Marketing in Progress

Brianna Doe did everything “right” on paper. She worked in fast-paced environments, consistently overachieved on her goals, and climbed the corporate ladder. But she still felt completely miserable.

So she broke away.

In this episode, Brianna gets real about what made her walk away from the safety of a 9-to-5 job and bet on herself. She talks about the early days of building her agency, what happens when a business partnership goes sideways, and the element of “competition” that women deal with in the workplace.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How time blocking can help you stay focused
• What to ask before going into business with a friend
• Why you should have your own “personal board of directors”

Highlights:

(00:00) Meet Brianna Doe

(01:28) Leaving corporate when success feels empty

(04:56) What no one tells you about partnerships

(11:13) Burnout and being the only one like you

(18:25) How Brianna structures her work week

(27:05) Your path doesn’t need to look perfect

Resources:

Brianna’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-doe/

Brianna’s website: https://www.weareverbatim.com/ 

Gayle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaylekalvert/

Megan Dimmer isn’t here for your outdated expectations about midlife. In fact, she just turned 49 and feels stronger, sharper, and more in control than ever. 

In this episode, Megan shares the real story of what it took to feel this good: cutting the BS with her doctors, finding a workout she didn’t hate, and finally putting herself first after years of prioritizing career and parenting. We talk hormones, aging, therapy, and the lies we’ve been sold about what 50 is supposed to feel like.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How eating healthy can make you feel good, not just look good
• Why it’s important to talk about menopause and hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
• What it means to be defined by more than your career

Highlights:

(00:00) Meet Megan Dimmer

(01:42) The truth about eating healthy long-term

(05:13) Where to start if fitness feels impossible

(08:13) How cutting sugar changed more than her body

(10:48) When Megan’s menopause symptoms were dismissed by doctors

(15:20) How HRT helped her feel like herself again

(18:24) Why therapy and EMDR unlocked deeper healing

(21:38) Redefining success after leaving the CEO title behind

(27:15) Owning your voice after corporate conditioning

Resources:

Megan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megandimmer/ 

Megan’s website: https://megandimmer.com/ 

Gayle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaylekalvert/

In this solo episode, Gayle Kalvert gets real about something we all chase but rarely feel: success. 

It’s not as glamorous as social media makes it look. 

Gayle opens up about her experience of juggling work and family, all while feeling constant pressure to keep moving forward. She shares her struggle to stay grounded while grappling with the fear of missing out on bigger opportunities if she slows down.

Is it just Gayle, or do you feel this, too?

Resources:

Gayle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaylekalvert/

We’ve all been through something challenging. 

But when it comes to knowing what to say, or do, when someone else is struggling- that’s not always easy. You know the feeling— the deep ache of not knowing what to say or do, or being exhausted from trying to fix everyone else’s problems.

Liesel Mertes, founder of Handle with Care Consulting and a workplace empathy expert, talks about how to show up for others when life gets messy. Whether you’re a leader trying to support your team or a colleague who doesn’t want to say the wrong thing, Liesel offers a thoughtful take on empathy as a skill, not a personality trait. She shares tools and practices that can help us become better at navigating sensitive conversations.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why empathy is a skill that anyone can learn 
• How to maintain boundaries while being supportive
• Ways to offer meaningful support in difficult times

Highlights:

(00:00) Meet Liesel Mertes

(00:50) Empathy is a skill 

(07:31) Being a workplace “first responder”

(12:00) How to offer genuine support

(18:11) The difference between fortitude and resilience 

(22:25) Tools for empathy-forward workplaces

(27:37) Being intentional with empathy

Resources:

Liesel’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lieselmertes/

Liesel’s website: https://www.lieselmertes.com/

Gayle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaylekalvert/

In this solo episode, Gayle Kalvert shares her journey with medical marijuana and microdosing, and how those conversations have become part of parenting her teens. She opens up about shifting perspectives, breaking down stigma, and why honesty matters when navigating these topics with your kids.

Resources:

Gayle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaylekalvert

Amanda Thomas thought she had a plan.

