You can be talented, driven, and deeply capable — and still spend years choosing paths that are easier than the one you were meant for.

This is the episode about what happens when you stop choosing comfort, and start trusting yourself to do the thing you actually love.

In this episode of Inner Work, MaryAnn sits down with Emily McAnelly — VP of Strategic Growth at Collective Growth — for an honest, warm, and surprisingly funny conversation about identity, deserving, and what it really means to build something that matters.

Together, they explore:

This isn't a polished success story. It's a real conversation between two women building something from scratch — with a puppy barking in the background and everything.

Emily McAnelly is the VP of Strategic Growth at Collective Growth, where she leads business development and go-to-market strategy. With experience across AI startups, Fortune 100 partnerships, and financial systems, she builds scalable, transformational growth engines. She lives in Richmond, Virginia with her family and brings both strategic rigor and irreplaceable human warmth to everything she touches.

🔗 Connect with Emily: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-mcanelly-99442233/

If you've ever wondered whether you actually deserve the thing you most want to do — this one's for you.

👉 Book a 1:1 call with MaryAnn: https://collectivegrowthleadership.com/book-call

You can be high-performing, and still feel completely unprepared for what leadership demands next.
This is the side of leadership development no one prepares you for.

In this episode of Inner Work, MaryAnn sits down with Emily McAnelly, for a raw conversation about what it really takes to step into leadership when the stakes are real.

Emily didn’t just change roles, she chose to walk away from the “path of least resistance” and into a version of herself that required discipline, ownership, and facing the fear of failure head-on.

Together, they unpack:

This isn’t a conversation about tactics.
It’s about identity, pressure, and the inner work required to lead at the next level.

Emily McAnelly is the Vice President of Strategic Growth at Collective Growth, where she leads business development and go-to-market strategy. With experience across AI startups, Fortune 100 partnerships, and financial systems, she builds scalable, transformational growth engines. She lives in Richmond, Virginia with her family and brings both strategic rigor and human insight to leadership.

🔗 Connect with Emily: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-mcanelly-99442233/ 

If you’ve ever felt the tension between who you are and who leadership requires you to become, this episode is for you.

👉 Book a 1:1 call: https://collectivegrowthleadership.com/book-call

Most leaders are trained to manage strategy, performance, and results.
Very few are taught how unresolved trauma quietly shapes the way they lead.

In this episode of Inner Work, MaryAnn Means-Dufrene sits down with Carol Klocek, CEO of the Center for Transforming Lives, for an honest conversation about the deeper side of leadership development, the inner work that shapes how leaders show up for their teams, families, and communities.

Carol brings more than 35 years of leadership experience in the social sector, along with her own lived experience growing up in poverty and trauma. That perspective has shaped her commitment to trauma-informed leadership, psychological safety, and building systems that create long-term transformation for women and children.

This conversation explores the hidden realities many leaders carry: shame, burnout, survival patterns, and the internal voices formed early in life. Carol shares how working with a trauma-informed executive coach helped her shift from relentless performance to sustainable leadership grounded in self-awareness and resilience.

She also reflects on a defining moment during COVID when her organization was losing $50,000 per week, and how choosing to prioritize people over productivity became a turning point in her leadership.

If you’re a founder, executive, or team leader navigating growth, pressure, and responsibility, this conversation will challenge how you think about leadership development and the personal work that sustains it.

Carol Klocek is the Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Transforming Lives. Having experienced poverty and trauma herself as a child, Carol brings both lived experience and more than 35 years of leadership in the social sector to her work. Under her leadership, the organization applies a two-generation approach, partnering with women and children to disrupt cycles of poverty through housing, counseling, early childhood education, and economic mobility services.

🔗 Connect with Carol: linkedin.com/in/carol-hunter-klocek-2126584

🔗If you’re navigating your own leadership evolution and want support in that journey:

 https://collectivegrowthleadership.com/book-call

High-performing leaders spend years mastering achievement; hitting targets, earning promotions, and pushing through pressure. But eventually many reach a moment where the strategy that built their success stops sustaining them.

In this episode of Inner Work, MaryAnn Means-Dufrene sits down with Kellie Richter, Chief Operating Officer of First Command, to explore the deeper leadership development that happens after success, when leaders must shift from achievement-driven performance to mission-driven impact.

Kellie shares how her career evolved from Chief Marketing Officer to Chief Operating Officer, and what that transition taught her about authentic leadership, operational responsibility, and the role leaders play in shaping real client experiences, not just brand promises.

