The Prosperous Empath® Podcast

I'm delighted to have Sarah St. John on the show today, who's past podcast, The Uncensored Empath, was a source of inspiration for my own. Along with being a podcast host, Sarah is the founder of Empath School, an author, a somatic coach, and creator of Become an Empath Coach™ certification. Throughout the episode, she shares how personal health challenges, becoming a mom, and other instances of grief led her to retire her podcast (despite its success) to take the time to redefine her own identity and focus. Sarah is trained in somatic healing, neuro linguistic programming, emotional freedom technique, yoga, meditation, and more and she shares how these modalities have helped her heal and reconnect with her body while embracing the messiness of liminal spaces so many of us often find ourselves in. She believes that empaths are uniquely wired to be potent healers, as you listen in you'll see why. I appreciate Sarah's openness throughout the whole episode and if you're on your own personal journey of healing, I think you will too.

Topics:

• Knowing when it's time to close a chapter in your life and how to make that change without chaos and breakdown
• The interconnectedness of being an empath and experiencing grief and trauma and why Sarah has become so dedicated to healing of these layers
• How the parentification of children can lead to hyper-responsibility, hyper-vigilance, masking sensitivity, and ultimately becoming an empath
• Why it is important for empaths to learn how to be in their body to feel their own emotions and feelings to reconnect with their own humanity
• What nervous system work can look and feel like as an empath who is desiring to make a change around how they manage their lived experience
• Sarah's experience with brushing up against death and how this has pushed her to be intentional with creating a legacy and embodying her beliefs

Episode Resources:

• MotherGrief

Connect with Sarah:

• Website
• Instagram

Connect with Catherine:

• Apply to join the free Unbounded community, a vibrant group of empathpreneurs who are passionate about supporting each other on our entrepreneurial journeys.
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Sign up to receive my biweekly digest on empathic entrepreneurship and hear from voices committed to spreading this message, sent straight to your inbox since 2016, here.

Work with Catherine:

• Interested in working 1:1 with a certified coach on Catherine's team, or joining her in one of her premium mastermind programs? Schedule a low-pressure call to begin the conversation here.

Visit this episode's full show notes page here.

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The Prosperous Empath® Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

Something that I really appreciate about thriving and having it all as an empathpreneur, is that we get to create our business around the lifestyle that we're committed to. For me recently, that has looked like creating more spaciousness and more free time in my schedule to be with my son, while also re-evaluating my business through the lens of what's enough. This has opened up so much more joy and peacefulness in my everyday life and I am loving every moment of it. So with that, I'm delighted to have Anne Rajoo, a Peaceful Productivity Mentor, on the show today. Anne owns a boutique VA agency and is a two time graduate of our Emerge Mastermind, and she's someone who I appreciate and find a lot of peace in her presence. I hope you enjoy today's episode with someone who truly embodies what they stand for in business and is committed to continually reinventing her own experience of peaceful productivity as she supports her clients in doing the same.

Topics:

• How Anne maintains peace and balance when she's in the midst of the harder moments of entrepreneurship and life and how she defines productivity
• Anne's experience of moving from a very productivity-centered Germany to the slower island life of Mauritius and charting this new course that was never modeled for her
• How holding your own boundaries and expectations can not only open opportunities and communication for yourself, but show others what is possible, too
• Learning to prioritize your greatest commitments and what you enjoy the most in work and then outsourcing the rest to grow a scalable business
• Practices that you can start now to cultivate peaceful productivity in your own business and why Anne believes "making the ask" can be the most impactful

Episode Resources:

• Do Nothing by Celeste Headlee

Connect with Anne:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn

Connect with Catherine:

• Apply to join the free Unbounded community, a vibrant group of empathpreneurs who are passionate about supporting each other on our entrepreneurial journeys.
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Sign up to receive my biweekly digest on empathic entrepreneurship and hear from voices committed to spreading this message, sent straight to your inbox since 2016, here.

