What happens when the very identity that created your success begins to slowly deplete you?

In this deeply personal solo episode, Ali Brown explores the hidden emotional realities many ambitious women experience when they begin outgrowing the version of themselves that once worked so well. From the pressure of staying relevant… to the fear of ‘losing your place in line’… to the grief that comes with evolving beyond an old identity. This is an honest conversation about reinvention, alignment, and the courage to change before the outside world fully understands why.

Ali shares her own journey through the rise of the online business world, leaving behind past versions of her success, curating more meaningful rooms, and navigating the quiet seasons that often come before clarity arrives.

You’ll hear:

• How proven success can quietly become the beautifully decorated cage you hesitate to leave

• WHY so many successful women stay too long in identities that no longer fit (it’s not just the money)

• The subtle ‘sacred signals’ that often appear long before a major reinvention is required (catch these early)

• The WORST type of room to be in when you are going through a huge transition to your next season

• What becomes non-negotiable when you no longer have evidence for where you’re being led next

• Why ‘pivots’ are for performers – and what true masters of reinvention know that the amateurs don’t

Ali also shares details about her upcoming free Reinvention Webinar on June 16, as well as ICONIC — her curated live event for accomplished women entrepreneurs navigating growth, leadership, and next chapters, happening Nov. 4+5 in Scottsdale, AZ. (Links below.)

If this episode resonates, we urge you to share it with another woman leader who may be quietly navigating her own next evolution.

And then, learn more about The Trust and Ali…

• Register for Ali’s free online Reinvention session happening on June 16. 

• Learn more about ICONIC – Ali’s private women’s leadership conference happening on November 4+5, 2026 in Scottsdale, AZ.

• Curious about The Trust — our modern, premier network for 7+8-figure women entrepreneurs? Learn more at JoinTheTrust.org. 

• Learn more about Ali Brown, and how to work with her personally. 

Connect with us on social using the hashtag #RewardPodcast and share your key takeaways from this episode!

She sat by the ocean and wrote down 25 non-negotiables for the sale of her company. And just six months ago, she sealed the deal with 24 out of 25. That’s what happens when a leader knows exactly what she’s built… and what it’s worth.

Elizabeth Burrows started her consulting firm at age 26 with a passion for healthcare access… and a firsthand understanding of what it means to live without it. Over the next decade, she quietly built one of the most specialized healthcare grant writing firms in the country — helping create over 300 new service delivery sites and impacting more than 2.5 million patients.

Elizabeth wasn’t looking for an exit, but thanks to a conversation she had within The Trust, she thought it may be the right time. 

In this episode of REWARD: The Podcast of The Trust, Ali Brown sits down with Elizabeth for a refreshingly candid conversation about what selling a business actually feels like — the process, the emotions, the anticlimactic wire transfer, and what comes next.

On this episode of the #REWARDPodcast, you’ll hear:

• What conversation within The Trust changed everything — especially the number Elizabeth didn’t think was possible

• Why she turned down the highest offer, and what she was actually looking for in a buyer

• What it felt like when the wire hit her account on December 23 with a house full of family — and why it was somehow both perfect… and anticlimactic

• The mindset shift that comes with generational changing wealth — and why she’s still driving the same car

This one is for the woman who built something real and is starting to wonder what it might be worth.

And, learn more about The Trust and Elizabeth…

• Learn more about The Trust — our tight-knit community for 7+8-figure women entrepreneurs

• Learn more about Elizabeth’s work at burrowsconsulting.net (now part of VMG Health)

• Follow Elizabeth on Instagram + LinkedIn

Connect with us on social using the hashtag #RewardPodcast and share your key takeaways from this episode!

She wanted to be a civil rights attorney. Then her perfect math scores came back, the engineers came calling, and everything changed. 

Michelle Jones didn’t just pivot — she built a 30-year environmental consulting firm from scratch, cold-called her way to her first client at 50 calls a day, and won contracts with some of the largest transit agencies in the country. All while everyone she walked into a room to meet expected someone else. And today she’s working on a new model to help other leaders thrive in navigating their businesses and lives as well. 

In this episode of REWARD: The Podcast of The Trust, Ali Brown sits down with Michelle for a rich conversation about building from conviction, leading through uncertainty, and what three decades of doing “the hard thing” actually teaches you.