From redefining work-life balance to building trust through clarity and consistency, Kellie explains why sustainable leadership requires moving beyond telling people what to do and instead coaching others to grow, contribute, and lead themselves.

You’ll also hear how First Command’s mission of serving military families shapes its culture, and why leaders who anchor their work in purpose create stronger teams, deeper trust, and more meaningful impact.

This conversation is a powerful look at the inner work required to lead with authenticity, accountability, and purpose.

Kellie Richter is the Chief Operating Officer of First Command, where she leads technology, experience design, digital solutions, data, service, and operations. Her role focuses on translating strategy into real results that deliver value to clients—primarily military families—and the workforce that serves them.

Kellie joined First Command in 2016 as Chief Marketing Officer and brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in financial services, brand strategy, and client experience. Her leadership philosophy centers on mission clarity, authentic accountability, and building systems that serve both people and purpose.

🔗 Connect with Kellie: linkedin.com/in/kellierichter 

Want to explore your own leadership transformation? Book a 1:1 conversation with MaryAnn:

👉 https://collectivegrowthleadership.com/book-call

Leadership development isn’t forged in comfort;  it’s shaped in crisis, transition, and the quiet moments of self-reflection that redefine who we are as leaders.

In this episode of Inner Work, MaryAnn Means-Dufrene sits down with TD Smyers, CEO of BoardBuild and retired Navy Captain, for a deeply grounded conversation about governance, growth, and the evolution of identity across seasons of leadership.

After more than 30 years leading in the military, nonprofit, and private sectors, including commanding a Navy air station and guiding major organizational turnarounds, TD found himself confronting a structural problem in nonprofit governance: board recruitment rooted in familiarity rather than intentional diversity. That frustration became the catalyst for BoardBuild, a platform designed to strengthen nonprofit boards nationwide.

But this conversation moves far beyond governance strategy.

TD reflects on the tension between passion and patience, the challenge of leading decentralized teams, and the humility required to say, “I could have done that differently.” He shares lessons learned from rebuilding culture after crisis, transitioning from military authority to nonprofit influence, and stepping away for three years at sea, an experience that reshaped his perspective on urgency, control, and what truly matters.

This episode is about authenticity. About choosing growth over ego. About aligning leadership with mission… and aligning identity with purpose.

If you’re building stronger executive teams or navigating your own leadership evolution, this conversation offers both strategic clarity and personal depth.

🔗 Connect with TD: linkedin.com/in/tdsmyers 

👉 Book a 1:1 leadership conversation with MaryAnn:  https://collectivegrowthleadership.com/book-call  

What happens when a high-performing entrepreneur hits a wall he can’t outwork?

Justin Mink helped scale companies to billion-dollar valuations, until chronic illness forced him to stop everything.

In this episode of Inner Work, Justin shares the hidden reckoning behind his public success: the burnout he ignored, the pain he endured, and the radical mindset shift that transformed how he leads today.

Host MaryAnn Means-Dufrene guides this honest, revealing conversation about what it really takes to evolve; not just as a leader, but as a human being. If you've ever asked, “Is this all there is?”, this is the episode you’ve been waiting for.

Justin Mink is a seasoned entrepreneur and leadership advisor who has spent over two decades building and scaling high-growth companies; from zero to 1,000+ employees. After chronic illness brought his world to a halt in 2016, Justin redefined his path. Now, as a Certified EOS Implementer and Certified Outgrow Advisor, he guides leaders toward sustainable, human-centered growth, inside and out.

🔗 Connect with Justin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmink/ 

🔗   Want to talk through your own leadership shift?
Book a 1:1 with MaryAnn: https://collectivegrowthleadership.com/book-call

What happens when a leader built on calm presence steps into chaos, and still delivers record-breaking results?
In this powerful episode of Inner Work, Bob Jameson, President & CEO of Visit Fort Worth, opens up about his leadership evolution, from running a hotel to navigating public responsibility and shaping the identity of a growing city.

Bob shares how he manages complexity without losing connection, why knowing your strengths is non-negotiable, and how to lead through uncertainty with credibility and care. If you’re feeling the weight of leadership, this conversation is a breath of fresh perspective.

Bob Jameson is the President and CEO of Visit Fort Worth, where he has led the city through record-setting tourism growth and economic recovery. Known for his calm presence and relational approach, Bob’s decades of experience span hospitality, public leadership, and cultural storytelling.