Work with Catherine:

• Interested in working 1:1 with a certified coach on Catherine's team, or joining her in one of her premium mastermind programs? Schedule a low-pressure call to begin the conversation here.

Visit this episode's full show notes page here.

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The Prosperous Empath® Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

I am so delighted to have one of my team members join me to share all about podcasting today. Haley is the founder of Heart Centered Podcasting, and she not only helped me launch my own podcast back in 2022 but she has produced every single episode of the podcast ever since. I can't tell you how many conversations I have with clients and colleagues around giving themselves permission to take up more space and own their own authentic voice and message. As empaths and heart centered individuals, we are so practiced in contributing and being focused on the other, on serving, and on wanting to contribute that we often don't give ourselves permission to connect with our message, to connect with what's the most important thing for us to say, to connect with the legacy we want to build, and to share it powerfully and in a compelling manner. Working with Haley has been all about that for me, and that's a little bit about why I wanted to have her on the show today, because I think that in the wake of the 2024 election, we need to hear the voices and the messages of empathpreneurs even more often – we need to hear them take up more space, and to do so in a more compelling and empowered way. Haley has been that partner and accountability structure for me to do so and I'm excited to have her on the show today to share some of her wisdom with you.

Topics:

• The top three mindset blocks Haley sees with her podcasting clients – analysis paralysis, Imposter Syndrome, and perfectionism, and how to overcome them
• The difference between a bridge burner and bridge builder and when you may find yourself in both scenarios as an entrepreneur
• How becoming a mom of two has influenced the way Haley has shown up as the CEO of her business and how she's thoughtfully scaled over time
• The importance of naming your feelings to stop the spiral as well as knowing how to separate your sense of self and worth from the outcomes of your business
• The biggest lesson of Haley's journey as a mom that has supported her in being a better business owner and vice versa

Connect with Haley:

• Instagram: @Heart Centered Podcasting
• LinkedIn
• Website
• Launch with Heart: DIY Podcast Launch Course

Connect with Catherine:

• Apply to join the free Unbounded community, a vibrant group of empathpreneurs who are passionate about supporting each other on our entrepreneurial journeys.
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Sign up to receive my bi-weekly digest on empathic entrepreneurship and hear from voices committed to spreading this message, sent straight to your inbox since 2016, here.

Work with Catherine:

• Interested in working 1:1 with a certified coach on Catherine's team, or joining her in one of her premium mastermind programs? Schedule a low-pressure call to begin the conversation here.

Visit this episode's full show notes page here.

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The Prosperous Empath® Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

I'm recording today's episode on my first full week of work back in the office after my maternity leave. Life feels so full,joyful and different than when I was here prior to having Micah. So I'm excited to bring many new insights and life and business lessons to you as I rebrand the podcast a little and share a bit about what we're celebrating today on this episode and what you can expect going forward. As you tune in, we're in the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election here in the States. I've got a heavy heart, but a renewed importance to share my message and take up more space as a woman, as an entrepreneur, and as someone who's committed to living and honoring my values, both in and out of my business. I have been looking forward to recording this episode and celebrating the crap out of reaching 100 episodes with you, my beautiful listeners. Whether you're newer here or if you've been here from the beginning, thank you so much.

Topics:

• Why Catherine believes that 100 episodes of the podcast wasn't exactly predictable as an empath who prefers listening rather than doing the talking
• Lessons that Catherine learned from feeling resistance, especially around the production of the podcast, and how you can apply them to your own business
• How the podcast has helped Catherine remain connected to her why and improve the communication of the message she hopes to share with empathpreneurs
• Remembering that prosperity is more than simply the numbers and how this thought will impact the podcast moving forward

Episode Resources:

• The War of Art
• Listen: Becoming an Embodied Feminine Leader with Isabelle Griffith

Connect with Catherine:

• Apply to join the free Unbounded community, a vibrant group of empathpreneurs who are passionate about supporting each other on our entrepreneurial journeys.
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Sign up to receive bi-weekly digest on empathic entrepreneurship and hear from voices committed to spreading this message, sent straight to your inbox since 2016, here.

