The TrueIcon Podcast

Andrew Stoute spent years saying someday. Someday he would write the book. Someday he would put it out there. Then one conversation with the right person shifted something, and someday became this week.

Andrew is the host of Let's Be Diverse, a podcast with more than 230 episodes, and the author of the brand-new Let's Be Diverse: A Practical Guide to Leading Through Change. He has spent years inside HR, leadership development, and real conversations about what it looks like to lead when you are making it up as you go. Because here is what he has seen firsthand: most leaders are genuinely scared. Not because they are underqualified, but because no one told them that not having all the answers was the whole point.

In this conversation, Andrew and Jen talk through what makes leading through uncertainty actually hard: the gap between managing yourself and managing other people, the communication breakdown that happens when organizations don't prepare their new leaders, and the real reason people stay silent when they should be asking for help. They also get practical, walking through exactly how Andrew uses LinkedIn to go from a comment to a real conversation to a real working relationship.

He shares what his mother always told him about the person on the other end of any conversation. He explains why a "no" from a networking connection is almost never a final no. And he admits something that might surprise people who follow him: confidence is still something he works on every day. He just does not let it stop him. His three-year podcast proves it. This book does too.

If you are leading a team and figuring it out as you go, or you have a someday that has been sitting on a shelf for too long, this conversation is for you.

GET THE BOOK:
Let's Be Diverse: A Practical Guide to Leading Through Change
https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Be-Diverse-Practical-Leading/dp/B0HMG2KJ33/

FOLLOW ANDREW:
Podcast and YouTube: @letsbediversepodcast
LinkedIn: Andrew Stoute

FOLLOW JEN AND TRUEICON:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beatrueicon
Website: https://www.beatrueicon.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferdegroff/

CHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome: This Season Is About Humanity
01:43 The Book He Never Planned to Write
03:53 Why Leadership Uncertainty Matters Right Now
05:39 The Fear Leaders Will Not Say Out Loud
06:47 Going From Leading Yourself to Leading Others
09:34 The Communication Gap That Costs Everyone
11:22 The Real Cost of Staying Silent
16:23 The Someday That Became Now
18:49 Who Is Going to Read It?
20:47 Diversity of Thought: It's Okay to Disagree
23:25 The Power of Collaboration
26:55 Numbers Don't Lie: Contact 5 to 10 People
30:37 Legacy Is Temporary. Impact Lasts Forever.
31:37 The LinkedIn Comment-to-Connection Strategy
36:46 His Mother's Lesson: You Never Know Who You're Talking To
40:06 Confidence Is Always a Work in Progress
44:54 If We All Work Together, We Can Accomplish Anything

ABOUT TRUEICON:
Hosted by Jennifer DeGroff, the TrueIcon Podcast is an interview show about authenticity, growth, and redefining success on your own terms. We celebrate uniqueness, normalize imperfection, talk values, and lift people up. Whether you are navigating a career change, building a business, or trying to find your voice, this is your space to feel empowered to step into your greatness.

Follow along for more

As I get ready to launch Season 2 of the TrueIcon Podcast,

I’m reflecting on what I’ve learned about perfectionism, self-trust, and the courage it takes to show up as yourself.

This season, I’ve been grateful for the honest conversations with people willing to share what they’ve learned, what they’ve changed their minds about, and the moments that shaped them. Those conversations reminded me that we don’t need to have all the answers, and that we’re always learning, evolving, and growing.

In this episode, I share:

-How perfectionism can keep me from even trying

-What it means to stop playing small and show up more fully

-Why our stories and voices matter

-What I’m looking forward to in Season 2, including more collaborations and in-person conversations

My hope is that these conversations help you find something in yourself that you want to nurture—or give you the encouragement to act on something you’ve been putting off. Thank you for listening and being part of this journey. Stay true to yourself, and boldly grow.

She was abandoned as a newborn, survived three days alone before anyone found her, and grew up terrified of rooms full of people. Today she speaks to 25,000 people at once, and built an entire community around one idea: everyone deserves to feel seen.

Jen sits down with LeeAnne Ruff, keynote speaker and founder of ADK Woman and Bright Side Leadership Group, to talk about the loneliness epidemic hiding behind our most "connected" society.

