She Owns It! with Kristen McAlister

Is venture capital right for every business? What does it actually cost you? And what happens when a founder says yes without understanding what she's signing up for? Who gets to write the checks? And why do so few women sit on the investing side of the table?

Jenn Byrne has seen it from every seat: corporate executive, founder, and now general partner at Grit Capital Partners. She built a career inside giants like Verizon and American Express, then founded Quesnay to help Fortune 50 companies work with startups. Along the way, she spotted a gap nobody was filling: female founders in fintech and insurtech who needed capital and access, not just encouragement. That realization pulled her toward the investment side, where she could write checks, not just open doors.

In this episode of She Owns It, Jen opens up about what venture capital actually is (and isn't), why not every business owner should go down the VC path, and what she learned the hard way as a founder, including the advisory board she wishes she'd built sooner. She also shares how a moment of "COVID clarity" in March 2020 led her to reevaluate everything and eventually launch the Female Investors Club.

Tune in to hear how Jen demystifies venture capital, why she believes more women need to be on the check-writing side, and what it takes to build your own board of advisors.

Key Takeaways

• Not every business should take VC money. Know the expectations first.

• Founders, especially women, don't ask for help. Build a three-person advisory board.

• Raising money is like sales. Research, target, and tell your story well.

• Pre-qualify investors. Don't pitch the wrong sector or stage.

• Ask yearly: Am I learning, having fun, having impact, and successful?

• More women writing checks means more capital for female founders.

In This Episode

• [00:00] Introduction

• [01:00] Meet Jenn Byrne

• [02:35] Inside Grit Capital Partners: investing at pre-seed and seed

• [05:00] The alignment workshop before the wire

• [06:12] How Grit helps: talent, fundraising, and customer validation

• [07:44] From corporate to founder: building Quesnay

• [10:30] Launching the Female Founders in Fintech and Insurtech program

• [14:32] Why founders don’t ask for help

• [16:27] The advisors Jenn wishes she’d had

• [18:42] Decision points: build, sell, pivot, or stop

• [21:27] Questions to ask yourself once a year

• [24:23] Trade-offs, health, and the value of outside advisors

• [25:05] Defining success: impact and ecosystem building

• [25:54] The Female Investors Club

• [29:25] De-risking a high-risk, high-reward investment

• [30:15] Advice for women founders considering venture capital

• [32:59] Hands-off vs. hands-on investors

• [34:00] What Jenn is owning right now: founders and AI

• [36:03] Closing thoughts: Don’t just sit on the idea

Notable Quotes

• [02:14] "Not every business owner should go down the venture capital path, and I think that's an important point for the audience to think about and understand." — Jenn Byrne

• [14:41] "Founders, especially women, tend to not ask for help. And so we try to figure out everything on our own." — Jenn Byrne

• [26:48] "Part of the way to address the lack of venture capital among female founders is to have more women on the check-writing side." — Jenn Byrne

Resources and Links

Our Guest

Jenn Byrne is a general partner at Grit Capital Partners, a venture capital firm investing pre-seed and seed in gritty founders across the sectors where the partners have deep operator expertise. She is a former founder and operator with experience at Verizon, American Express, and her own company, Quesnay. She is also the founder of the Female Investors Club, a community convening, educating, and elevating women to write their first angel checks and step into venture capital roles.

Jenn Byrne

• Company

• Female Investors Club

• LinkedIn

Kristen McAlister

• Website

• LinkedIn

You can run a successful business and still wonder why getting through your own to-do list feels so hard.

In this episode of She Owns It, Kristen McAlister sits down with Dr. Regina Lark, founder of A Clear Path, to talk about clutter, executive function, and the invisible work women carry at home and in business. Regina explains why chronic disorganization deserves curiosity instead of judgment, how major life changes can disrupt familiar routines, and why calling yourself lazy gets in the way of understanding what you actually need.

Regina also shares how losing her job in higher education during the 2008 recession led her to start a professional organizing business just before turning 50. What began as a way to pay the bills grew into a seven-figure company specializing in organizing, move management, and estate clear-outs. She talks candidly about learning by doing, finding her niche, building relationships, and taking action before she had everything figured out.