Work with Catherine:

• Interested in working 1:1 with a certified coach on Catherine's team, or joining her in one of her premium mastermind programs? Schedule a low-pressure call to begin the conversation here.

Visit this episode's full show notes page here.

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The Prosperous Empath® Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

If you haven't already tuned into last week's episode, do that now! I shared a recap episode of how life and business have gone over the past year, what our pregnancy journey has been like, and some of the lessons learned in life and business. If you're new here, I want you to know that these episodes are a little more personal than what I customarily share on the podcast, but this is a huge part of my life now, and becoming a mom has been a huge yearning, a huge goal, and a huge dream that I've held for myself for so long that I couldn't not share it. Moving forward, I will be sharing a lot more about parenting and some of the wisdom I learn along the way and how parenting applies to business and being a Prosperous Empath® and and vice versa. Now today, I am so excited to share my birth story with you, some of the lessons we've learned (again), a look at what maternity leave has been like – what has surprised me and delighted me and what has felt really challenging. It feels really vulnerable and special to share this, I hope that you can use a bit of it to connect with whatever transition you may find yourself in.

Topics:

• How Catherine held her vision for her ideal labor while also detaching herself from the outcome and the need to control every aspect
• The structures that Catherine had planned for during her birth that helped her feel empowered and even be reflective during the process
• The moments through her labor that Catherine was really thankful for all of the lessons and growth from being an empathpreneur
• Different ways Catherine has made the transition from the hospital to maternity leave to dipping back into work feel very easy
• Surprising decisions that Catherine (and her husband) have made postpartum from welcoming in family to choosing to cosleep
• Final thoughts on the lessons learned about owning your desires, detaching from outcomes, and allowing yourself to be celebrated

Episode Resources:

• Mount Auburn Center for Women

Connect with Catherine:

• Apply to join the free Unbounded community, a vibrant group of empathpreneurs who are passionate about supporting each other on our entrepreneurial journeys.
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Sign up to receive my weekly digest on empathic entrepreneurship and hear from voices committed to spreading this message, sent straight to your inbox every Friday since 2016, here.

Work with Catherine:

• Interested in working 1:1 with a certified coach on Catherine's team, or joining her in one of her premium mastermind programs? Schedule a low-pressure call to begin the conversation here.

Visit this episode's full show notes page here.

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The Prosperous Empath® Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

I'm back! This is the first episode I've recorded since becoming a mom, so today's episode may be a bit more personal than business; however, as you know, the two often spill over into each other. Throughout this episode, I want to share what life looked like a year ago for me because it was radically different than it is today. I also want to speak on some of the lessons that I've learned through not only trying to get pregnant, but pregnancy itself. I am so grateful to be welcoming a baby into the world at this point in my life with the knowledge, support, experience, preparation, and financial stability that I have – but even with all of that there's been so many new things to learn. At the end of the day, I have a newfound appreciation and respect for the mamas who are also entrepreneurs. I hope you enjoy this episode and then tune in next week when I go a little bit deeper into my actual birth story.

Topics:

• What Catherine's life looked like a year ago – not being pregnant, trying to find a home to buy, and other transitions and how she learned to lean into discomfort
• The challenges that Catherine faced when it came to embracing the unknown and trusting the process before she could make the mental space to welcome a baby into the world
• Understanding that surrender and the ability to welcome change is the key to easefully shifting from one season to the next
• How pregnancy has taught Catherine to let go of the rigidity and rigor that she has historically used when it comes to accomplishing her goals

Connect with Catherine:

• Apply to join the free Unbounded community, a vibrant group of empathpreneurs who are passionate about supporting each other on our entrepreneurial journeys.
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Sign up to receive my weekly digest on empathic entrepreneurship and hear from voices committed to spreading this message, sent straight to your inbox every Friday since 2016, here.

