What if you weren't chasing success...

What if you were chasing safety?

In this deeply personal solo episode, I share what rebuilding has really looked like after career setbacks, layoffs, financial pressure, and learning to trust myself again.

This conversation is for anyone navigating leadership, career growth, burnout, or a season of starting over.

We dive into:

• Why success and safety aren't always the same thing

• Rebuilding confidence after setbacks

• The invisible weight high performers often carry

• Leadership, resilience, and self-trust

• Why surviving isn't the same as living

If you're a leader, entrepreneur, professional, or someone trying to become the next version of yourself, I hope this episode reminds you that you're not alone.

If this conversation resonates, follow the show and share it with someone who's rebuilding too. 💛

#Leadership #CareerGrowth #Resilience #PersonalGrowth #WomenInLeadership #Podcast

I've never admitted this out loud.

I know exactly how many days are left until my son graduates high school.

Not because I'm counting down to the end of motherhood...

I'm counting down to the day I no longer have to co-parent.

Yeah...

I said it.

Before you judge me, hear the whole story.

This isn't an episode about hating someone.

It's about what happens when you've left a relationship...but the relationship never really leaves you.

When one text message can hijack your nervous system.

When you're exhausted from replaying the same conversation for over a decade.

When you realize you've been asking someone you've already walked away from to give you permission to finally have peace.

This week, a simple parenting situation turned into something much bigger.

It forced me to ask myself one question that changed everything:

Who am I still giving free rent in my head?

In this episode, we're talking about:

💥 The truth about co-parenting nobody wants to admit

💥 Why divorce can end...but emotional attachment doesn't

💥 Childhood wounds we unknowingly repeat in adult relationships

💥 Why protecting your peace isn't selfish

💥 The difference between accountability and shame

💥 How to stop letting one person control your entire nervous system

This isn't just for divorced parents.

It's for anyone who's still emotionally tied to someone they no longer want in their life.

If you've ever thought...

"I've left...so why do I still feel trapped?"

This one's for you.

🎙️ Welcome to Storytime with Lori—where we have the conversations most people are too afraid to say out loud.

⭐ If this episode hits home, follow the show, leave a rating, and share it with someone who's ready to stop giving away their peace.

#StorytimeWithLori #CoParenting #Divorce #EmotionalHealing #Boundaries #HealingJourney #Parenting #TraumaRecovery #MentalHealth #SelfWorth #PersonalGrowth #WomenWhoHeal #Podcast

What if confidence isn't something you find...

What if it's something you build?

In this powerful episode of Storytime with Lori, Lori Mayer sits down with recent University of San Diego graduate Bruklina Noka for an inspiring conversation about career growth, Gen Z leadership, entrepreneurship, authenticity, networking, business, courage, confidence, purpose, international student success, and what it truly means to become the person you're meant to be.

Together they discuss:

🎙️ Building confidence before you feel ready

🎙️ Why Gen Z is reshaping workplace culture

🎙️ Career advice for recent graduates

🎙️ Business Analytics and Commercial Real Estate careers

🎙️ Leadership without waiting for permission

🎙️ Entrepreneurship and creating meaningful impact

🎙️ Family, culture, gratitude, and resilience

🎙️ The power of mentorship and networking

🎙️ Authentic leadership and purpose-driven success

Whether you're graduating college, changing careers, building a business, leading a team, or simply trying to believe in yourself again, this conversation will remind you that nobody begins with certainty.

They begin with courage.

🎧 Subscribe, follow, and share Storytime with Lori for more conversations on leadership, personal growth, entrepreneurship, business, resilience, career development, authentic storytelling, and becoming the person you're capable of becoming.

#StorytimeWithLori #LeadershipPodcast #CareerGrowth #Entrepreneurship #GenZ #Business #Leadership #PersonalDevelopment #GrowthMindset #CommercialRealEstate #BusinessAnalytics #Networking #WomenInLeadership #Mentorship #Purpose #Confidence #Success #Authenticity

A family member asked me one question during Pride Month:

"What rights are you losing?"

