:11 Terrified to Begin

08:13 "Go BIG" — The Moment Everything Changed

09:10 Losing the House While Starting a Business

10:30 The "Commune" That Made BIG Possible

12:17 Starting Over From a Basement

13:09 Why BIG Deal Was Born

14:39 BIG Isn't a Building—It's a Culture

15:57 Creating BIG Deal Show Choir

17:00 "Let It Suck...Then Let It Surprise You"

18:29 Why Community Beats Competition

20:16 Testing an Impossible Idea

21:40 People Came for Show Choir...and Found Belonging

22:07 Leadership Is Lonely

23:02 Becoming a Nonprofit

24:12 Creating a Place Where Authenticity Wins

26:23 Investing in Yourself

27:00 Escaping Burnout & Choosing Margin

Closing Thoughts Living BIG Means Building People

What does it really mean to be brave?

In this host-to-host conversation, Meredith turns the microphone toward Becca as they unpack the moments, decisions, setbacks, and unexpected turns that shaped the life she's living today.

From growing up in a family that believed in impossible dreams to pursuing performing arts, becoming a teacher when she swore she never would, navigating single motherhood, moving to a new city, and building programs that changed lives, Becca shares how courage rarely looks dramatic in the moment. More often, it looks like saying "yes" to the next right thing.

Along the way, Meredith and Becca explore identity, public failure, ADHD, parenting, finding your authentic self, and why living BIG isn't about becoming someone different—it's about allowing the person you've always been to finally emerge.

If you've ever questioned your path, wondered if you've missed your chance, or felt like life has taken unexpected detours, this conversation is a reminder that your story isn't finished yet.

In this episode you'll hear:

• What "big, brave, and bold" really means
• How courage often begins with small decisions
• Why failure isn't the opposite of growth
• Finding purpose through unexpected career changes
• Parenting, identity, and redefining success
• Why authenticity requires bravery
• How every chapter prepares you for the next one

Because sometimes the bravest thing you'll ever do…

…is become yourself.

00:00 Birdcage Quotes & A New Kind of Conversation
00:33 What Does It Mean to Live BIG?
01:10 Ask Me Anything: Becca's Story Begins
03:30 Choosing the Performing Arts When Everyone Says "Be Practical"
04:25 Parents Who Believed in Big Dreams
06:55 Why Theater and Music Feel Like Home
08:25 Becoming the Teacher She Never Planned to Be
11:30 The Audition That Changed Everything
11:54 Motherhood or the Stage? Choosing a Different Dream
15:25 Leaving Small-Town Iowa for Something New
16:00 Falling Into Education—and Finding Her Calling
19:20 Public Failure, Ego, and Starting Over
21:00 Building a New Life in Omaha
22:15 Creating a Legacy Through Teaching and Theater
24:00 When Your Career Becomes Your Identity
26:30 Authenticity Takes Courage
29:45 What Does a "Big Life" Really Mean?
31:20 The Hard Road Builds Strong Foundations
36:10 Whose Dream Are You Living?
41:00 Looking Back Without Regret
44:10 Final Thoughts: The World Needs More Courage

For the first time, the person usually working behind the scenes steps in front of the microphone.

This week, podcast producer and BIG marketing director Chris Smith joins Becca and Meredith for a conversation about creativity, leadership, fatherhood, vulnerability, and why the performing arts are about so much more than performing.

Chris shares how theater shaped his own life, why he and his wife have encouraged all five of their children to pursue the arts, and how BIG has become a place where confidence isn't expected,it's developed.

The conversation quickly grows into something even bigger as they explore adult friendship, men's mental health, raising emotionally healthy boys, breaking generational patterns, and what it really means to "show up" for the people we love.

Whether you're a parent, educator, artist, leader, or someone still trying to find your place, this episode is an honest reminder that courage isn't about having everything figured out—it's about taking the next brave step.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Why performing arts teach us how to show up for life
• Confidence as a skill—not a personality trait
• The surprising role theater plays in leadership and teamwork
• The challenges of adult friendship, especially for men
• Breaking unhealthy generational expectations
• Raising kids who are emotionally healthy, resilient, and brave
• Why authentic community changes everything

Because Living BIG isn't about becoming someone else.

It's about becoming more fully yourself.

00:00 Art Teaches Us How to Show Up
00:25 Meet Chris Smith
02:52 A Friendship That Started Before BIG
04:16 Why Our Family Chose Performing Arts
09:06 Leadership Lessons from Theater
11:18 Learning Through Disappointment
12:27 Confidence Is a Skill You Build
14:35 Rediscovering Confidence as an Adult
16:27 Authenticity Over Perfection
18:18 Why the BIG Dudes Mattered
20:12 Community Beyond the Stage
22:18 Why Shared Activities Build Friendship
24:19 The Challenge of Adult Male Friendships
25:56 Why Men Struggle to Build Deep Friendships
27:08 Vulnerability, Masculinity & Breaking Old Patterns
31:24 Partnership Instead of Performance
32:39 Raising Better Men and Better Communities
37:17 Modeling Vulnerability for the Next Generation
39:05 Mental Health, Emotional Regulation & Showing Up
42:16 Community That Calls You Higher
43:15 Why Growth Requires Accountability

In this episode of Living BIG, things are getting a little more... friendly

Becca officially welcomes returning guest Meredith Garwood as the new co-host of the podcast, and together they dive into a conversation about adult friendship, authenticity, vulnerability, and what it actually takes to build meaningful community as grown-ups.