On this episode of the #REWARDPodcast, you’ll hear:

• How Michelle went from aspiring civil rights attorney to civil engineer — and why the detour turned out to be the whole point

• Her 50-calls-a-day cold calling strategy that landed her first client (and what she said in that room when he questioned her age)

• What “the in-between” really means and why most leaders are navigating it right now without the right tools

• The new framework she developed inside one of The Trust’s masterminds, and how it’s becoming her next chapter

• Ali’s take on why the phone call is coming back — and why human connection is still the ultimate differentiator

This one is for the woman who has spent decades doing the work and is ready to share what she actually learned.

And, learn more about The Trust and Michelle…

• Learn more about The Trust — our tight-knit community for 7+8-figure women entrepreneurs

• Learn more about Michelle’s consulting firm

• Follow Michelle on LinkedIn

Connect with us on social using the hashtag #RewardPodcast and share your key takeaways from this episode!

Kris Murray built a thriving childcare coaching empire and became the go-to name in her industry. And the whole time? Fear was still there. She was just really, really good at hiding it. (Most high-achieving women are.)

But what changes everything isn't when the fear disappears... It's when you stop letting it drive from the back seat. We’ve had Kris on the show before, but you HAVE NOT heard what she’s about to share! 

Kris’s new book “The Antidote to Fear” is her most personal work yet — and on the show she touches on some stories we’re shocked she revealed: her St. Patrick's Day DUI (!), the business partner who swore he'd never compete with her and then did exactly that(!), her painful divorce. But what she found on the other side of sharing all of this was… complete freedom.

In this episode of REWARD: The Podcast of The Trust, Ali Brown sits down with our founding member Kris for one of the most candid conversations this podcast has seen. On this episode of the #REWARDPodcast, you'll hear:

• What finally made her write the vulnerable, personal book she'd been carrying for years

• Why high-achieving women are often the best at masking fear (and what it actually costs them)

• The childhood roots of Kris's entrepreneurial instincts (counting cash in her grandfather's meat market hits different when you hear where it led)

• Why she decided to share her DUI — and how owning that story out loud changed everything

• The morning in Bali that cracked her wide open and unlocked her next chapter

• The grounding practice she's kept every single morning for three and a half years and why it matters more now than ever

This one is for the woman who has held it all together for a long time — and is ready to find out what's waiting on the other side of the mask.

And, learn more about The Trust and Kris…

• Learn more about The Trust — our tight-knit community for 7+8-figure women entrepreneurs

• Grab Kris's book, The Antidote to Fear, wherever books are sold

• Follow Kris on Instagram + LinkedIn

Connect with us using #REWARDPodcast and share your biggest takeaway!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Sitting on a boat going to the Statue of Liberty, staring at a stranger’s beautifully worn cognac leather bag, something cracked open in Susanne Mariga that she hadn’t felt since she was 20. A dream she set aside because it felt too risky, too impractical, too heartfelt back then.

After an incredibly successful career building her own firm and recognition as a CPA and coauthor of the book Profit First for Minority Business Enterprises, she sold her practice in 2022. What came next? The most unexpected chapter of her career. But it was also a bit full circle. 

You see, way back when, Susanne chose accounting over fashion design… because it felt safer. Now at 50, she stopped wondering “what if” and answered the call. Just this past month she launched a luxury leather handbag brand called Florel. 

In this episode of REWARD: The Podcast of The Trust, Ali Brown sits down with Susanne for an honest conversation about identity after a big exit, starting over in a completely new industry, and why women who’ve already built something are often the best positioned to take the wildest swings.

On this episode of the #REWARDPodcast, you’ll hear:

• What her post-exit identity crisis really felt like (and why it hits harder than you think)

• The Profit First philosophy that made Susanne a cash millionaire — and funded every reinvention after

• How she sourced leather artisans in China and Italy AND why she got on the planes herself

• What four rounds of samples taught her about getting it right

• Why The Trust was exactly the room she needed for honest, high-level feedback on her first bag (of course we love this one the most ;)) 

This episode is for the women who are ready to find out what they’re capable of next! 

