This one's a little different.

I was going back through my episode archive recently and found a recording I had never published — something I recorded right before I took a hiatus from the podcast a couple of years ago. I listened back and thought, you know what, this is worth sharing.

It's just me, reflecting on a New Year and everything that was happening in my life at the time. A divorce. A new nursing career I was finding harder than I expected. A breast cancer reconstruction journey I was finally completing. A plate so full I didn't know what to put down. And a word — release — that I chose to guide me through all of it.

Some of the things I talk about in this episode:

• My three step process for navigating change: Refresh, Renew, Relate
• Why release became my word of the year and what it meant in both directions — letting go and letting out
• The case for amicable divorce and why I feel strongly about it
• How life decisions are more a process of elimination than selection
• What completing breast reconstruction taught me about being a work in progress and a work of art at the same time
• Why January feels less like a sprint and more like the start of a marathon

It's an earlier version of where I am now in a lot of ways. But I think you'll find something in it that resonates.

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Piece of Work, a Memoir
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Career pivots. Relationship pivots. The life you thought you were supposed to have — and the one that's actually waiting for you. In this episode of Piece of Work with Danielle Tantone, host Danielle Tantone sits down with author and wine industry veteran Danielle Frank for a candid conversation about resilience, reinvention, and the courage it takes to walk away from what's not working.

Danielle Frank's story is the ultimate case study in pivoting with purpose: VP of International PR at Miramax at 27, she left New York for LA, quit a toxic job without a backup plan, discovered a passion for wine and spirits, and built a career spanning two decades at Bacardi and Moët Hennessy. She also called off an engagement, rethought her path to motherhood, and found — to her own surprise — that the life she has is the life she was meant for all along.

In this episode you'll hear:
— Why she says "when something is costing you peace, that's your answer"
— How each pivot builds your confidence to take the next one
— The story of Madame Clicquot, history's original female entrepreneur
— A live reading from her book A Wine Lover's Guide to Parenting — a tongue-in-cheek adult children's book that pairs wine wisdom with raising kids who aren't a-holes

Connect with Danielle Frank and grab her book at daniellefrankauthor.com. 

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Are modern social trends actually making us more isolated? Danielle Tantone invites party coach Evan Cudworth to discuss the intersection of community, recovery, and resilience. Moving past his background in the underground music scene, Evan shares how he developed a coaching practice aimed at helping adults refresh and reinvent their social habits.

Main Takeaways From This Episode:

* The Party Within: Evan details his 7-stage process that helps high-achieving adults stop relying on substances, vibes, or social media validation, shifting instead toward sustainable community building. 

* The Paradox of Boundaries: A critical look at how hyper-individualism and individual boundaries are inadvertently lowering social trust and creating a culture of fragility.

 * The 5R Method vs. The Upward Spiral: Danielle and Evan compare their respective coaching frameworks for overcoming life's major disruptions, from health diagnoses to relationship endings. 

Tune in to hear a deep dive into the mechanics of human connection, featuring a live coaching session that demonstrates how to transition from isolation to active social participation.

Learn more about Evan and his work: https://partycoach.me/

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What do you do when the opportunity of a lifetime lands in your lap — but you’re $20,000 in debt and the entry fee alone is $15,000? If you’re JD Tremblay, you sell your house.

JD is an ultra triathlete, naturopathic practitioner, volunteer firefighter, and the founder of Hungry Warrior Academy — a high-performance program helping men grow physically, mentally, and spiritually. 

In this episode, JD shares his journey from military service to competing in the EpicDeca: ten full Ironman-distance races across all six Hawaiian islands in ten days. Yes, you read that right.

We talk about what it really takes to push past your limits, why discipline doesn’t have to feel like punishment, and the difference between feeling your emotions and being ruled by them. JD brings a grounded, faith-based, facts-first philosophy that’s as refreshing as it is challenging.

Fair warning: this one will make you rethink every excuse you’ve ever made.

If you want to connect with JD, check out HungryWarriorAcademy.com. And if this episode speaks to you, share it with someone who needs a little kick in the direction of their next big thing.

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What if “girl drama” isn’t about mean girls—but about misunderstood emotions, unmet needs, and skills no one ever taught us?

In this episode of Piece of Work, Danielle sits down with international friendship expert, speaker, and founder of Teen Wise, Sheri Gazitt. With over 30 years of experience helping girls navigate friendships, social anxiety, and the emotional rollercoaster of growing up, Sheri brings both insight and compassion to a topic that affects every family with daughters.

Together, they unpack the truth behind “girl drama,” why it’s often mislabeled, and how parents can better support their daughters without dismissing, overreacting, or stepping in too quickly. Sheri shares her powerful LOVE framework—Listening, Offering advice, Validating emotions, and Empowering—and explains how these skills can transform not just teen friendships, but the parent-child relationship as well.

The conversation also explores the growing loneliness epidemic among teens, the impact of social media on real connection, and why learning healthy friendship skills early matters more than ever.

Whether you’re parenting a tween, a teen, or reflecting on your own friendship patterns, this episode offers practical tools, perspective shifts, and hope.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

•  What “girl drama” really is (and why the term matters) 
•  The 3 common ways parents unintentionally get it wrong 
•  How to support your daughter without taking over 
•  Why connection—not control—is the goal 
•  How to build stronger, healthier friendships at any age 

Sheri is the author of Girl Drama Decoded: Empower Your Daughter Through the Ups and Downs of Girl Drama and Friendships and supports moms through her Mom Wise Collective.

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In this episode of Piece of Work, host Danielle Tantone sits down with Lisa Zeiderman to explore the complex, emotional, and often misunderstood world of marriage and divorce.