I answered.

She never responded.

But her question stayed with me.

Not because it offended me.

Because I realized it wasn't just her question.

It's a question many people are asking.

This episode isn't about politics.

It's about history.

It's about empathy.

It's about why remembrance matters.

And why perhaps the better question isn't "What rights are you losing?" but "What history are we in danger of forgetting?"

Some people know everything about your life.

But they don't know you.

In this episode of Storytime with Lori, Lori explores a difficult realization: attention isn't love, observation isn't support, and access isn't the same as connection.

Through stories of heartbreak, family estrangement, betrayal, healing, and personal growth, Lori discusses the freedom that comes from no longer needing validation from people who choose to watch your life from a distance instead of participating in it.

This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered:

• Why are they still watching?
• Why won't they reach out?
• Why do they know so much about my life but choose not to be part of it?

The answer may have less to do with them and more to do with reclaiming your peace.

Because healing begins when you stop focusing on who's watching and start focusing on who's walking beside you.

🎙️ Storytime with Lori is where real conversations about healing, resilience, relationships, growth, and becoming your best self come to life.

Most leaders spend their careers chasing results.

The unforgettable ones spend their careers investing in people.

In this episode of STORYTIME with Lori, Lori Mayer sits down with Carl Herberger, CEO of Corero Network Security, to discuss the kind of leadership that leaves a lasting impact.

Together, they explore:

🔹 Leadership beyond titles
🔹 The power of emotional intelligence
🔹 Building trust and culture
🔹 Human-centered leadership
🔹 Cybersecurity leadership lessons
🔹 Legacy versus success
🔹 How great leaders make people feel seen

Because years from now, people won't remember your title.

They'll remember how you showed up.

🎙️ STORYTIME with Lori is where leadership, life, resilience, personal growth, and authentic conversations come together through real stories from real people.

#Leadership #LeadershipPodcast #ExecutiveLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #HumanLeadership #CyberSecurityLeadership #Legacy #PersonalGrowth #StorytimeWithLori

🌈 Pride Month Episode

I spent two and a half years trying to get over a woman.

Then I realized she wasn't what I was grieving.

For years, I believed my heartbreak was about losing a relationship. What I eventually discovered was that I was mourning something much deeper: belonging, family, connection, identity, and the feeling of home.

In this deeply personal episode of Storytime with Lori, I share my journey through:

❤️ Heartbreak
🏡 Family Estrangement
🌈 Pride & Belonging
🧠 Emotional Intelligence
🤝 Psychological Safety
💪 Resilience
✨ Self-Worth
🌺 Healing in Hawaii
🫂 Learning to Trust Myself Again

If you've ever:

• Lost someone you loved
• Experienced family estrangement
• Felt disconnected from your identity
• Struggled with heartbreak
• Been searching for where you belong
• Had to rebuild your life after loss

This episode is for you.

Because sometimes the thing we're grieving isn't actually the thing we lost.

And sometimes healing is simply learning to come home to yourself.

🎙️ Subscribe for more episodes of Storytime with Lori.

Real life.
Real conversations.
Real growth.

Until next time… keep becoming.

#StorytimeWithLori #PrideMonth #HealingJourney #FamilyEstrangement #HeartbreakRecovery #MentalHealth #PersonalGrowth #PsychologicalSafety #Belonging #EmotionalIntelligence #SelfWorth #TraumaHealing #LGBTQStories #Resilience #Authenticity

