What if the challenges you’ve faced aren’t the end of your story—but the beginning of a completely different one?

In this episode of Start Somewhere Podcast, we sit down with Dave Letterfly Knoderer, a lifelong creative, entrepreneur, artist, author, performer, and storyteller whose extraordinary 50-plus-year journey has taken him from the circus and classical horsemanship to entrepreneurship, recovery, and a life built around creativity and adventure.

Dave shares how overcoming alcoholism transformed the way he approached life and helped him discover a renewed sense of purpose. We explore fear, anxiety, feeling stuck, starting over, embracing uncertainty, and finding the courage to create a life that feels meaningful.

Dave also shares lessons from his unusual experiences and explains why challenges can become opportunities for personal growth.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, uncertain about your next step, or afraid to start over, this conversation offers perspective, encouragement, and a reminder that there can always be a way forward.

Learn more about Dave and download his free book, Hit the Road and Thrive: Seven Secrets for Living the Dream, at DaveLetterfly.com.

What if the unfinished conversations, unspoken boundaries, broken promises, and unresolved resentment in your life are quietly stealing your time, energy, and peace?

In this episode of Start Somewhere Podcast, we’re joined by Robin Quinn Keehn, Human Dynamics Specialist, Certified Mediator, and author of Stop Stealing From Yourself. Robin introduces us to the idea of “Open Loops” — the situations we leave unresolved because we avoid a difficult conversation, fail to set a boundary, or keep putting our own needs aside.

Robin shares lessons from her own journey of being the “strong one,” the peacemaker, and the over-giver, and explains how constantly prioritizing others can cause us to abandon ourselves.

Together, we explore:

- What “Open Loops” are and how they affect personal growth

- Why we avoid difficult conversations

- How boundaries can transform our relationships

- The connection between calmness, confidence, and personal authority

- How to stop over-giving and start honoring your own needs

- Practical steps for finally addressing the things that have been draining your energy

If you’ve been feeling perpetually behind, overwhelmed, or stuck in a situation you know you need to address, this conversation offers practical tools to help you move forward.

Connect with Robin:

Visit closetheloopsnow.com for her free resource and to learn more about Stop Stealing From Yourself.

Start Somewhere Podcast:

You don’t need all the answers to begin. Start somewhere.

What if the identity you’ve been living with is no longer who you’re meant to be?

In this episode of the Start Somewhere Podcast, we sit down with Leo Dulay, transformational coach, hypnotherapist, NLP practitioner, and author of You Are Not Your Past, for a powerful conversation about personal development, identity, and emotional patterns.

After spending 22 years at AT&T, Leo’s unexpected layoff forced him to confront a question many of us eventually face: Who am I beyond the role, career, experiences, and identities I’ve built my life around?

Leo shares how that period of uncertainty led him to examine the beliefs and emotional patterns that were keeping him stuck—and ultimately inspired his journey toward helping others rewrite their internal stories.

We explore how past experiences can shape the way we see ourselves, why knowing what needs to change isn’t always enough to create change, and how we can begin letting go of outdated identities and creating a future that isn’t defined by our past.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, disconnected, or like you’re living according to an old version of yourself, this conversation offers practical insights and encouragement to begin again.

You don’t need to remain who your past taught you to be.

Learn more about Leo Dulay, his book You Are Not Your Past, and his transformational work at Leodulay.com.

What if personal growth isn’t about making one massive change, but about the small choices we make every day?

In this episode of the Start Somewhere Podcast, I’m joined by Ed Tomlinson, a relationship author, longtime businessman, community leader, and lifelong learner who has spent decades exploring what makes people and their lives thrive.

At 79, Ed shares insights from a remarkable journey spanning real estate, business, writing, technology, community leadership, relationships, and personal development. We explore why curiosity matters, how small daily decisions can shape the direction of our lives, and why growth doesn’t have an expiration date.

Ed also shares lessons about trust, kindness, communication, self-awareness, and the importance of continuing to learn—even when we feel stuck or believe we should already have everything figured out.

If you’re at a point in life where you’re questioning your direction, looking for meaningful growth, or wondering whether it’s too late to start something new, this conversation offers a powerful reminder: extraordinary lives are often built one thoughtful choice at a time.

📚 Learn more through Ed’s book, Intimate Sex, More Often:

"Amazon — Intimate Sex, More Often" (https://www.amazon.com/Intimate-More-Often-Dave-Robin/dp/0962677604/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

🎙️ Listen to Start Somewhere Podcast for more conversations about personal growth, career journeys, opportunities, and finding the courage to begin.

You don’t need all the answers to begin.

Business growth isn’t just about increasing revenue—it also depends on having the right people in place to support that growth.

In this episode, we sit down with Clark A. Ingram, founder and president of People Profits, LLC, speaker, author of Churn, and former Chief Human Resources Officer with more than 30 years of experience across multiple industries.

Clark shares how employee turnover, chronically open positions, and skills gaps are not necessarily three separate problems, but interconnected challenges that can undermine an organization’s growth. Drawing from his experience moving from finance into human resources, he explains how looking at people-related challenges through a business and numbers-driven lens changed his approach to solving them.

We also explore why conventional solutions—such as simply increasing pay—may not address the root causes of turnover, and what business leaders can do to build stronger teams, improve retention, and create the capacity for sustainable growth.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

- How turnover, hiring challenges, and skills gaps are connected

- Why people problems can become business-growth problems

- What leaders should investigate before assuming compensation is the answer

- Practical ways to approach employee retention and recruitment

- How a numbers-driven approach can transform human capital management

Learn more about Clark, his book Churn, speaking, and workshops:

https://peopleprofits.com/

What if the difficult seasons of life could become opportunities for growth, strength, and deeper purpose?