LeeAnne opens up about the origin story she rarely shares, being abandoned at birth, neglected in foster care, and carrying a lifelong inability to feel love even in a marriage she trusts. She and Jen unpack what it costs to not feel seen, how LeeAnne turned that into her SEEN Standard framework, and why chasing "number one" almost cost her everything.

This one is for anyone who has ever walked into a room and walked out just as alone as they walked in.

Takeaways:

• The Seen Standard: See yourself first, engage like a human, establish rituals, notice who's missing.
• Isolation vs. loneliness: not the same thing, only one of them is a problem.
• You are not your failure.
• Interested over interesting: curiosity about someone else beats social fear.

Chapters:
00:00 Welcome and the power of being seen
01:42 Meet LeeAnne Ruff
04:19 Building ADK Woman
07:44 Friend Working: no business cards, just human ones
14:25 The Room: strangers into real conversations
18:21 The introvert who speaks to 25,000 people
23:12 Abandoned at birth: LeeAnne's origin story
34:00 The call that changed everything: losing her mom
35:23 Rock bottom, PTSD, and rebuilding a career
38:58 The Oprah moment
39:39 Resilience is already in you
40:33 The phone alarm trick, nine years later
41:03 The ripple effect of feeling seen
55:44 Fear as a companion, not something to eliminate
58:09 The SEEN Standard
1:09:08 How to start showing up as your true self today

Subscribe, rate, and review. It helps us bring more honest stories to listeners like you, and share this with someone who needs it.

Find LeeAnne Ruff:
leeanneruff.com | linkedin.com/in/leeanneruff | facebook.com/leeanneruff | adkwoman.com

Find Jen DeGroff & TrueIcon:
instagram.com/beatrueicon | beatrueicon.com | linkedin.com/in/jenniferdegroff

About LeeAnne Ruff:
Keynote speaker and leadership expert with 30+ years of experience. Founder of ADK Woman, a community fighting loneliness through real connection, and Bright Side Leadership Group. Creator of Friend Working and The Room.

About The TrueIcon Podcast:
Hosted by Jennifer DeGroff, an interview show about authenticity, growth, and redefining success on your own terms. We celebrate uniqueness, normalize imperfection, and lift people up.

#beatrueicon #staytrueandboldlygrow #beingseen #authenticconnection #resilienc

She called it ambition. Her body called it burnout. Two decades of pushing through before a late diagnosis finally explained what had been happening all along.

In this episode of the TrueIcon Podcast, Jen sits down with Emma Cowsill, ADHD executive coach and founder of EchoNorth, who works at the intersection of neurodivergent leadership and lean systems thinking. Emma now helps ADHD founders and leaders build sustainable performance without burnout. But first, she had to figure out what was costing her.

They unpack the invisible cost of masking, what the burnout loop really looks like from the inside, and what shifts when you finally have language for your own experience. If you have ever felt like you are giving everything and still running on empty, this one is for you.

If this episode inspired you, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review. It helps us bring more honest, real stories to listeners like you.

TAKEAWAYS
• Busy and purposeful are not the same thing, and the difference matters
• Masking carries an invisible cost most people carry quietly for years
• Neurodivergent-friendly practices make every team better, not just some
• Late diagnosis can bring both relief and grief that complexity deserves space
• Clarity about how you work best is a superpower, not a demand

CHAPTERS
00:00 "Being busy felt like the purpose"
00:57 Welcome and the hidden cost of performance
05:27 Why inclusive design helps everyone
13:13 Two decades in corporate: the praise and the invisible cost
20:10 Living without language for your own experience
21:09 The lockdown quiz that changed everything
33:38 Sharing the diagnosis with her team first
40:12 Where lean thinking and ADHD coaching meet
47:24 Protecting your energy like your life depends on it
56:00 What Emma wants you to know right now

CONNECT WITH EMMA
Website: echonorth.co.uk
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/emmacowsill
Instagram: instagram.com/echonorthuk
YouTube: youtube.com/@EchoNorthuk
Facebook: facebook.com/echonorthuk

CONNECT WITH JEN & TRUEICON
Instagram: instagram.com/beatrueicon
Website: beatrueicon.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jenniferdegroff

ABOUT EMMA
Emma Cowsill is the UK's only executive coach at the intersection of neurodivergent leadership and lean systems thinking. Two decades in FTSE 100 operations, an AuDHD diagnosis that reframed everything, and a mission to help ADHD founders and leaders build structures that actually fit.

