This episode came straight from a moment I didn’t plan.

It was something I shared at ALIGN during one of our VIP gatherings, and I remember feeling it drop into my heart so clearly. It wasn’t on my notes, it wasn’t something I had prepared, but I knew it needed to be said. Afterward, multiple women came up to me and said, “I needed that.” And I had a feeling… this is something more of us are walking through than we talk about.

So today, I want to have a real conversation about something every leader, every entrepreneur, every woman building something meaningful will face at some point.

How do you stay generous, open, and loving… even after you’ve been hurt?

Because if you’re in this space long enough, you will be talked about. You will be misunderstood. You will be disappointed by people you poured into. You will give your time, your energy, your heart… and not always have that returned the way you hoped.

And in today’s world, the easy response is to harden. To go to social media. To defend, to attack, to close off, or to shrink.

But I want to offer you a different path.

In this episode, I walk you through what it actually means to “give clean.” I talk about how so much of our pain doesn’t just come from what happened, but from the expectations and attachments we didn’t even realize we had. I share how learning to give without entitlement has completely changed the way I show up in my relationships and in my leadership.

I also dive into one of the most freeing truths I’ve learned, which is that other people’s actions and reactions are not yours to carry. They are not yours to fix. And they are not a reflection of your worth.

From there, I talk about the role of compassion and how choosing to see people through a lens of understanding instead of bitterness has been one of the most powerful shifts in my life.

And then I take you deeper into what it actually looks like to remain open and generous in a world that can sometimes feel harsh or unfair. Because the truth is, when we close our hearts to protect ourselves, we also close ourselves off from the very blessings we’re praying for.

I share a very personal story from ALIGN this year where I chose to give from a place of full surrender, without expectation, even when it cost me. And what happened on the other side of that giving was one of the most beautiful reminders that generosity, when it’s real and clean, opens doors that strategy never could.

This episode is for the woman who has been hurt but refuses to become hard.

The woman who wants to lead with love but is learning how to do it with wisdom.

The woman who is ready to grow, not just in business, but in who she is becoming.

If you’ve ever felt the tension between protecting your heart and keeping it open… this conversation is for you.

Entrepreneurship demands a lot.

Big vision. Long hours. Emotional resilience. Creativity. Leadership.

But none of that is sustainable if your health is falling apart behind the scenes.

Over the years, I’ve realized something important: success isn’t just about strategy. It’s about energy. And energy is built through the daily habits that support your body, mind, and nervous system.

In this episode, I’m sharing the simple health rules that have sustained me through seasons of building businesses, raising six kids, traveling, speaking, and leading communities.

These aren’t extreme protocols.

They’re practical standards that protect my energy and keep me strong for the long game.

Because the goal isn’t just success—it’s longevity.

In this episode, I talk about:

• The daily movement rule that keeps my body energized

• Why sleep before 10 PM is one of my non-negotiables

• The hydration habit that most entrepreneurs overlook

• My simple 80/20 approach to food and why perfection isn’t required

• Why a protein-forward breakfast sets the tone for the entire day

• My philosophy on strength training vs cardio (and why muscle matters)

• Training for longevity: balance, mobility, bodyweight strength, and heavy lifting

• The supplements I use daily to support gut health, hormones, inflammation, stress, and detox

• Why I never travel without my health stack

• One simple habit that boosts creativity, productivity, and mental clarity: walking while working

The bigger philosophy

Health isn’t built in a 30-day challenge.

It’s built in the quiet standards you repeat for decades.

As entrepreneurs, we often treat our bodies like machines — pushing harder, sleeping less, and hoping our energy keeps up.

But the truth is:

Your body is the engine behind everything you want to build.

Protect it.

Train it.

Fuel it.

And it will carry your vision further than you imagined.

If this episode resonated with you:

Share it with a friend or fellow entrepreneur who needs the reminder that health is the first wealth.

And if you enjoyed this conversation, make sure to follow the show so you never miss future episodes on leadership, wellness, mindset, relationships, and living a revolutionary life.

What if your relationship wasn’t something you had to balance with your life…
but the foundation that made your life stronger? In this episode, Thomas and I sat down with Rudi and Anniston Riekstins for a really honest conversation about what it actually takes to build a powerful, passionate, aligned relationship, especially when you’re building businesses, raising families, and pursuing impact.