The conversation turns to emotional labor, the mental load of caregiving, and the expectations that leave women managing everyone else’s needs alongside their own. Regina opens up about the financial anxiety that persisted even as her business grew, what helped her finally feel secure, and the life she has made room for beyond work. Her advice to other women business owners is direct: trust yourself, surround yourself with smart women, and stop waiting for permission.

Key Takeaways

• Look beyond the clutter. Regina explains how planning, sequencing, decision-making, and estimating time can affect someone’s ability to get and stay organized.

• Replace self-criticism with curiosity. Instead of calling yourself lazy, ask what is making a task difficult and what support would help.

• Trust yourself enough to try. Regina encourages owners to stop second-guessing every decision and use what they learn to choose their next move.

• Make room for a life you enjoy. Friendship, travel, singing, and line dancing are part of Regina’s version of success.

In This Episode

• [00:00] Introduction

• [00:55] Meet Dr. Regina Lark, founder of A Clear Path

• [01:22] What someone’s clutter can tell an organizer

• [03:25] Chronic disorganization and why familiar fixes may fall short

• [09:35] Discovering professional organizing just before turning 50

• [10:35] Growing a seven-figure business and getting curious about clients’ challenges

• [11:38] Developing expertise in chronic disorganization, ADHD, and hoarding

• [12:16] Emotional labor in neurodivergent households

• [13:32] Everyday mess, distress, and knowing when support might help

• [14:22] Letting go of judgment and the label “lazy”

• [17:35] Launching A Clear Path and finding her first connections

• [26:07] Regina’s advice to women growing a business

• [28:49] Understanding neurodivergence through a left-handed-world analogy

• [30:31] The mental load of managing multiple households

• [31:44] Bringing one decision from this conversation into your life

Notable Quotes

• “I absolutely don't believe in the word lazy.” - Regina [14:38]

• [15:09] “Become more known to yourself without labeling, judging, or resenting anything.” - Regina [15:09]

• “I think we need to trust ourselves more. I would really encourage people to quit second-guessing themselves. Trust yourself.” - Regina [26:07]

Our Guest

Dr. Regina Lark is the founder and owner of A Clear Path, a Los Angeles-based company providing professional organizing, move management, and estate clear-out services. A Certified Professional Organizer with an additional certification in chronic disorganization, she specializes in working with people facing ADHD, hoarding, and other organizing challenges

Resources and Links

Regina Lark

• Website: https://www.reginalark.com/

• A Clear Path: https://aclearpath.net/

• Regina’s books: https://www.reginalark.com/books/

• The Emotional Labor Podcast: https://www.reginalark.com/podcast/

Kristen McAlister

• Website: https://www.kristenmcalister.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenmcalister

Jenny Dinnen and Katie Rucker know that being sisters is one thing. Running a business together is another.

As second-generation owners of McKenzie Corporation, the twin sisters stepped into leadership with a unique challenge: figuring out how to honor the legacy they inherited while creating a future that reflected who they were. Becoming co-presidents meant navigating sibling dynamics, ownership, expectations, and the difficult conversations required to build a strong partnership.

In this episode of She Owns It, Jenny and Katie share the personal and professional journey behind taking over a family business together. They discuss how they learned to define success on their own terms, understand each other’s strengths, and create a shared vision without losing their individual identities.

They open up about leaving ego at the door, challenging inherited stories, and recognizing that having a seat at the table does not always mean having control. They also explain why alignment must come before roles, why uncomfortable conversations are necessary, and how assuming positive intent can transform the way people work together.

Their experience eventually led them to launch Next Gen Collaborative, where they help next-generation family business leaders navigate transitions, rethink leadership, and create their own version of success.

Jenny and Katie also explore the power of strategic foresight and why thinking about the future is not about predicting what will happen. It is about creating space to imagine what is possible, challenge assumptions, and take intentional action toward the future you want to build.