🚀 What if the biggest career breakthrough isn't another certification, promotion, or title...
What if it's learning how to advocate for yourself? In my latest episode of STORYTIME with Lori, I sat down with Dr Elisha Foust 🦸🏻‍♀️former sales operations leader, transformation expert, founder, LGBTQ+ 🌈 advocate, cancer survivor, and one of the smartest women I've had the privilege to work alongside.
We talked about:
✨ Personal branding that actually matters
✨ How sponsors change careers
✨ Why allyship is active, not passive
✨ Navigating corporate politics without losing yourself
✨ Reinventing your life after adversity
✨ Building a career rooted in authenticity, not approval
One of my favorite takeaways:
👉 "Stop leading with everything you've done. Start leading with the problems you can solve."
That mindset shift alone can change the trajectory of your career.
Whether you're early in your career, leading teams, navigating change, or simply trying to figure out what's next, this conversation is packed with real-world wisdom.
Because behind every title is a human being trying to figure it out one day at a time.
🎙️ Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.
This is STORYTIME with Lori. Real life. Real conversations. Real growth. Until next time... keep becoming. 💛
#Leadership #PersonalBranding #CareerGrowth #WomenInLeadership #SalesLeadership #SalesOperations #ExecutiveLeadership #AuthenticLeadership #CareerDevelopment #Mentorship #Sponsorship #Allyship #LGBTQLeadership #DiversityAndInclusion #ProfessionalDevelopment #WomenInTech #LeadershipDevelopment #StorytimeWithLori #Podcast #CareerSuccess

Some leaders build companies.Michelle Ragusa-McBain builds PEOPLE.In this deeply powerful episode of Storytime with Lori, Michelle opens up about the journey behind becoming one of the most respected and trusted leaders in cybersecurity and channel partnerships today.But this conversation is not about titles.It’s about:✨ Self-worth✨ Reinvention✨ Emotional intelligence✨ Leadership with heart✨ Human connection in the age of AI✨ Championing women and people of color✨ Building trust that lasts longer than transactionsFor years, Michelle has been a quiet force behind the success of countless people in this industry — mentoring, advocating, connecting, elevating, and helping others rise.What makes Michelle different is this:People don’t just remember what she accomplished.They remember how she made them FEEL.Now, Lori and Michelle officially join forces together at Corero Network Security — a company building the future of AI-powered cybersecurity, DDoS protection, strategic partnerships, and people-first innovation.This episode is about the HUMAN behind the leadership.The resilience behind the confidence.The empathy behind the executive.The becoming behind the success.If you’ve ever struggled with imposter syndrome…If you’ve ever questioned your worth…If you’ve ever needed proof that authenticity still wins…This conversation is for you.🎙️ Storytime with Lori featuring Michelle Ragusa-McBain — now streaming.#MichelleRagusaMcBain #StorytimeWithLori #WomenInTech #Cybersecurity #LeadershipPodcast #Authenticity #WomenInLeadership #EmotionalIntelligence #ChannelPartners #Corero #PersonalGrowth #BusinessLeadership #Mentorship

Some leaders build companies.
Michelle Ragusa-McBain builds PEOPLE.

In this deeply powerful episode of Storytime with Lori, Michelle opens up about the journey behind becoming one of the most respected and trusted leaders in cybersecurity and channel partnerships today.

But this conversation is not about titles.

It’s about:
✨ Self-worth
✨ Reinvention
✨ Emotional intelligence
✨ Leadership with heart
✨ Human connection in the age of AI
✨ Championing women and people of color
✨ Building trust that lasts longer than transactions

For years, Michelle has been a quiet force behind the success of countless people in this industry — mentoring, advocating, connecting, elevating, and helping others rise.

What makes Michelle different is this:

People don’t just remember what she accomplished.
They remember how she made them FEEL.

Now, Lori and Michelle officially join forces together at Corero Network Security — a company building the future of AI-powered cybersecurity, DDoS protection, strategic partnerships, and people-first innovation.

This episode is about the HUMAN behind the leadership.

The resilience behind the confidence.
The empathy behind the executive.
The becoming behind the success.

If you’ve ever struggled with imposter syndrome…
If you’ve ever questioned your worth…
If you’ve ever needed proof that authenticity still wins…

This conversation is for you.

🎙️ Storytime with Lori featuring Michelle Ragusa-McBain — now streaming.

#MichelleRagusaMcBain #StorytimeWithLori #WomenInTech #Cybersecurity #LeadershipPodcast #Authenticity #WomenInLeadership #EmotionalIntelligence #ChannelPartners #Corero #PersonalGrowth #BusinessLeadership #Mentorship