ABOUT THE TRUEICON PODCAST
Hosted by Jennifer DeGroff, the TrueIcon Podcast is an interview show about authenticity, growth, and redefining success on your own terms. We celebrate uniqueness, normalize imperfection, and always lift people up.

#beatrueicon #staytrueandboldlygrow #neurodivergentleadership #AuDHD

He left home because he didn't feel seen. He built a career in New York City, found his community, and came back three years ago a different version of himself. Now he helps organizations do what took him years to figure out: build cultures where people can actually show up.

In this episode of the TrueIcon Podcast, Jen sits down with Chris Walrath, VP of Growth at Walrath Recruiting, executive coach, and DEI advocate.

What surprises most people about Chris? He recharges in complete silence, sipping tea and listening to jazz. The person who spends his days deep in human connection craves quiet more than anything.

This conversation has that same energy: honest, unhurried, and real.

Chris and Jen dig into what belonging actually looks like at work versus just fitting in, what it takes to name what you need so people can actually show up for you, and why coming home to yourself is sometimes the hardest journey of all. They also sit in the parallel moments both of them have had when everything had to be stripped away before they could hear their own voice again.

If you have ever wondered whether you are actually belonging somewhere or just surviving it, this one is worth your hour.

What we get into:

• Belonging vs. fitting in and why the difference matters at work
• What inclusion actually requires beyond good intentions
• How to name what you need so others can actually show up
• Coming home to yourself after years of building somewhere else
• Why your values are always the road back

If this episode inspired you, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review. And if someone needs to hear this one, send it their way.

Connect with Chris:
Instagram: @itschriswalrath
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/cwalrath
Facebook: facebook.com/christopher.walrath.5

Connect with Jen and TrueIcon:
Instagram: @beatrueicon
Website: beatrueicon.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jenniferdegroff

About Chris Walrath: Workforce development leader, executive coach, and DEI advocate helping people and organizations thrive for over a decade. VP of Growth at Walrath Recruiting and Albany Business Review 40 Under 40 honoree.

About the TrueIcon Podcast: Hosted by Jennifer DeGroff. An interview show about authenticity, growth, and redefining success on your own terms. Real stories, no performance, always lifting people up.

#beatrueicon #staytrueandboldlygrow #Belonging #AuthenticLeadership

TRUE ICON PODCAST | Chris Walrath

You have been waiting for someone to give you permission to change your life. Tim Parent is here to tell you that person has been you the whole time.

In this episode of the TrueIcon Podcast, Jen sits down with Tim Parent, host of Pieces to Wellness, author of Never Underestimate the Power of You, and a mental health advocate who turned his own lived experience with anxiety into a message that reaches people exactly when they need it.

In this conversation: the story you tell yourself and what it is actually costing you, why awareness is the foundation of everything, how to do it afraid when you are not ready, what healing really looks like in the small everyday moments, and why vulnerability is your greatest strength.

If you have ever caught yourself shrinking, waiting, or running on empty, this one was made for you.

If this episode inspired you, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review. It helps us bring more honest, real stories to listeners like you. And if someone in your life needs to hear this one, share it with them. That is how we grow this community.

Find Tim:

@piecestowellness on Instagram and Facebook

Pieces to Wellness Podcast on Spotify

Book: Never Underestimate the Power of You

Find Jen DeGroff & TrueIcon:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beatrueicon

Website: https://www.beatrueicon.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferdegroff/

Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: CGRQ0DEMPRTWQXFJ

#beatrueicon #staytrueandboldlygrow #mentalhealthpodcast #anxiety

CHAPTERS

00:00 - Welcome and intro

02:17 - What most people don't know about Tim

06:54 - How journaling became a book and a message

10:39 - Why your purpose doesn't have to be grand

13:00 - Faux connection and instant gratification

16:50 - Defining happiness and success on your terms

22:37 - What people stuck in waiting mode are feeling

25:35 - Do it afraid: courage is action despite fear

31:07 - Awareness as the foundation of everything

35:50 - How to build awareness as a daily practice

41:00 - The story you tell yourself and how to rewrite it

44:13 - The tree and the basil: two analogies that hit

51:05 - Why vulnerability is your greatest strength

59:19 - How Tim defines success now

01:00:44 - The legacy Tim wants to leave

01:02:29 - One thing to take with you today

Most of us feel stuck in the in-between, knowing there’s more beyond the current chaos but unsure how to get there. Jeannine Trimboli’s inspiring journey from theatre to entrepreneurship, fitness, and ultimately thriving in the trades reveals a powerful truth: transformation begins when you let go of control and trust the process.

In this episode, Jeannine shares how she overcame self-doubt, built a business from scratch in the middle of personal upheaval, and found clarity in blending diverse life experiences into a purpose-driven career.

You'll discover how embracing grit, curiosity, and self-awareness empowers her to lead with authenticity in industries where women are underrepresented, breaking barriers and shifting mindsets along the way.

We break down specific strategies Janine used to cultivate resilience, find alignment, and cultivate a growth mindset amid challenges.

Topics include redefining success, navigating difficult conversations, and harnessing the power of intentionality through meditation, journaling, and community. Her story offers a blueprint for anyone seeking to rebuild or reinvent themselves, highlighting that success isn’t a finish line but a continuous practice of inner work and openness.

Why does this matter?

Because without clarity and self-trust, your potential remains hidden behind fears and assumptions. But with her insights, you'll learn how to spot opportunities in disguise, whether in your career, relationships, or personal growth, and move forward with confidence, even in chaos.

Perfect for anyone feeling at a crossroads or craving more alignment, Jeannine's experience reminds us that growth is ongoing, and grace is essential along the way. Her journey shows that life’s toughest moments often lead to your most authentic, powerful self. Ready to see the bigger door waiting for you? Hit play and start your next chapter.

Connect with Jeannine Trimboli:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jmtrimboli

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmtrimboli

Instagram: @jeanninetrimboli

She got the corner office. Wore the power suit. And walked away.

In this episode, Jen sits down with Lisa Boucher, HR consultant, career coach, and 6th-degree Taekwondo Black Belt with over two decades in HR. They get into why avoiding hard conversations is actually the unkind choice, how the stories we make up in our heads are almost always wrong, and what self-advocacy really looks like when you are scared to use your voice.

If you have ever held back, stayed too long in the wrong room, or wondered if being direct makes you difficult, this one will change how you think about that.

Subscribe, rate, and leave a review. And if someone needs to hear this, share it.

Connect with Lisa:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisa_rosati_boucher
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamboucher
Facebook: https://facebook.com/LisaBoucherMentorCoach

Connect with Jen and TrueIcon:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beatrueicon
Website: https://www.beatrueicon.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferdegroff/

CHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome and intro
03:03 The temper she had to unlearn
08:12 What happens when you stop self-advocating
21:42 The ripple effect of one conversation
34:19 Redefining what success actually looks like
36:22 The fear and freedom of going out on your own
53:53 Staying true to your values in real life
59:37 One last thing: have more fun

#beatrueicon #staytrueandboldlygrow #hardconversations #hrtips

The Ingredients to Making a Bold Move with Kristen Rocco

What's between you and your next bold move?

For over 15 years, Kristen Rocco worked as a Brand Leader for global companies, mastering the art of turning corporate strategy into human connection. Today, she uses that same storytelling lens to bridge the gap between where people are and where they want to go.

In this episode of the TrueIcon Podcast, Jen sits down with Kristen and dives into Kristen's experience of climbing a path that looked "right" until the quiet pull toward something more became impossible to ignore. She did not have all the answers when she made her move. She had a desire, a sense of who she wanted to become, and the courage to act anyway.

Together, Jen and Kristen unpack her three-part Bold Moves framework: desire, who, and do. They go deep on what it really means to listen to yourself when everything around you says stay, how to stop waiting for certainty before you take the leap, and why your recurring desires are not random, they are data.