From motherhood and marriage to loneliness, show choir, ADHD, and the pressure to curate a “perfect” life, this episode explores why genuine connection matters more than appearances—and why brave friendships require intentionality, reciprocity, and the courage to show up as your real self.

They unpack the realities of making friends in adulthood, the difference between supportive and draining relationships, and how communities like BIG become spaces where people can truly belong.

If you’ve ever wondered:

• Why making friends as an adult feels hard
• How to find “your people”
• What healthy friendship actually looks like
• Or how authenticity changes relationships

…this conversation is for you.

Living BIG is about creativity, courage, community, and becoming fully yourself.

Learn more at biginc.org.

Episode Chapters:
00:00 Authentic vs Curated Lives
00:45 Meet the New Co-Host
02:08 Why Friendship Matters
03:25 Building Intentional Community
04:34 Friendship Through Showing Up
06:34 The Search for Adult Friendships
08:06 What Adults Really Want in Friendship
09:31 Why Show Choir Builds Community
09:54 Friendship Through Life Stages
11:20 What Makes a Great Friend?
12:52 ADHD, Friendship, and Staying Connected
14:17 Authenticity & Self-Awareness in Relationships
15:26 Reciprocal Friendship & Matching Energy
16:13 Inner Circles & Vulnerability
17:59 Authenticity vs the “Perfect Life”
20:00 Building Brave & Supportive Communities
21:42 Standing Up for Friends in Rooms They’re Not In
22:25 Mel Robbins & The Three Pillars of Friendship
23:48 Proximity, Timing, and Energy
25:25 Intentionality in Adult Relationships
26:34 Checking In on Your People
27:54 How to Build Lasting Community
28:56 You Have to Be a Friend to Make Friends

In this episode of Living BIG, Becca sits down with theater educator, director, and BIG Education Director Jeanette Gallup for a conversation about creativity, risk, and the power of building spaces where people feel seen.

Jeanette shares her journey from discovering theater as a teenager in Miami to becoming a director, educator, and creative leader who believes art is more than performance —it’s transformation. Together, they explore intuition, storytelling, emotional safety in creative spaces, and why theater can become a catalyst for confidence, identity, and belonging.

The conversation dives into the realities of educational theater, the importance of creating brave and supportive communities, and the moments that remind us why creativity matters in the first place.

If you’ve ever needed a reminder to trust your instincts, take a risk, or reconnect with the creative parts of yourself, this episode is for you.

Living BIG is about creativity, courage, and the communities that help us grow.

Learn more at biginc.org.

Episode Chapters:
00:00 Introducing Jeanette Gallup
01:46 What “Living BIG” Means
02:39 Saying Yes to BIG
10:18 Discovering a Creative Life
14:13 Finding Theater & Identity
16:33 Becoming a Director
20:58 Visualization & Dreaming Bigger
21:19 Dreaming of In the Heights
23:05 The Joy of Directing
27:29 Transformation Through Theater
28:23 Building Brave Spaces at BIG
34:47 Seeing Growth in Students
35:13 Why Community Matters
37:45 One True Thing & Reflection
39:02 Self-Awareness & Growth
39:26 Why Jeanette Keeps Creating
41:23 Let’s Freaking Sing

In this episode of Living BIG, Becca sits down with educator-turned-corporate leader, creative, and community-builder Becky Cook for an honest conversation about growth, change, and stepping outside the boxes we build for ourselves.

Becky shares her journey from art teacher to change management consultant, including the terrifying moment she left a stable career without a job lined up, and how that leap reshaped her confidence, identity, and purpose.

Together, they explore what it means to live bravely, lead with empathy, and create space for people to show up fully as themselves. This conversation dives into creativity, community, leadership, and the kind of courage it takes to keep showing up, even when life feels uncertain.

If you’re navigating change, craving growth, or learning to trust yourself in a new season, this episode is for you.

Living BIG is about creativity, courage, and the communities that help us grow.

Learn more at biginc.org.

Episode Chapters:

00:00 Living BIG & Personal Growth
03:55 Creativity & Art Education
10:30 Community in Creative Spaces
14:01 The Power of Performance
14:19 Career Transitions
18:40 Empathy & Change
19:44 Leadership Dynamics
21:12 Leadership Lessons
24:27 Transformation Through Community
27:05 Excellence vs. Belonging
33:24 Passion & Community

In this episode of Living BIG, Becca sits down with educator, creative, and community-builder Kelly Whisinnand for a conversation about the power of creativity to shape confidence, identity, and belonging.

Kelly shares her journey working with young people and why her goal has never been to create perfect performers, but to help people discover their voice, express themselves, and feel ownership in who they are becoming. Together, they explore how creativity can be a lifeline in a noisy, overwhelming world, and why having an outlet isn’t optional, it’s essential.

This conversation dives into the impact of arts education, the importance of giving people space to show up as they are, and how creativity builds more than skills—it builds people.

If you care about confidence, community, and the kind of creativity that actually changes lives, this episode is for you.

Living BIG is about creativity, courage, and the communities that help us grow.

Learn more at biginc.org.