🔗 Connect with Bob:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-jameson-b447a6a/ 

🔗  Ready to Rebuild with More Trust? Book a 1:1 leadership clarity call with MaryAnn: 👉https://collectivegrowthleadership.com/book-call

What does true leadership development look like during relentless change?

In this raw, honest conversation, Jennifer Limas, CEO of Girls Inc. of Tarrant County, opens up about the breaking point that transformed her leadership, from running the day-to-day to becoming the vision keeper her organization desperately needed.

Through deep reflection and vulnerable storytelling, Jennifer shares the hard-earned lessons of stepping back, empowering her team, and reshaping her role to align with the future her mission demanded. You'll hear how she navigated pandemic pressures, team trust, community shifts, and the emotional labor of leadership; with grace, grit, and fierce clarity.

If you're a mission-driven leader clinging to control but craving impact, this episode is your mirror.

Jennifer Limas is the President and CEO of Girls Inc. of Tarrant County, a nonprofit inspiring over 18,000 girls annually to be strong, smart, and bold. She’s a civic leader, board member, and a passionate advocate for transforming lives through purpose-driven programs and visionary leadership.

🔗 Connect with Jennifer:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-limas-71379047/

🔗 Feeling the weight of it all? Book a clarity call with MaryAnn: 👉https://collectivegrowthleadership.com/book-call

What if the cost of “success” is your health, your joy, or your identity?
This raw and powerful episode dives deep into the emotional journey behind leadership development and what it takes to come back to yourself.

Executive coach and former Google Chief of Staff Eric Nehrlich sits down with MaryAnn Means-Dufrene for a vulnerable conversation about burnout, parenting, trauma, and the inner reckoning that changes everything. They explore how real leadership isn't about pushing harder, it’s about learning to pause, feel, and choose differently. If you're carrying too much, pushing too hard, or quietly breaking down behind the scenes… this one is for you.

00:25 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:14 The Importance of Inner Work

02:03 Personal Growth and Transformation

03:37 Challenges and Failures

11:43 Burnout and Realizations

14:26 The Power of Choice

18:52 Embracing Emotions and Trauma

22:03 Empowerment and Leadership

26:28 Discovering Personal Passions

31:04 Continuing the Journey of Healing

31:57 Lessons from Parenting

33:17 Balancing Self-Care and Responsibilities

35:35 Understanding and Managing Emotions

40:42 Parenting as Leadership

55:01 The Importance of a Safe Space

56:42 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Eric Nehrlich is an executive coach who helps leaders increase their impact by challenging the mindsets and habits that hold them back. Drawing on 25+ years in tech, including 6 years at Google, he guides high achievers toward more meaningful impact. He’s the author of You Have A Choice and lives in the Bay Area with his partner and three children.

Learn more: https://www.toomanytrees.com/

🔗 Feeling the weight of it all? Book a clarity call with MaryAnn: 👉https://collectivegrowthleadership.com/book-call

Leadership development isn’t always bold, sometimes it’s quiet, personal, and fiercely compassionate. In this conversation, we meet a leader who left nothing on the table.

In this raw and uplifting episode of Inner Work, host MaryAnn Means-Dufrene sits down with Lindsey Garner, CEO of Communities In Schools of Greater Tarrant County. For over a decade, Lindsey has carried a bold vision to serve students through compassion, consistency, and community, even when it meant breaking through her own fear barrier.

They talk about what it really takes to lead through change: midlife reckonings, ethical tension, parenting neurodiverse children, and launching a capital campaign that changed the game for her organization. It’s a story about staying grounded in humility while building something that matters.

Whether you're leading a team, a nonprofit, or just trying to show up for your life, this one will stay with you.

00:23  Welcome and Introduction

00:37  Communities in Schools: New Building and Mission

03:08  Leadership Journey and Personal Growth

05:05  Facing Midlife and Embracing Change

14:34  Balancing Professional and Personal Life

16:28  Creating Support Networks

26:05  Humility and Continuous Learning

31:22  Closing Thoughts and Reflections

Lindsey Garner is President and CEO of Communities In Schools of Greater Tarrant County. With nearly 20 years in the nonprofit sector, she leads a 108-person team across 11 districts, advocating for students and supporting at-risk youth. She’s also the founder of Mom Strong FW, a 500-member group for mothers raising children with autism.

👉 Want to explore your own leadership shift? Book a 1:1 with MaryAnn: https://collectivegrowthleadership.com/book-call