She left her 9-to-5, ready for the next chapter, then found out she was pregnant that same month. What followed wasn’t what she expected: a birth that didn’t go to plan, postpartum depression, and a hard lesson in surrendering control.

In this episode, Amanda, creative consultant, entrepreneur, and mom, gets honest about what it actually looks like to balance motherhood and career. We talk about the struggles: feeling disconnected from your baby, the guilt no one warns you about, and the power of finding your people. Amanda didn’t find her footing by figuring it all out. She found it by letting go of the idea that she had to.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The reality of dealing with postpartum depression
• Finding strength in vulnerability
• Why building community matters

Highlights:

(00:00) Meet Amanda Thomas

(01:35) Starting a family unexpectedly

(06:23) Stop resisting and surrender to life 

(9:50) Why finding your “village” changes everything

(16:01) How Amanda’s second pregnancy feels different

(19:07) Accepting all parts of yourself

(24:38) The truth about sacrifice

Resources:

Amanda’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandathomascreative/

Amanda’s website: amandathomascreative.com

Gayle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaylekalvert/

In this solo episode, Gayle Kalvert shares her experience in parenting teens, highlighting the growth, connection, and learning that comes with this phase. While it’s easy to focus on the struggles, Gayle explains how the teenage years can be a rewarding time of mutual respect and personal growth, both for parents and their kids.

Resources:

Gayle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaylekalvert/

Uniqueness deserves to be celebrated. However, too often, neurodiversity is viewed as a limitation rather than a strength.

In this episode, Becca Chambers challenges that narrative by sharing her journey with ADHD. She reveals how embracing her neurodivergent brain has been key to her professional success and personal growth. Becca also discusses the challenges of parenting neurodivergent children and why it’s crucial to reframe your expectations of them.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The unique strengths of neurodivergent individuals
• How to embrace what makes you different
• Understanding the needs of neurodivergent kids in school

Highlights:

(00:00) Meet Becca Chambers

(02:20) Neurodivergence is a strength, not a weakness

(06:15) Why Becca started advocating for neurodiversity 

(09:01) Misconceptions about neurodiversity 

(14:11) ADHD in the workplace

(17:01) Working with your brain, not against it

(20:20) Becca’s school experience

(22:58) Parenting neurodiverse kids

(28:02) Reframing expectations of neurodiversity

Resources:

Becca’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beccapchambers/ 

Becca’s website: https://www.beccachambers.com/ 

Gayle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaylekalvert/

The world teaches us to accumulate more responsibilities, more achievements, and, honestly, more of everything. 

But excess isn’t always good.

Leslie Bailey, entrepreneur, writer, and mom, knows what it’s like to carry too much. After building a successful business, she made the bold decision to walk away, just as her husband was diagnosed with cancer and financial stress was mounting. In this episode, Leslie shares how subtracting things from her career and personal life gave her back a sense of control, clarity, and peace. She calls it soft business, a mindset shift rooted in doing less to make room for what matters most.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to know when it’s time to walk away
• The mental load of debt and how to manage it
• Setting boundaries around unpaid labor

Highlights:

(00:00) Meet Leslie Bailey

(03:08) The value of rest

(06:17) Redefine success on your terms

(08:08) Excess is not always better

(14:36) Managing debt and stress

(18:06) Recognizing your worth as an entrepreneur 

(21:02) Saying no and protecting your time

(23:03) Leslie’s approach to simplicity and subtraction

(26:37) Advice for starting a business 

Resources:
Leslie's list of things to subtract: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGqwACe_EQ/yiBoqRDrKVV3zNhMaF-gRA/edit

Leslie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesalina

Leslie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslieabailey/

Leslie’s Website: https://www.lesliebailey.com/
Indy Maven’s website: https://indymaven.com/ 

Gayle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaylekalvert/

Saying no sounds simple. So why is it so hard?

In this solo episode, Gayle Kalvert shares why she struggles to set boundaries, how overcommitting manifests in her life (hello, migraines), and why saying no still feels uncomfortable, even when she knows better.

Is it just Gayle, or do you feel it too?