Relentless & Real

Most leaders spend their time focused on two groups: their highest performers and their lowest performers.

But what if the biggest opportunity is sitting somewhere in the middle?

In this episode of Relentless & Real, Heather Verity and Jennifer Lawson unpack the Mountain of Average, a leadership framework that challenges how we think about performance, culture, and influence. They explore the four types of employees every organization has, why cynicism spreads faster than excellence, and how leaders can create more compelled team members instead of simply managing compliance.

Whether you lead a team of five or five thousand, this conversation will help you recognize where your people are, where you are, and what it takes to build a culture where commitment becomes conviction.

Because great organizations aren't built by eliminating the bottom. They're built by moving the middle.

Success rarely happens overnight, and it almost never happens alone.

In this episode of Relentless & Real, Heather Verity and Jennifer Lawson sit down with Angie Tanner-Miller, founder and team lead of The Agency Real Estate Group, to talk about the unexpected journey from stay-at-home mom to building one of Central Ohio's fastest-growing real estate teams.

Angie shares how she navigated personal adversity, trusted her instincts when hiring, learned to delegate, and discovered that sustainable growth isn't about adding more people. It's about finding the right people and protecting the culture that makes your team successful.

Together, they explore the challenges of scaling a business, balancing systems with intuition, building trust with clients, and why leadership often means letting others succeed in ways you never imagined.

Whether you're leading a business, growing a team, or simply wondering if it's too late to start something new, this conversation is a powerful reminder that your greatest opportunities may still be ahead of you.

In this episode of Relentless & Real, Heather Verity and Jennifer Lawson explore the importance of protecting your professional reputation before it's ever put to the test. From social media and workplace events to conferences, networking, and everyday decisions, they discuss how small moments can have lasting consequences for your career, your leadership, and the people who trust you.

Drawing from decades of leadership experience, Heather and Jenny share real stories, practical advice, and simple habits that help professionals think beyond the moment and make decisions they'll be proud of years from now.

Whether you're entering the workforce, leading a team, or mentoring the next generation, this conversation is a timely reminder that your reputation is built one decision at a time.

What if the biggest thing holding you back isn't your ability, but your willingness to step into discomfort?

In this episode of Relentless & Real, Heather Verity and Jennifer Lawson sit down with entrepreneur, speaker, and Expand Your Limits founder Kelsey Lensman for an honest conversation about choosing courage when comfort feels easier.

Kelsey shares the experiences that shaped her journey, from navigating uncertainty after college athletics to building a business, completing Mission 48, and learning that confidence isn't something you wait for. It's something you earn through action.

Together, they explore why so many people stay stuck in what's familiar, how disciplined choices build lasting confidence, and why the life you want often begins just outside your comfort zone.

Whether you're facing a career change, chasing a big goal, or simply wondering if you're capable of more, this episode is a reminder that growth rarely starts with certainty. It starts with the decision to take the next step.

What separates good leaders from great ones?

In this special Q&A episode of Relentless & Real, Heather and Jenny answer some of the most common leadership questions they've received from workshop participants, podcast listeners, and leaders across every industry.

They discuss why people leave managers instead of companies, how to lead when leadership above you is inconsistent, when transparency helps or hurts a team, and how to earn the trust of employees who are older or more experienced than you. They also tackle burnout versus feeling unfulfilled, what it means to become "unoffendable" as a leader, and why authentic leadership will always outperform intimidation.

Whether you're leading a team of two or two thousand, this conversation is packed with practical insights you can apply immediately to build trust, strengthen culture, and lead with greater confidence.

Could you sit in any chair at the table?

In this episode of Relentless & Real, Heather and Jenny explore what that question reveals about trust, culture, and psychological safety inside an organization. They discuss why healthy cultures don't happen by accident, how cliques quietly undermine teamwork, and why leaders must protect culture long before problems become crises.

You'll also hear why transparency builds trust, what it really means to create psychological safety, and why the hardest leadership decisions are often the ones that preserve the future of the team.

Culture isn't built by mission statements or posters on the wall. It's built by the conversations you have, the behaviors you allow, and the standards you're willing to protect.

If you want to build a team where people genuinely enjoy working together and everyone can contribute at their best, this episode is for you.

She’s reliable. Capable. Organized. The one everyone counts on.

And that’s exactly why she ends up carrying more than everyone else.

In this episode of Relentless & Real, Heather and Jenny tackle a challenge many high-performing women know all too well: the more capable you become, the more responsibility gets handed your way.

From extra projects at work to the invisible load at home, strong women often find themselves rewarded with more demands, more expectations, and less margin.

The conversation explores why high capacity is often mistaken for infinite capacity, how confidence can quietly become a trap, and why setting boundaries is not selfish. It's necessary.

Heather shares lessons from leadership, entrepreneurship, and burnout, while Jenny reflects on the cost that overcommitment can have on the people who matter most.

If you've ever felt exhausted by being the person everyone depends on, this episode is for you.

Because being capable doesn't mean you have to carry everything.

For years, Nicole Willis believed great leaders had to be tough, emotionally detached, and always in control.

Working inside the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, that mindset was part of the culture. Armor up. Get the job done. Leave your emotions at the door.

Then life changed.

In the first guest interview on Relentless & Real, Nicole shares how a personal crisis transformed her leadership style and why learning to lead with empathy, vulnerability, and connection made her more effective than ever before.

Heather, Jenny, and Nicole explore the realities of working in high-stress environments, the importance of emotional intelligence, creating cultures where people feel seen and supported, and why some of the strongest leaders are the ones willing to listen first.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that leadership is not about being the toughest person in the room. It's about creating trust, building connection, and helping people perform at their best.

Sometimes the strongest thing a leader can do is put down the armor.

We like to believe people are judged solely on their talent, character, and performance.

The research says otherwise.

In this episode of Relentless & Real, Heather and Jenny tackle a topic that can feel uncomfortable to discuss but has very real implications in leadership, business, and everyday life: appearance, confidence, and the impact of first impressions.

They explore the concept of "pretty privilege," the surprising research behind appearance and professional success, and why details like grooming, presentation, and personal care influence how others perceive credibility, competence, and trust.

This conversation is not about perfection, plastic surgery, or fitting someone else's standard. It's about understanding the signals we send, the confidence we build when we feel our best, and why investing in ourselves is often an investment in our opportunities.

From leadership presence and personal branding to mentorship and self-respect, Heather and Jenny challenge listeners to think differently about how they show up in the world.

Because whether we like it or not, people are making judgments. The question is: what are you communicating before you ever say a word?

We all have things we carry.

A mistake we regret. A conversation we avoid. A struggle we hide. A story we tell ourselves that no one else could possibly understand.

In this episode of Relentless & Real, Heather and Jenny explore a powerful truth: the things we refuse to acknowledge often have the greatest impact on our health, relationships, leadership, and performance.

From limiting beliefs and financial stress to grief, shame, and the pressure to appear like we have it all together, they discuss how hidden burdens can quietly shape our lives. Heather shares personal stories from writing The R Factor and reflects on how vulnerability helped her release experiences she carried for years.

They also tackle a challenge many leaders face: the belief that strength means having all the answers. What if authenticity creates more trust than perfection ever could?

If you've been carrying something that feels too heavy, too personal, or too difficult to discuss, this conversation offers a different perspective on what it means to let go, move forward, and lead with honesty.

Because sometimes the first step toward getting better is simply telling the truth.