This conversation goes beyond family business. It is about owning your voice, your choices, your future, and the life you want to create.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why alignment should come before deciding to work together
• How to define success based on your own values instead of someone else’s expectations
• Why ego and old narratives can hold partnerships back
• How ownership, power, and control often develop at different times
• Why honoring a legacy does not mean repeating the past
• How to create opportunities when the rooms you need do not exist
• What strategic foresight can teach leaders about uncertainty and possibility
• How to actively create the future instead of waiting for it to happen

About Jenny Dinnen:
Jenny Dinnen is a second-generation owner of McKenzie Corporation and co-founder of Next Gen Collaborative. She works with family businesses and next-generation leaders while specializing in strategic foresight and exploring possible futures.

About Katie Rucker:
Katie Rucker is a second-generation owner of McKenzie Corporation and co-founder of Next Gen Collaborative. Her work focuses on leadership, family business transitions, and helping next-generation leaders define success and create futures aligned with their goals.

Resources:
McKenzie Corporation: https://www.mackenziecorp.com/
Next Gen Collaborative: https://nextgencollaborative.com/
Jenny Dinnen LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jenniferdinnen
Katie Rucker LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katierucker/

Experience Futures Thinking: A Free 5-Part Email Series
Curious about Futures Thinking but not sure where to begin? This free series introduces the mindset, questions, and practices that help leaders navigate uncertainty with greater clarity and intention.

You’ll learn how to:
Notice signals of change
Understand your environment
Challenge assumptions and beliefs
Explore new opportunities
Take intentional action

Learn more: https://www.mackenziecorp.com/email-series/

Learn more about She Owns It with Kristen McAlister:
Website: https://www.kristenmcalister.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenmcalister/

Many business owners dream of selling their company, imagining the moment the money reaches their bank account as an exhilarating finish line. In reality, that moment often brings a strange sense of loss. For Marie Pfau, the biggest surprise after selling her first business was losing her sense of self.

On She Owns It, Kristen McAlister speaks with Marie Pfau, managing partner of 10Sense, a payroll company whose mission is to donate $10 to charity for every payroll processed. Marie built and sold her first company, a payroll franchise in 2018. She speaks candidly about what no one warns you of after the papers are signed: the loss of identity, the peculiar grief of an ending, and the “no, but” complexity of looking back on a sale she does not regret yet would handle differently.

They discuss why a deposit is not the triumphant moment you expect, and how losing your professional self can feel like the end of the book, not a chapter. Marie shares the remorse many owners feel after a sale, mistakes she made negotiating her exit, and why she would spend an extra $50,000 on independent legal representation if she could do it again.

The conversation explores collective versus self-representation, the importance of non-negotiables, and how Marie rebuilt her approach to ownership the second time around. She explains why she now calls herself a “managing partner” rather than owner, why her employees are her partners, and how she learned to engage with her business without being married to it.

Whether you are considering an offer, navigating a partnership, or building a company without losing yourself, Marie’s insight reminds you: you are not stuck. You can walk away, sell, or start again. Remembering that can help a business flourish.

Key Takeaways

• Selling your business often triggers an unexpected identity crisis.

• Many owners regret selling within a year.

• Collective legal representation can save money but cost alignment.

• Get every promise in writing, especially a role after sale.

• Know your non-negotiables before you negotiate anything.

• An independent advisor who advocates for you is worth the cost.

In This Episode

• [00:00] Meet Marie Pfau and the mission behind 10Sense

• [02:04] Building and selling her first company

• [03:28] The identity loss after selling

• [06:49] Did Marie regret selling?

• [12:13] Why verbal promises need to be in writing

• [14:49] When business partners have different goals

• [18:25] Learning to stop resenting the business

• [20:18] Owning your vision and decisions

• [22:50] Marie’s two non-negotiables

• [26:19] Building a trusted circle of advisors

• [31:49] Redefining freedom

• [34:00] What Marie is really owning

• [36:32] Facing fears and trying something new

• [37:41] A challenge to step outside your comfort zone 

Notable Quotes

• [23:19] "I am not going to sacrifice my personal time. The business will be there whether I'm there for a week or not." — Marie Pfau

• [31:06] "It's my job to captain this ship. But that doesn't mean that I am the boat." — Marie Pfau

• [33:14] "I'm in a long-term relationship with my business, but I'm not moving in and I'm not cleaning your toilets." — Marie Pfau

Our Guest

Marie Pfau is the Managing Partner of 10Sense, a human capital management company specializing in payroll. She previously built and sold a payroll franchise company, which she started in 2006 and sold in 2018. Marie is a passionate advocate for charitable giving. 10Sense donates $10 per payroll process to its charity of choice programs each year, supporting both people and planet causes. She is a member of the Women Presidents Organization and has created peer advisory groups to support women business owners. Marie is also an Ironman, a mother, and, as of this year, an aspiring stand-up comedian. 