I believe love is a magnifier.
It either magnifies your stress…or it magnifies your strength.

And over the years, we’ve learned that extraordinary relationships don’t happen by accident. They’re not luck. They’re not personality compatibility. They’re not “you found the right one and everything just works.” They’re built.

In this conversation, we talk about:

- The difference between alignment and agreement

- Why communication is usually the surface issue, not the root

- How busy seasons quietly create drift if you’re not intentional

- The shift from power struggles to power partnership

- Why energy, health, and emotional maturity matter more than most couples realize

- How to navigate growth without growing apart

- The reframe that changed everything for us: every behavior is either a loving response or a cry for help

We share personal stories of the hard seasons, the misalignment, the renegotiation of roles, the moments where we had to choose growth instead of ego. Because the truth is, we’ve both had to rewrite the rules. And today, our marriages are not distractions from our lives.

They are the catalyst.
They amplify everything else.

If you’re a couple who wants momentum without tension, success without sacrificing intimacy, and growth without drifting apart, this episode is for you. And if you want to go deeper, we recently co-hosted a free 3-part series called The Relationship Upgrade, where we unpack the 5 keys to building extraordinary love, legacy, and impact.

You can register to watch all three sessions for free here:
👉 https://www.upgradeyourrelationship.com/series

And if you know you’re ready to intentionally build something even deeper, we are co-creating an immersive Couples Mastermind for power couples who want to create unbreakable bonds and an epic love story on purpose.

You can learn more about that here:
👉 https://www.upgradeyourrelationship.com/

Your relationship is the most important partnership you will ever steward. When it’s aligned, loving, and supportive and anything becomes possible.

This is the final episode in this seasonal series, and I’m so honored to close it with Paige Killian. I met Paige at ALIGN in 2024 and instantly loved her energy, her joy, and her steady, hopeful way of leading. She’s the founder of Everything With Style, a professional organizing company, a mama, keynote speaker, podcaster, and bestselling author of I’ve Got You, Girlfriend.

In this conversation, we talk about how Paige’s entrepreneurial spirit started early, how her years in the classroom shaped the way she teaches and coaches, and why organization is about so much more than tidy spaces. Paige shares her Three E’s philosophy to simplify anything in your home or business, and we talk about how clutter can steal clarity, peace, and momentum.

Then we go deeper into the pivot that changed everything. After the Palisades fires devastated her community and damaged her home, Paige shares what it looked like to keep moving forward with faith, perspective, and grace. We talk about taking help, resisting bitterness, and holding on to the belief that hard seasons are not how your story ends.

If you’re craving a reset, more clarity, and a simpler way to move toward your goals, this episode will meet you right where you are and remind you that small steps, anchored in faith and intention, can change everything.

Connect with Paige on IG at @everythingwithstylemom or listen to her Podcast, Time to Pivot, here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/time-to-pivot/id1682540970

Join us at ALIGN this January 22-25 in San DIego. Visit aligneventslive.com for more info!

In this episode, I’m sitting down with the incredible Corree Roofener, a true woman of impact and a repeat guest I love deeply. Corree is an accounting firm owner, podcast host, mama of six, and a nana, but what makes her story unforgettable is how she and her husband Chad have spent over a decade fostering children and eventually co founding the nonprofit Fostering the Summit. Their mission is simple and holy: no teen should ever age out of foster care without family, belonging, or support.

We go back to the beginning and talk about what led Corree into foster care in the first place, including the surprising and very human desire that started it all. As her story unfolds, you’ll hear how advocacy is often born in the quiet places, how courage grows when you finally decide to use your voice, and how compassion changes everything when you stop asking what’s wrong with people and start asking what happened to them.

We also talk about purpose driven business, why chasing success alone often burns people out, and why service and mission are not just good for the world, they’re good for growth. Corree shares a perspective that hit me hard: if even a fraction of small business owners chose to get involved in foster care support, we could flip the outcomes for thousands of kids every year. This conversation is an invitation to open your eyes, get curious, and do it for one, because one life can create a ripple that changes everything.