And, learn more about The Trust and Susanne…

• Learn more about The Trust — our tight-knit community for 7+8-figure women entrepreneurs

• Shop Susanne’s bags at florel.com

• Learn more about Susanne’s work and book at profitmap.co

Connect with us using #REWARDPodcast and share your biggest takeaway!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

When you realize an entire industry is quietly teaching women to shrink… you decide to build something bigger. For Cathy Savage, a decades-long career in fitness re vealed a troubling pattern: strong women were being encouraged to shrink their bodies, soften their voices, and limit their ambitions. 

Watching this play out year after year became the spark for a very different mission — helping women build brands, businesses, and healthier lives designed to last.

Cathy began using her marketing and branding savvy to help female athletes turn their passion into powerful personal brands. Those early mentorship moments have now evolved into her legacy play: the creation of Encore, a longevity-focused program for midlife women, and her Longevity Coach Institute.

In this episode of REWARD: The Podcast of The Trust, founder Ali Brown sits down with Cathy for a candid conversation about longevity and reinvention — not just professionally, but also personally. This episode is a powerful reminder that the ultimate reward isn’t just success… it’s time, vitality, and the freedom to create the lives we desire on your own terms.

On this episode of the #REWARDPodcast, you’ll hear:

• How Cathy built her ‘Savage Girls’ brand and challenged the extreme standards dominating the fitness industry

• The surprising marketing + negotiation strategies that helped her clients land magazine features and build personal brands

• Why midlife wellness requires a *completely different* strategy than what most women have been taught (more hustle is NOT the answer)

• Ali’s journey with her own fitness + wellness, and what Cathy taught her to shift 

• Ali and Cathy’s take on the evolution of the coaching industry… including death of ‘expert’ idolatry

If you’ve been thinking about what your next chapter could look like, don’t miss this conversation.

We have never been more connected online. And at the same time, many of us have never felt more isolated. Surrounded by infinite amounts of information and networks of people, it somehow all feels off kilter, impersonal, and distant. We’re truly ‘learning’ less than ever before, and connecting less on a real human level. 

Ali Brown, founder of The Trust, has witnessed this evolution firsthand. After more than 20 years of serving women entrepreneurs — via everything from old-school teleseminars to online programs to live conferences — Ali shares her up-and-down journey, astute observations, and why curated, in-person rooms are becoming more essential than ever for women leaders.

You’ll hear:

• The story of the ‘gangster’ boss woman whose armor quietly fell in Ali’s room (for the better)

• How social media has created insane connection… but also a deceptive illusion

• Ali’s story of being the only one to ever cry in a 22-man mastermind (this one hit hard)

• Data on how in-person events still outperform virtual ones for trust and decision-making

• Why not all rooms are ‘safe’ for your next level of growth• What ‘Your Era of New Authority’ really means for the theme of Ali’s 2026 ICONIC conference (it’s not domination) 

The room you sit in shapes the leader you become.

If you are stepping into a new chapter — personally or professionally — this conversation will challenge you to be far more selective about where you place your energy.

Ali’s ICONIC conference is returning this November to Phoenix, Arizona.

If you feel the pull, join the waitlist here for details and early registration discounts:www.alibrown.com/iconicwaitlist

We may be more connected than ever… but the right room still changes everything.

And then, learn more about The Trust and Ali…

• Curious about The Trust — our modern, premier network for 7+8-figure women entrepreneurs? Learn more at JoinTheTrust.org. 

• Learn more about Ali Brown and how to work with her personally. 

Connect with us on social using the hashtag #RewardPodcast and share your key takeaways from this episode! 

Over $2 BILLION of deals have crossed Dana Jacoby’s desk since selling her first company, and today her strongest mission is making sure other women own the full value of what they bring to the table. (And we’re honored she’s been an incredible advisor to many of us within The Trust.) 

After learning the business fundamentals at Enterprise Rent-a-Car, a serendipitous meeting led her into the pharmaceutical and medical device world, where she built a rewarding and lucrative career. After experiencing several mergers and acquisitions herself, she realized she’d had more valuable counsel during those times. 

In this candid conversation, Dana reflects on the deals that shaped her, the lessons learned from undervaluing herself early on, and how those experiences now fuel her work advising women navigating high-stakes decisions.

In this episode of REWARD: The Podcast of The Trust, founder Ali Brown sits down with Dana for an honest discussion about leadership, leverage, and the power of being in rooms where women tell the truth. 