Work with Catherine:

• Interested in working 1:1 with a certified coach on Catherine's team, or joining her in one of her premium mastermind programs? Schedule a low-pressure call to begin the conversation here.

Visit this episode's full show notes page here.

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The Prosperous Empath® Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

Last month, we released a mini series called The Prosperous Empath's Edge, and we released the first two episodes in a three part mini series all about the key strategies and tactics that distinguish between the Empathpreneurs who succeed in business and the ones who don't. It was such a joy recording those first two episodes because the lessons feel so familiar and relevant. They're ones that have been a deep part of my own journey over the past decade in business, and there are themes and topics that come up over and over again in conversations with clients. So in today's episode, we're going to round out the third and final part of that mini series by talking about the key qualities that distinguish givers and takers in leadership, in business and in life. For a little context before you listen, I do not believe that givers do business the right way and takers do business in the wrong way. I think that both givers and takers have both positive and limiting aspects of how we operate in business, but as we become more self aware, not only of our own tendencies and our own default habits and ways of engaging in business, but also what to look out for in the people that we typically tend to attract in business and in relationships, we can set ourselves up for creating mutually beneficial relationships. I hope this episode serves as a good starting place for you in doing so!

Topics:

• What it looks like when a giver wins and why people often root for the success of givers rather than that of takers
• The differences in motivation and communication styles betweens givers and takers and why it can be really supportive, as a giver, to look through the lens of "me" first
• How as givers, we're inclined to see the potential in others and why Catherine believes this is why many coaches are givers rather than takers
• The idea that givers are more naturally receptive to the expertise of other people, even if it challenges their own beliefs or knowledge and why it's important to be aware of this
• How to express vulnerability in a way that is authentic and human without making it seem like a weakness
• Adam Grant's concept of "other-ish" givers versus "selfless" givers and how it determines who does and doesn't succeed
• How givers can become less susceptible to the "doormat effect" by trusting more deeply our own inherent nature of being able to sense others' intentions and sincerity

Episode Resources:

• Adam Grant

Connect with Catherine:

• Apply to join the free Unbounded community, a vibrant group of empathpreneurs who are passionate about supporting each other on our entrepreneurial journeys.
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Sign up to receive my weekly digest on empathic entrepreneurship and hear from voices committed to spreading this message, sent straight to your inbox every Friday since 2016, here.

Work with Catherine:

• Interested in working 1:1 with a certified coach on Catherine's team, or joining her in one of her premium mastermind programs? Schedule a low-pressure call to begin the conversation here.

Visit this episode's full show notes page here.

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The Prosperous Empath® Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

On this episode of The Prosperous Empath®, I'm thrilled to sit down with Saleema Vellani, an accomplished 9x founder (3 exits) and award-winning author of the bestselling book, Innovation Starts with I. She's the founder and CEO of Ripple Impact, which helps seasoned professionals and corporate exiters build profitable, purpose-driven portfolio career businesses and pursue their dreams. She invests in women-owned early-stage startups, sits on the National Speakers Association DC Chapter board, and teaches Entrepreneurship at Johns Hopkins University. Saleema also speaks five languages and has traveled to 100+ countries. But what many people don't know about her is that Saleema experienced profound burnout as she was scaling her business. As part of her recovery process, Saleema had to accept the realization that entrepreneurship is, first and foremost, a personal growth journey. She had to dig deep into herself to uncover what it means to truly invest in your well-being, come out of crisis mode, and build a business strategy that was aligned with her values. Listen to our conversation to learn more about burnout recovery and the valuable lessons Saleema discovered along the way.