Resources and Links

Marie Pfau

• Company: linkedin.com/company/10sense/

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mariepfau

Kristen McAlister

• Website: https://www.kristenmcalister.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenmcalister
  

Every business owner eventually has to ask a powerful question: am I building a job that depends on me, or an asset that can create long-term value without me at the center?

In this episode of She Owns It, Kristen McAlister sits down with Laurie Barkman, CEO of Business Transition Sherpa, former CEO of a $100 million company, and author of The Business Transition Handbook. Laurie helps founders and entrepreneurs prepare their businesses for transition, succession, or acquisition long before they are ready to step away.

Laurie explains why exit planning should not wait until the end, why buyers buy on their timeline, not yours, and why 100% of business owners will leave their company one day, even though few are truly prepared.

The conversation explores owner dependence, financial readiness, advisory teams, succession options, and the emotional side of transition.

Whether you are years away from selling, thinking about succession, or simply trying to build a company that can run without you, Laurie’s insight is a reminder: don’t wait until the end to build a business that can thrive beyond you.

· Every owner should ask whether they are building a job or building an asset.
· Owner dependence can limit business value and create stress for the founder.
· Transition planning is not something to save for the end.
· Buyers buy on their timeline, not the seller’s.
· Succession can include family, management, strategic buyers, or financial buyers.
· A successful transition includes purpose, identity, relationships, and money.
· Your calendar can show whether your real priorities are being protected.

In this Episode:

· [00:00] Introduction to Laurie Barkman
· [00:33] Are you building a job or an asset?
· [01:10] Why owners tie identity to the business
· [02:05] Reducing founder dependence
· [03:30] Lessons from leading a $100 million company
· [07:03] Why everyday entrepreneurs should ask about exit strategy
· [08:03] Building with transition in mind
· [10:47] Why every owner will leave one day
· [12:22] Personal goals, financial picture, and value gaps
· [17:05] Hiring a strong number two
· [19:23] The myth that owners can sell whenever they are ready
· [21:13] What owners often do not see in their own business
· [26:08] Staying exit-ready before a crisis
· [28:19] Defining success through a portfolio life
· [32:08] Investing in relationships outside the business
· [33:20] Why golf is not a transition plan
· [37:20] Taking control of your calendar
· [39:43] Why transition planning is not a race to the finish line
· [41:15] What Laurie is owning right now

Notable Quotes:

· [10:47] “All of us, 100% of business owners, are going to leave our company one day. But few are prepared.” — Laurie

· [19:30] “Buyers buy on their time, not yours.” — Laurie

· [23:24] “I literally heard the other day, ‘This business is killing me.’” — Laurie

· [33:28] “Golf is not a transition plan. Travel is not a transition plan.” — Laurie

· [37:53] “Own that calendar. Own your time.” — Laurie

· [39:45] “Exit planning, transition planning is not something that you do at the end.” — Laurie

Our guest:

Laurie Barkman is the CEO of Business Transition Sherpa, author of The Business Transition Handbook, and creator of the BUILT By Design program. A former CEO of a $100 million company that was acquired as part of a larger $1.4 billion transaction, Laurie now helps founders and business owners build more valuable, transferable businesses and prepare for successful transitions.

Laurie Barkman

· Book: The Business Transition Handbook: https://lauriebarkman.me/book
· Program: BUILT By Design: https://builtbydesign.info
· LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriebarkman
· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriebarkman
· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurieBarkmanBTSherpa
· YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurieBarkman_BTSherpa

Kristen McAlister

· Website: https://www.kristenmcalister.com/
· LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenmcalister

You can build a business because you want freedom, only to reach a point where the business needs so much from you that freedom starts to feel very far away. What once gave you purpose can slowly become something you feel you have to survive.