Corree also shares what it means to live a revolutionary life, and I loved her answer. Revolution doesn’t have to be loud. It can be bold. It can be a boundary. It can be one brave decision to stand for what’s right, even when it costs you something.

To learn more or get involved, you can find Corree at fosteringthesummit.org and follow her on social at @correeroofener

In this episode, I sit down with Michelle Gifford, an Instagram strategist who’s helped build six, seven, and eight-figure brands through her agency, and is also a mom of five. This conversation is for any woman trying to grow a business in a full, real life and wondering if she’s doing it wrong.

We talk about Michelle’s non-linear path from an Etsy shop to building a successful agency and why nothing you’ve lived is wasted. We dive into why so much mainstream business and marketing advice doesn’t work for moms, and why choosing mentors who actually understand your season of life matters more than flashy credentials.

Michelle breaks down what sustainable Instagram growth really looks like, including the difference between attraction, nurture, and sell content, why virality isn’t the goal, and why building an email list and owned platforms is essential for long-term success.

We also have an honest conversation about motherhood, guilt, and the fear that building a business will harm your kids. Michelle shares why your business isn’t ruining your children and how entrepreneurship can actually make you a more fulfilled, present mom.

We close with a powerful reflection on radical ownership, choosing the life you actually want, and what it means to live a revolutionary life alongside motherhood.

You can connect with Michelle on Instagram at @iammichellegifford and listen to her podcast, The Social Strategist Podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-goals-to-execution-how-high-performing-moms-actually/id1440084675?i=1000744285271

Join Michelle and 30+ other incredible speakers taking the stage at ALIGN, a powerful personal growth and business expansion conference, held in San Diego, January 22-25.

Use code ALIGN20 to save 20% on tickets at aligneventslive.com

In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Sammy Taggett, also known as Shoebox Moses, and I already know this conversation is going to move you. I met Sammy in September in JJ Virgin’s room because I always believe in putting myself in the room. He was DJing, creating the energy, and I could feel his heart from across the space. I went up to encourage him, and it turned into one of those instant “we’ve known each other forever” connections.

Sammy shares the raw, mind-blowing story of his beginnings: abandoned as a newborn baby in a shoebox in the Philippines, adopted, and later discovering the full truth right before traveling back to the orphanage for the first time. We talk about the guilt and shame that can come when you realize how blessed your life is compared to where you came from, and how gratitude, faith, and daily grounding practices become the anchor when success gets bigger and the shadows try to get louder.

He also takes us into a pivotal chapter of his life that honestly feels like a movie. From rock bottom moments to becoming a global DJ, Sammy’s story is proof that you don’t have to stay stuck in the season you’re in. If you’re going through hell, don’t build a house there. Keep moving.

Then we get into how he unexpectedly entered the podcasting world after giving JJ Virgin some radically honest feedback—and how that honesty opened the door to building Evolved Podcasting, helping hundreds of shows become real platforms, movements, and revenue-generating businesses. We also talk about business-building in this era of AI, why alignment matters more than ever when you can build faster than you’re ready for, and what it really means to live a revolutionary life.

Sammy will also be with us at ALIGN, speaking and helping create the experience through music and presence, and I cannot wait for you to feel his energy in person.

To connect with Sammy, visit EvolvePodcasting.com or shoeboxmosis.com. And if you want to be in the room with us at ALIGN, head to AlignEventsLive.com and grab your ticket.

If this episode hit you, send it to a friend who needs hope, courage, and a reminder that your story is not over.  

You can learn more about Sammy and his work with Evolved Podcasting here: https://evolvedpodcasting.com/podcast-accelerator

And follow along on IG at @shoeboxmoses

And join in the music, magic, and transformation at ALIGN, of which Sammy will be a part of, this January at aligneventslive.com. January 23/34 in sunny San Diego. Use code ALIGN20 to save 20% as a podcast listener!

In today’s Seasonal Series episode, I’m sitting down with Kendra Cooke for a powerful conversation about productivity, boundaries, and building a life that actually feels good to live. Kendra brings over 30 years as a high-level real estate professional and 15+ years of coaching experience, and she shares the systems and mindset shifts that helped her scale without losing her peace.