Topics:

• Saleema's entrepreneurship story, how building a 7-figure business led her down the path of burnout, and what she did to start making more aligned decisions
• The importance of knowing what you can and can't tolerate to proactively avoid physical and mental burnout
• Recognizing empathic tendencies that often contribute to burnout, such as people-pleasing and not being able to say no
• Managing your generosity as an entrepreneur as you scale your business
• How to leverage your gifts, make aligned decisions, and serve people without running yourself dry in the process

Episode Resources:

• Unleashed: The Unapologetic Leader's Guide to Empowering Everyone Around You by Frances Frei
• Innovation Starts with I: Increase Your Influence. Ignite Your Impact by Saleema Vellani

Connect with Saleema:

• Ripple Impact
• Saleema's Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram: @saleemavellani
• Facebook

Connect with Catherine:

• Apply to join the free Unbounded community, a vibrant group of empathpreneurs who are passionate about supporting each other on our entrepreneurial journeys.
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Sign up to receive my weekly digest on empathic entrepreneurship and hear from voices committed to spreading this message, sent straight to your inbox every Friday since 2016, here.

Work with Catherine:

• Interested in working 1:1 with a certified coach on Catherine's team, or joining her in one of her premium mastermind programs? Schedule a low-pressure call to begin the conversation here.

Visit this episode's full show notes page here.

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The Prosperous Empath® Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

Being an empath helped Jane Lawicki thrive in her career, and in this episode of The Prosperous Empath® we're digging deep into the strategies and mindset shifts that she's learned over the last 30+ years in global communications. Jane is a communications strategist, PR consultant, and journalist who's worked with organizations like the United Nations, The World Health Organization, World Bank, and more. She's someone who could be described as a "natural diplomat," but getting there required her to cultivate a new level of awareness about herself as an empath. From getting attuned to your nervous system to learning how to say no graciously, tune in to learn more about the art of everyday diplomacy as an empath.

Topics:

• Becoming aware of your limits as an empath and letting other people bring value to the table, too
• Digging yourself out of chronically overcommitting and learning how to create healthier boundaries
• Connecting with your greater intentions and staying true to your purpose even when conversations get tough
• How to mindfully cultivate relationships with others without spreading yourself too thin

Episode Resources:

• Give and Take by Adam Grant

Connect with Jane:

• LinkedIn

Connect with Catherine:

• Apply to join the free Unbounded community, a vibrant group of empathpreneurs who are passionate about supporting each other on our entrepreneurial journeys.
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Sign up to receive my weekly digest on empathic entrepreneurship and hear from voices committed to spreading this message, sent straight to your inbox every Friday since 2016, here.

Work with Catherine:

• Interested in working 1:1 with a certified coach on Catherine's team, or joining her in one of her premium mastermind programs? Schedule a low-pressure call to begin the conversation here.

Visit this episode's full show notes page here.

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The Prosperous Empath® Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

On this episode of The Prosperous Empath® Podcast, I'm sitting down with Adam Quiney, an Executive Leadership Coach for leaders and high performers. Adam left a successful career in law because he didn't want to shut his empathy down, and in our conversation we're exploring an interesting topic that I haven't touched on the podcast before: the "other side" of empathy. Adam and I talk about the ways in which our empathy can get twisted by fear and discomfort as well as the survival strategies we can create for ourselves as empaths and HSPs. Tune in to deepen your understanding of your empathic nature and build up your emotional vocabulary.

Topics:

• How Adam went from a career in law to becoming an Executive Coach for leaders and the role empathy played in his story
• What we can learn from the "other side" of empathy & the liability of having a wide open heart
• Understanding behavior patterns and survival mechanisms we develop as empaths (and what to do about them)

Episode Resources:

• Give and Take by Adam Grant
• Movie: Shirley Valentine
• Grok Decks

Connect with Adam:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram: @adamquiney_

Connect with Catherine:

• Apply to join the free Unbounded community, a vibrant group of empathpreneurs who are passionate about supporting each other on our entrepreneurial journeys.
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Sign up to receive my weekly digest on empathic entrepreneurship and hear from voices committed to spreading this message, sent straight to your inbox every Friday since 2016, here.

Work with Catherine:

• Interested in working 1:1 with a certified coach on Catherine's team, or joining her in one of her premium mastermind programs? Schedule a low-pressure call to begin the conversation here.

Visit this episode's full show notes page here.

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The Prosperous Empath® Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.