That tension sits at the heart of Melissa Calicchia's story. She never set out to build one company and sell it. She saw problems in the food safety industry and kept building solutions around them. A consulting firm became the first step. Then came a laboratory business and eventually a technology company that turned decades of Melissa's expertise into software.

In this episode of She Owns It, Kristen McAlister sits down with Melissa, owner of Food Microbiological Laboratories, Food Safety Solutions, and eBacMap, to talk about what happens when a business keeps growing and the founder has to grow with it.

Kristen and Melissa also explore AI, critical thinking, career experimentation, and the difference between working hard and doing work that matters to you.

Melissa’s story is a powerful reminder that success isn't about avoiding hard work, it's about loving what you do so much that it never feels like work at all.

Key Takeaways

• Building a business from technical expertise often means learning the business side as you go.

• Iteration can turn one company into an ecosystem of services and products.

• A solution that starts in your head can become far more powerful when technology makes it accessible to others.

• Selling isn't always the goal. Some founders are driven by the impact they can create over time.

• Succession planning can prepare a business for growth, not simply retirement.

• AI can be useful, but critical thinking is still needed to identify inaccurate information.

  
  

In This Episode

• [00:00] Introduction to Melissa Calicchia

• [01:22] Building three companies around one ecosystem

• [02:33] The need behind starting her first company

• [04:35] What's been most meaningful in building the businesses

• [06:41] Learning business skills without a business background

• [07:21] Always asking "how can this be better?"

• [08:06] Why the goal was never to build and sell

• [12:19] The advice she'd give her younger self

• [13:53] Building an ecosystem meant to outlast her

• [17:39] The biggest lesson from "flying the plane while building it"

• [19:16] Imagining a slower version of "Melissa busy"

• [20:32] Planning for succession and delegation

• [21:23] AI, critical thinking, and the next generation of scientists

• [27:14] Redefining what freedom means today

• [28:41] The one thing she wishes more owners knew

• [31:35] What she's owning right now 

Notable Quotes

• [08:04] "My goal has not ever been to build it to sell it. My goal really... it was clear to me — I want to change the world." — Melissa

• [16:52] "I love it when we sell something that we have before we've built it. It's like pre-sales." — Kristen

• [21:55] "Make sure your critical thinking skills are there, because if they're not, you're going to be a little cooked, even if you are utilizing AI to its best advantage." — Melissa

• [31:16] "Don't build a business, build your dreams." — Kristen

Resources and Links

Our Guest

Melissa Calicchia is the Owner of Food Microbiological Laboratories, Food Safety Solutions, and eBacMap. With 40 years of experience in food safety microbiology, she is one of the country's leading experts in pathogen tracking, trending, and environmental mapping. She invented and patented a software platform that digitizes the complex data analysis she pioneered, helping food manufacturers, retailers, and regulators prevent outbreaks before they happen.

Melissa Calicchia

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-calicchia-44899a18

• Food Microbiological Laboratories:https://www.linkedin.com/company/food-microbiological-laboratories-inc/

• Food Safety Solutions: https://haccptrainingonline.ie/

• eBacMap: https://ebacmap.com/

Kristen McAlister

• Website: https://www.kristenmcalister.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenmcalister

Entrepreneurship often looks glamorous from the outside, but behind every successful business are difficult decisions, uncertain months, and countless moments of wondering if it's all worth it.

In this episode of She Owns It, Kristen McAlister sits down with Victoria Kennedy Reel, owner of Kennedy Contemporary Gallery in Newport Beach, California. After years working as a curator and in the art world, Victoria took the leap to open her own gallery in 2021, betting on herself after building the experience and confidence to do it.

The conversation also explores the role art plays in people's lives, the importance of supporting living artists, and how collecting original artwork creates lasting connections between creators and collectors. Victoria reflects on balancing entrepreneurship with motherhood, building a supportive community, and redefining freedom as flexibility instead of simply having more time.