A highly respected matrimonial attorney, Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, and Certified Financial Litigator, Lisa brings decades of experience handling high-stakes divorce cases involving complex finances, custody disputes, and pre- and post-nuptial agreements. Recognized by organizations like Crain’s New York Business and consistently named a Super Lawyer, Lisa is also a thought leader in the space—writing for Psychology Today, contributing to major publications like The New York Times and Forbes, and serving as Board Chair of Savvy Ladies, a nonprofit dedicated to helping women achieve financial independence.

In this candid conversation, Danielle and Lisa go far beyond the legal process to unpack the real-life dynamics of relationships. They discuss why financial literacy is essential in marriage, how financial abuse can quietly take hold through control and lack of access, and why prenuptial agreements are becoming less about “planning for divorce” and more about creating transparency and alignment from the start.

Lisa also shares insight into the emotional realities of divorce—from co-parenting and loss of control to the long-term truth that, when children are involved, your relationship with your ex doesn’t simply end. Drawing from both her professional expertise and personal experience, she offers a grounded, compassionate perspective on what it means to navigate separation while still building a healthy future.

With her holistic approach—often collaborating with financial experts, mental health professionals, and other specialists—Lisa emphasizes that divorce is never just a legal event. It’s a life transition that impacts every layer of a person’s world.

This episode is honest, insightful, and deeply human—perfect for anyone navigating marriage, divorce, or simply wanting to build more informed, empowered relationships.

👉 To learn more about Lisa, explore her articles, and access additional resources, visit her website: https://lisazeiderman.com/

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In this episode of Piece of Work, Danielle Tantone sits down with transformation coach and entrepreneur Heather Simco for a powerful conversation on resilience, reinvention, and what it really means to live a “sober-minded” life.

Heather shares her journey from a self-made business owner to hitting rock bottom with alcohol, and ultimately rebuilding her life through recovery, faith, and purpose. With over a decade of sobriety and 20+ years in entrepreneurship, she now helps high-achieving women break free from burnout, addiction, and self-sabotage—mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Together, Danielle and Heather explore the messy middle of transformation: navigating identity shifts, setting boundaries, outgrowing relationships, and finding your niche in both life and business. They also unpack the difference between therapy and coaching, the realities of addiction, and how to begin healing—whether you’re questioning your habits or ready for your next level.

This episode is a reminder that growth isn’t about perfection—it’s about choosing, again and again, to rise.

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A real conversation on connection, disconnection, and the quiet habits that either build or break a relationship

In this episode of Piece of Work, Danielle sits down with marriage coach, author, and host of the Save the Marriage and Thriveology podcasts, Dr. Lee Baucom, for a conversation that feels less like an interview and more like two people trying to make sense of something we all wrestle with—love, connection, and what happens when it starts to slip.

If you’ve ever wondered why some relationships fall apart while others find their way back, this one goes deeper than surface-level advice. They talk honestly about the “pause button” so many couples hit without realizing it, the difference between fitting in and truly belonging, and why communication isn’t always the real problem.

They unpack what it actually looks like to be a “we” without losing yourself, how small moments of connection matter more than grand gestures, and why waiting for things to magically get better rarely works.

There’s also space for nuance here—because Danielle doesn’t believe every marriage can or should be saved. She shares parts of her own experience and reflects on that tension of still believing in marriage while also knowing when something isn’t right.

Dr. Lee has spent over two decades helping individuals and couples break through the patterns that keep them stuck, and his work is grounded in simple, practical ways to rebuild connection.

You can learn more about his work at:
 unpauseyourmarriage.com
 savethemarriage.com

This episode is for anyone who:

• Feels disconnected in their relationship
• Keeps having the same conversations on repeat
• Wonders if there’s still something worth rebuilding
• Or just wants a more honest, grounded perspective on love and commitment

It’s not about perfection or quick fixes. It’s about understanding what’s really happening underneath—and deciding what you want to do with that.

Listen in and ask yourself:

Are we connected… or just going through the motions?

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Losing friendships, feeling lonely, and what it actually takes to build real connection as an adult.

This episode is another personal one.

Over the past few years, I’ve lost some friendships that I never expected to lose. And if I’m being honest, it’s been confusing, a little heartbreaking, and at times… really lonely.

And I don’t think I’m the only one.

Even as someone who is outgoing, social, and talks to people all day, I’ve felt the lack of real, consistent, close friendship in my life. The kind where you’re just doing life together.

So in this episode, I’m talking about:

• Why friendship feels harder than it used to
• What’s actually changed (there’s real data behind this)
• What we can do to start creating connection again

This isn’t coming from someone who has it all figured out. I’m right in the middle of it too.

If you’ve been feeling a little disconnected, a little lonely, or like you don’t quite have “your people” right now… I think this will resonate.

Maybe this is your reminder to reach out… or to go first.

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Running a business. Parenting teenagers. Caring for clients. Trying to stay healthy and present through all of it.

In this episode, I’m joined by my friend and colleague Brian McArthur, owner of Design My Medicare, for a conversation that starts with Medicare and turns into something much bigger.

We talk about what it means to carry a lot at once in this season of life—raising teenagers, coming off a stressful work season, thinking about health and aging, and trying to be intentional about how we show up for the people who need us.

We also get into some important Medicare conversation, including:

• why the Medicare enrollment season is so intense
• the difference between Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage plans
• why neither option is the “villain”
• how our different business models shape the clients we serve
• and why Medicare can still be good news, even when the system feels complicated

This one is part personal reflection, part business conversation, and part practical Medicare education.

If you’re parenting teens, building something, feeling the weight of midlife, or trying to make sense of Medicare for yourself or someone you love, I think you’ll find something here.

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