On this episode of the #REWARDPodcast, you’ll hear:

• Why a high-value community isn’t just “nice to have” at higher levels — it’s essential

• How Dana’s dual exposure to healthcare and business shaped her entrepreneurial instincts early on

• The realities of building a consulting company from the ground up — and what limited resources can actually teach you

• Hard-earned lessons around knowing your value (and what happens when you don’t)

• Why powerful women need safe, strategic spaces to think clearly and support one another

• Dana’s perspective on authentic connection as a catalyst for better decisions and long-term growth

This is a conversation for women who are done playing small — and ready to lead, negotiate, and choose from a place of clarity and confidence.

And, learn more about The Trust and Dana! 

• Learn more about The Trust – our tight-knit community for 7+8-figure women entrepreneurs 

• Learn more about Dana’s consulting practice, Vector Medical Group

• Follow Dana on Instagram + LinkedIn

Connect with us on social using the hashtag #RewardPodcast and share your key takeaways from this episode!

Sometimes the real magic behind building a standout brand isn’t the product at all — but the women it brings together. 

For Charis Jones, founder + CEO of Sassy Jones, community has always been the secret ingredient. What started as a side hustle selling wholesale jewelry while working at GEICO has evolved into a bold, multi-million-dollar fashion brand — and an even bolder movement of women who gather, travel, celebrate, and grow together both online AND off.

In this episode of REWARD: The Podcast of The Trust, our founder Ali Brown sits down with Charis for a vibrant, behind-the-scenes look at how Sassy Jones was built through intuition, proximity, and unapologetic connection. From driving cross-country in her minivan to meet customers face-to-face, to hosting unforgettable community experiences (including a trip to Egypt), Charis breaks down what it *really* takes to turn customers into a devoted community.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that in an increasingly digital world, the brands that win are the ones brave enough to go deeper — and offline.

On this episode of the #REWARDPodcast, you’ll hear:

• How Charis transitioned from corporate life to founding Sassy Jones — without a master plan 

• Why personal storytelling and meaningful details are essential to building a brand that lasts 

• The underestimated power of offline connection in creating trust and loyalty (trade shows, road trips, real conversations)

• How a single challenging customer moment unlocked Charis’s creative direction and design instinct (this was our favorite!)

• Ali’s insight on why human connection is the ultimate differentiator in today’s digital-first marketplace

If you’re building a brand and wondering how to create deeper loyalty, richer relationships, and real resonance — this episode is your invitation to think beyond the product and back into community.

And, learn more about The Trust and Charis! 

• Learn more about The Trust – our tight-knit community for 7+8-figure women entrepreneurs 

• Learn more about Charis’ company Sassy Jones

• Follow Charis on Instagram + YouTube

Connect with us on social using the hashtag #RewardPodcast and share your key takeaways from this episode!

WOW. At the end of 2025, there was a collective experience many high-level women quietly went through. It was a final surrender that arrived without permission, often without witnesses, and minus a clear storyline. But what looked like collapse—exhaustion, illness, emotional release, or forced stillness—was not a weakness…

**It was clearing the way for our reassignment.**

Now, in 2026, awareness is no longer the work. The work at this moment is what we do *after* we know.

For the last several years, our work WAS the awareness. In fact, on this show we covered many times topics in this category: naming misalignments, surviving burnout, questioning old definitions of success, and admitting when a chapter was over. 

But now that era is complete.

In this 2026 kickoff episode of Reward, Ali Brown explores what emerges on the other side of that surrender: authority without performance, leadership without consensus, and decisions made without the need for validation. 

The women Ali works with in The Trust and as private clients are no longer explaining, waiting, or negotiating with outdated versions of themselves. They are moving… because clarity has already moved through them.

If you feel calmer, cleaner, and less available for what once consumed you—this episode will name exactly where you are now. 

And then, learn more about The Trust and Ali…

• Curious about The Trust — our modern, premier network for 7+8-figure women entrepreneurs? Sign up for our Spring 2026 Invitation Call happening on Tuesday January 27 at 1PM ET.

• Learn more about Ali Brown and how to work with her personally. 

Connect with us on social using the hashtag #RewardPodcast and share your key takeaways from this episode!