Whether you're launching your first business, navigating a challenging season, or trying to balance ambition with family, Victoria offers an honest look at what sustainable success really looks like. Her story is a reminder that building a business isn't about doing everything perfectly. It's about creating a life you're excited to wake up to every day.

Key Takeaways

• Betting on yourself often takes longer to feel natural than it looks from the outside.

• Hiring people you like isn't the same as hiring people who are right for the job.

• Keeping a team small can be a deliberate choice, not a limitation.

• Original art creates a connection that changes and deepens over time.

• Every business goes through financial and emotional lows worth weathering.

• Having a partner with a different temperament can create essential balance.

• Success looks different with kids in the picture, and that's worth planning for.

• Reclaiming even one small personal routine can help you feel like yourself again.

In This Episode

• [00:00] Introduction to Victoria Kennedy Reel

• [00:41] Learning to bet on herself

• [03:04] A passion for supporting other women and artists

• [07:09] Writing a 50-page business plan

• [08:38] Lessons learned the hard way about hiring

• [10:57] The role she loves most: connecting art and clients

• [12:02] What art really means in people's lives

• [14:45] Art as investment and inspiration

• [16:01] Evolving as a mom of two while running the gallery

• [18:03] Becoming more precious with her time

• [20:20] Finding her guiding light and North Star

• [22:29] The influence of her husband's balance and calm

• [26:19] Redefining freedom as flexibility

• [28:01] Weathering the bad months and bad years

• [30:00] Owning her personal health and fitness routine

Notable Quotes

• [00:41] "I wasn't always willing to bet on myself. I think it took a long time to get to that point." — Victoria

• [16:44] "I'm a lot more precious with my time. I really try to stop working at 4:00 PM." — Victoria

• [24:39] "Think of how you want your life to look. If you do want to have kids, then you do have to realize that your business will take a hit." — Victoria

• [29:40] "Don't ever underestimate a good cry." — Kristen

Resources and Links

Our Guest

Victoria Kennedy Reel is the owner of Kennedy Contemporary Gallery in Newport Beach, California. With a minor in art history and a decade of curatorial experience, she opened her gallery in 2021, betting on herself to connect collectors with the artists she loves. A mom of two, a former athlete, and a passionate supporter of female entrepreneurs, Victoria believes in building a business that bends to your life, not the other way around.

Kennedy Contemporary Gallery

• Website: https://kennedycontemporary.com/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kennedycontemporary/

Victoria Kennedy Reel

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-kennedy-kennedy-contemporary

Kristen McAlister

• Website: https://www.kristenmcalister.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenmcalister
  

What does it take to keep leading when uncertainty, technology, caregiving, and constant pressure are stretching your mind and nervous system to their limits?

In this episode of She Owns It, Kristen McAlister sits down with Michele Jewett, founder of Q4 Leaders and executive coach, for a conversation about what business owners and executives carry behind the scenes. Michele shares what she is seeing among leaders navigating uncertainty, technological change, employee challenges, and the emotional weight of supporting their businesses and families.

Together, they explore how leaders can create safe spaces, develop a kinder inner voice, and acknowledge difficult emotions without allowing them to take over the day. Michele explains why the drive that helped build a successful career may no longer be the healthiest fuel for the next chapter—and how to replace fear, criticism, and constant striving with love, purpose, and sustainable growth.

Kristen and Michele also examine the evolving relationship between leaders and AI. Michele encourages business owners to choose how they want to engage with this technology. Her reminder to “observe, not absorb” offers a powerful framework for navigating news, social media, conflict, and leadership.

They also discuss meditation, comparison, the freedom to begin again, and why entrepreneurs remain trapped in the grind even after their businesses become successful. Michele shares how self-awareness, peer support, and simplification can help business owners reconnect with the freedom they originally wanted to create.

This episode is for leaders who feel overwhelmed or unsure how to navigate the next chapter. If you have been comparing yourself to others, carrying more than you can control, or wondering why your business no longer feels freeing, this conversation is an invitation to pause, reassess, and begin again.

Key Takeaways

• Creating a safe space requires attention and a willingness to go first.

• A kinder inner voice helps leaders process anxiety without adding shame.

• The fuel that built your success may not sustain your next chapter.

• Choose an intentional relationship with AI, news, and social media.