In this episode of the Start Somewhere Podcast, we sit down with Bill Derrick, a family business leader with more than 50 years of experience in the construction industry, author, and speaker. Bill shares the personal lessons he gained from navigating major challenges—including leading his company through the Great Recession and later facing a diagnosis of multiple myeloma.

Drawing from his book, Restored by the Storm – Navigating Through Life’s Unexpected Challenges, Bill explores how we can develop resilience, shift our perspective during difficult seasons, and find meaning even when life doesn't unfold the way we expected.

We discuss:

How adversity can reveal strength we didn't know we had

Moving from simply surviving challenges to growing through them

Maintaining hope without ignoring pain

The role of faith, perspective, and relationships in resilience

How to keep moving forward when life changes unexpectedly

If you're currently facing a difficult season or simply looking for a more resilient approach to life's challenges, this conversation offers encouragement and practical perspective.

Learn more about Bill, his book, and his speaking engagements:

https://www.billderrick.com/

🎙️ Start Somewhere Podcast — You don’t need all the answers to begin.

Personal growth often begins with something we may not want to face: taking responsibility for where we are and the choices that brought us there.

In this episode of the Start Somewhere Podcast, I’m joined by Branch Isole, author, poet, storyteller, and podcast host, to explore the connection between personal responsibility, choice, consequence, truth, and meaningful growth.

Branch shares insights from his extensive work exploring the experiences and emotions people often face but don't always voice. We discuss the life lessons we sometimes learn too late, how to recognize when we are standing in the way of our own growth, and why honesty and accountability matter in our relationships.

We also explore a question many people struggle with: What do you do when you feel stuck and don't know where to begin?

If you're in a season of reflection, trying to make better choices, repair relationships, or simply figure out your next step, this conversation offers practical perspectives to help you take responsibility for your journey and start somewhere.

Learn more about Branch Isole: branchisole.com

Listen to Branch's podcast conversations: YouTube — Branch Isole

If this episode resonates with you, share it with someone who may need the reminder that meaningful growth can begin with one honest decision.

What if personal growth isn’t about doing more, achieving more, or constantly pushing yourself forward—but learning when to slow down?

In this episode, Tony Tenaglier joins us for a meaningful conversation about self-awareness, personal development, presence, and living with greater intention. Drawing from his work in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, leadership, engineering, and yoga philosophy, Tony shares why slowing down can be one of the most powerful tools for reducing stress and reconnecting with what truly matters.

We explore why so many of us feel pressured to keep moving, how self-awareness can transform the way we approach work and life, and what it really means to treat personal growth as a practice rather than a performance.

Tony also shares insights from his upcoming book, In a Rush to Go Nowhere: Finding Savasana, and offers practical ways to become more present and intentional in everyday life.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

- Why slowing down is essential for personal growth

- How self-awareness influences the choices we make

- The difference between growth and constantly chasing achievement

- How to recognize when you’re living in a state of “rush”

- Simple ways to become more present and intentional

Continue the journey inward and download Tony’s FREE Companion Workbook at inarushtogonowhere.com.

What if the reason you can’t slow down, switch off, or stop overthinking isn’t because you need better boundaries or a better calendar—but because of what you believe about who you need to be?

In this episode of Start Somewhere Podcast, I’m joined by Liz Coleman, a certified Transformational Life Coach, Mind Shifting and NLP practitioner, psychology graduate, and creator of the MindLife Reset™.

Liz shares how her own journey through career pressure, relationship struggles, health challenges, and years of searching for answers led her to develop a whole-person approach to personal growth.

We explore the hidden beliefs behind overthinking, why awareness alone may not be enough to create lasting change, how our inner stories influence our behavior, and what it takes to begin trusting yourself again.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly “on,” struggled to relax without guilt, or wondered, “Why am I still like this?”—this conversation is for you.

🎁 FREE RESOURCE: Liz has created 5 Techniques to Overcome Limiting Beliefs, a practical guide to help you begin working with the subconscious patterns behind your behaviors.

Get your free guide here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bMRRUfq_QyFtpcLWxTkW1AMTZ4HijdUG/view?usp=sharing

Connect with Liz Coleman:

Learn more about Liz and her work through her MindLife Reset™ approach.

🎧 Listen, reflect, and take one small step toward understanding yourself better.

You don’t need all the answers to begin. You just need to Start Somewhere.

What does it really mean to build a good life?

In this episode of Start Somewhere Podcast, we sit down with Kirana Sidin, author, life coach, and creator of Cheers for a Good Life, to explore intentional living, purpose, self-respect, relationships, and the everyday choices that shape the life we ultimately create.

Kirana challenges the idea that a good life is simply about achieving more, earning more, or meeting society’s expectations. Instead, she shares how we can become more intentional about our choices, values, relationships, and definition of success.

We talk about finding purpose, building a meaningful life, navigating expectations, developing a healthier relationship with money and success, and taking small but meaningful steps when you don't have everything figured out.

You don’t need all the answers to begin. You just need to start somewhere.

🎧 Listen to the full episode and discover how intentional choices can help you build a life that truly feels like your own.

Connect with Kirana Sidin:https://cheersforagoodlife.com/