We talk about the three changes that transformed everything for her: living and dying by your calendar, outsourcing in practical everyday ways, and embracing “no” as a complete sentence. Kendra gets real about the hidden cost of people-pleasing and overworking, and she shares a pivotal story about how hustle and the need to prove herself pushed her to a breaking point—until she finally chose boundaries, health, and self-respect.

You’ll also hear how her business improved when she set clear hours and standards, why the right clients will respect your boundaries, and what it looks like to “walk toward” the audience and opportunities you actually want. We close with the story behind her book and how journaling became a safe space for clarity and healing, plus her definition of living a revolutionary life: embracing change, growing with boundaries, evolving into your true self, and building a legacy that feels aligned inside and out.

To connect with Kendra, find her online on all social platforms and at kendracooke.com

She's a featured author at ALIGN with year, where you can also hear her speak and learn from her.  Join us January 22-25 at aligneventslive.com

In today’s Seasonal Series episode, I’m sitting down with Stephanie Bowman and I’m still moved by her story.

Stephanie is a philanthropist, certified life coach, author, and the founder of One Heart for Women and Children, which began from her car and living room and has grown into the largest food pantry in Central Florida, serving over 20,000 people every month.

But her impact didn’t come from a perfect path. Stephanie shares how surviving trauma as a teenager led to years of addiction, shame, and searching for “more” to fill a hole she couldn’t name. Through sobriety, faith, recovery, and community, she rebuilt her life from the ground up and turned her pain into purpose.

In this conversation, we talk about:

• Why addiction doesn’t discriminate and how the root often looks like shame, not “lack of willpower”
• The practices that shortened the spiral of self-doubt for her (and can for you), including gratitude, journaling, and reaching out
• What it really means when she says friendship is two-sided, and how she lives it through daily connection
• The moment One Heart was born, around a campfire, when high school students helped her name it, shape the mission, and create the logo
• Leadership lessons on surrender, letting others rise, and allowing your vision to become bigger than you
• How she navigates gossip, hurt, and interpersonal pain without quitting the mission
• The spiritual truth that keeps bringing her back to center: put God back in the driver’s seat
• What Align did for her personal healing, including a powerful breakthrough around music and safety
• Her definition of living a revolutionary life: freedom from guilt, shame, and the past
  

This episode is for anyone who needs hope, a reset, and a reminder that your past does not get to be your identity.

Connect with Stephanie + support One Heart:

• Instagram: @OneHeartMatters
• Facebook: Help One Heart / One Heart for Women and Children
• Email: [email protected]
  (You can volunteer or support from anywhere, even if you don’t live in Florida.)
  

And if you’re feeling the nudge to be in the room with us at ALIGN, this is your sign.

Grab your ticket at aligneventslive.com 

In this solo episode, I’m sharing what I believe truly creates a breakthrough year, not hype, not motivation, and not another list of goals you abandon by February. I recorded this message as we crossed into a new year, but it’s one you’ll receive exactly when you’re meant to.

I walk you through the ten internal and practical shifts that must happen if 2026 is going to be different. We talk about alignment and why misalignment becomes more painful the longer you tolerate it. We talk about your body as the foundation for everything you want to build and why you cannot out strategize exhaustion, inflammation, or a dysregulated nervous system.

I challenge you to look honestly at your calendar and your spending and ask if they reflect the woman you say you want to become. We talk about releasing the identity built on proving, breaking up with chaos and survival mode, and why structure is not restriction but safety.

I also speak candidly about poverty mindset, free consumption, and why investing in yourself is not indulgent but intelligent. We talk about creating from purpose instead of desperation, cleaning up your inputs, and why support is not weakness but self leadership.

Finally, I invite you into the most important shift of all, identity. Who you are becoming. Who you are called to serve now. And why breakthrough always follows identity, not effort.

This episode is an invitation to stop living on autopilot and to choose alignment, clarity, and expansion on purpose. If you’ve quietly given up or felt stuck in old patterns, this is your reminder that it is time to awaken, activate, and move forward differently.

Being in the right rooms and surrounded by the right people becomes a slingshot into alignment.  Be at ALIGN AWAKEN 2026 this January 22-25 in San Diego. As a listener you can use code ALIGN20 to save 20% on any ticket type.  Head to aligneventslive.com to save your seat.