• Observe without absorbing to protect your energy while staying informed.

• Comparison diminishes joy; finding what works for you creates peace.

In This Episode

• [00:00] Leading through uncertainty

• [03:37] Creating a safe space for others

• [06:22] Developing a kinder inner voice

• [10:24] Changing the fuel that drives you

• [13:21] Navigating AI and rapid change

• [20:03] Learning to observe, not absorb

• [25:00] Meditation and inner peace

• [27:37] Escaping the comparison trap

• [31:16] The power of beginning again

• [33:38] Moving beyond the grind

• [36:54] Defining freedom

• [38:46] Why success is not a solo journey

• [40:00] Simplifying what no longer serves you

Notable Quotes

• [07:08] “I think part of it, and for a lot of women, is trying to find a kind inner voice.” – Michele

• [15:48] “Put yourself in the driver’s seat. Ask yourself, ‘What would I like my relationship to be with this new intelligence that’s on the planet?’” – Michele

• [20:03] “Can you observe but not absorb?” – Michele

• [28:01] “Comparison just ruins happiness and joy.” – Michele

• [31:16] “The simplest quote has turned out to be the most meaningful, which is just begin again.” – Michele

Resources and Links

Our Guest

Michele Jewett is the founder of Q4 Leaders and an executive coach who helps business owners navigate uncertainty, strengthen self-awareness, and build businesses that support their freedom.

Michele Jewett

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelejewett/⁠ Website: ⁠https://q4leaders.com/⁠ 

Kristen McAlister

Website:⁠ https://www.kristenmcalister.com/⁠LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenmcalister⁠

What does it take to run a business that spans generations, lose everything multiple times, go through divorce, and still show up fully present for your family, your team, and your community, all while staying true to who you are?

In this episode of She Owns It, Kristen McAlister sits down with Lindsy Jennings, owner and CEO of The Ranch, an architectural and design firm, real estate investor, community leader, and mother. Raised inside her family's business from the time she was climbing through walls as a teenager helping her grandfather, Lindsy shares how she's honored generations of craftsmanship while boldly leading the company into the future through innovation, sustainability, and emerging technologies.

Lindsy opens up about losing everything more than once, navigating divorce, struggling with perfectionism, and discovering that failure wasn't something to avoid. It was the very thing that shaped her resilience. Together, she and Kristen unpack the challenges of leading without losing yourself, balancing family and business, and creating a company that can thrive even when you step away.

This episode is a must listen for anyone building businesses, leading family companies, or wondering whether they're strong enough to take the next leap.

Key Takeaways

• Failure is often the greatest teacher and an essential part of long-term success.

• Honoring a family legacy doesn't mean you have to stop innovating.

• Perfectionism keeps entrepreneurs stuck more than mistakes ever will.

• Community involvement strengthens both your business and your sense of purpose.

• True freedom is having the flexibility to prioritize what matters most.

• Creativity and personal hobbies are essential for maintaining energy and perspective.

• Women should confidently pursue leadership roles in traditionally male-dominated industries.

In This Episode

• [01:06] Introduction to Lindsy Jennings

• [02:03] Balancing business and family life

• [02:32] A multi-generational family business

• [04:06] Evolving the family legacy

• [06:05] Embracing failure and learning the hard way

• [06:37] The journey of self-discovery

• [08:10] Advice to her younger self

• [08:48] Finding a passion for architectural design

• [10:49] The future for women in architecture and design

• [11:55] Leadership style and company management

• [14:26] The need for decompression and creative outlets

• [15:35] Family as the driving motivator

• [16:24] Key influences and biggest wins

• [18:07] The importance of continuous education

• [20:19] The power of community engagement

• [21:47] The meaning of freedom

• [23:20] Embracing failure to innovate

• [24:38] Owning personal health and fitness 

Notable Quotes

• [02:40] "Like, a 13-year-old climbing through walls, fishing wires down for my grandfather. Like, just be very involved in your parents' business." – Lindsy

• [06:13] "I'm a big believer in find your own path and learn your own lessons, and you only grow by learning that lesson." – Lindsy

• [07:09] "I honestly, I went through a long time, I wanna say like 12 years, where I had a hard time knowing who I was." – Lindsy

• [13:42] "Just because I have control of everything doesn't mean this company can't run without me." – Lindsy

• [15:37] "Your business is your family, your family is your business. Like, we are one, and together we will grow." – Lindsy

• [22:04] "Freedom means to me to do the things that make me and my family happy." – Lindsy

Resources and Links

Our Guest

Lindsy Jennings is the owner and CEO of The Ranch, an architectural and design firm that spans generations. A third-generation leader who started climbing through walls for her grandfather's business at 13, Lindsy now blends legacy with innovation bringing sustainable design, 3D printing, and green development into the future. She's a mom, a community volunteer, and a firm believer that you have to love where you build, fail to grow, and own what matters most.

Kristen McAlister

• Website: https://www.kristenmcalister.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenmcalister

What if the problem isn’t that you’re failing, but that your body is finally asking you to stop pushing through?

In this episode of She Owns It!, Kristen McAlister sits down with Dr. Shannon Burke of Curis Functional Health for a real and honest conversation about women’s health, stress, hormones, nervous systems, menopause, recovery, and the silent pressure so many women carry in midlife.

Dr. Burke shares why so many high-performing women feel anxious, exhausted, wired but tired, disconnected from themselves, or frustrated that they no longer feel like they used to. Together, Kristen and Shannon unpack what is really happening beneath the surface, from estrogen and progesterone changes to cortisol timing, sleep disruption, vagus nerve regulation, emotional recovery, and the role of hormone therapy.

This conversation is not about surviving midlife. It is about understanding your body, advocating for yourself, building recovery into your life, and learning how to lead with more clarity, capacity, and self-trust.

For any woman who has been quietly wondering, “Why don’t I feel like myself anymore?” This episode is the conversation you may have needed years ago.

Key moments:

00:00 — The conversations women should have been having years ago
01:00 — Dr. Shannon Burke’s 26-year journey in women’s health
03:00 — Why so many women say, “I want to feel like me again”
04:00 — The vulnerability of admitting, “I may look like I’m succeeding, but I’m failing”
05:00 — Why midlife changes the way your nervous system handles stress
06:00 — How estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol affect energy, mood, anxiety, and sleep
09:00 — Why hormones are not always the first or only answer
11:00 — The role of the vagus nerve and the brain-gut connection
13:00 — Simple tools for vagal toning and calming the nervous system
14:00 — Morning sunlight, breathing techniques, and grounding
17:00 — Why hydration, electrolytes, protein, and muscle matter in midlife
19:00 — Why women can’t keep processing stress the way they did at 35
20:00 — Self-care as necessary infrastructure, not indulgence
21:00 — The difference between physical recovery and emotional recovery
23:00 — Why sleep should be treated like one of your biggest assets
24:00 — Brain dumps, bedtime routines, and fixing cortisol timing
26:00 — Why that relaxing glass of wine may be disrupting your sleep
27:00 — Why recovery becomes your new superpower
29:00 — Hormone therapy, the Women’s Health Initiative, and why women are still afraid
34:00 — Finding a certified menopause specialist and advocating for better care
36:00 — Trusted resources and why women need doctors who truly see them
38:00 — Why midlife can be a powerful season, not just something to survive
40:00 — Advice for women entering or already navigating midlife
43:00 — What brings Dr. Burke joy and purpose
44:00 — What Dr. Burke is owning today: not abandoning herself
47:00 — Leading with confidence, clarity, and ourselves first

Notable quotes:

“We’re all suffering, but we’re suffering in silence.”

“Midlife is a time where our nervous system says, ‘That doesn’t fly anymore.’”

“Your body is changing through the normal course that it’s supposed to change.”

“Very often it’s not a hormone deficiency running the show. Very often it’s stress.”

“Recovery is your superpower.”

“Self-care is not selfish. It is necessary infrastructure.”

“Sleep should be treated like the biggest asset you have.”

“No, I don’t. I can actually thrive in this.”

“Be your own champion.”

“I am owning not abandoning myself.”

“Drop the guilt, drop the apologies, and just be true to yourself.”