What You Will Take Away:

• Desire is direction: If a want keeps coming back, it is not noise. It is a signal worth following.
• The bold move framework: Three questions that cut through overthinking and get you moving.
• You do not need certainty: Most bold moves are made without a full plan. Action comes before clarity.
• Community is the strategy: Who you surround yourself with shapes what you believe is possible.
• Authenticity is a practice: Living true is not a moment. It is a daily decision.

Chapters:
00:00 Welcome and intro
03:15 Kristen's career that looked right on paper
12:40 The internal shift before anything changed externally
22:10 The bold moves framework: desire, who, and do
33:45 What fulfillment actually feels like
42:20 Fear, community, and doing it anyway
52:00 Legacy, authenticity, and what is alive right now

Where to Find Kristen Rocco:
Instagram: @kristenrocco
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kristenrocco
Substack: kristenrocco.substack.com
Podcast: Bold Moves: How Did You Know? on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/0GoOwSiG8iQo3F5Ch7OyLt

Where to Find Jen DeGroff and TrueIcon:
Instagram: instagram.com/beatrueicon
Website: beatrueicon.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jenniferdegroff

About Kristen Rocco:
Kristen Rocco is a writer, speaker, and podcast host on a mission to help people stop waiting for permission and start making bold moves. Through her podcast Bold Moves: How Did You Know? and her writing on Substack, she explores the real, messy, honest stories behind major life pivots. Her work is grounded in the belief that desire is not a distraction. It is a map.

About the TrueIcon Podcast:
Hosted by Jennifer DeGroff, the TrueIcon Podcast is an show about authenticity, growth, and redefining success on your own terms. We celebrate uniqueness, normalize imperfection, talk values, and lift people up. Whether you are navigating a large change, building a business, or trying to find your voice, this is your space to feel empowered to step into your greatness.

#beatrueicon #staytrueandboldlygrow #boldmoves #careerpivot

He did everything right. Climbed from the mailroom to senior software engineer at a Fortune 500 company. Checked every box. And then one day he quit. Not because he failed, but because he finally got honest about what success actually meant to him.

In this episode of the TrueIcon Podcast, Jen sits down with Brad Colacino, founder and creative director of Bright Cycle Design Co., community builder, storyteller, musician, and mentor. Brad spent over two decades navigating the corporate ladder before making the leap to build something that actually felt like him. His story is not about burning it all down. It is about getting quiet enough to hear what you actually want.

Brad and Jen talk about what it costs to stay somewhere that no longer fits, how sobriety reshaped his relationship with himself and his work, and what it looks like to build a creative life from scratch after decades in corporate. He also gets into community, mentorship, and why redefining success is not a one-time decision but a daily practice.

If this episode inspired you, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review. It helps us bring more honest, real stories to listeners like you.

In this episode:

• Climbing every rung of the corporate ladder and still feeling empty
• The decision to quit and what finally made it feel possible
• How his personal journey changed everything, including how he creates
• Building Bright Cycle Design Co. from the ground up
• Community, mentorship, and showing up for other people
• What redefining success actually looks like in daily life

Chapters:

00:00 Intro + Meet Brad

08:37 How Brad defines success now vs. then

16:24 The tipping point that made quitting feel possible 23:23 Divorce, financial pressure, and choosing not to go back

32:32 No wrong roads: lessons from The Phantom Tollbooth 41:58 The stepdad story that stopped the room

51:49 The sobriety journey

01:06:28 Building community and the question that changes everything

01:22:24 Equal parts irrational confidence and humility

Connect with Brad:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-colacino/
Website: brightcycledesign.com

Connect with Jen and TrueIcon:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beatrueicon
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferdegroff/
Website: https://www.beatrueicon.com

About Brad Colacino:
Brad Colacino is the founder and creative director of Bright Cycle Design Co. After more than two decades in corporate, including a senior software engineering role at a Fortune 500 company, he made the leap to build a creative life on his own terms. He is a community builder, storyteller, musician, and mentor who has been rewriting what success actually means.

About the TrueIcon Podcast:
Hosted by Jennifer DeGroff, the TrueIcon Podcast is an interview show about authenticity, growth, and redefining success on your own terms. We celebrate uniqueness, normalize imperfection, and lift people up. Whether you are navigating a career change, building a business, or trying to find your voice, this is your space to feel empowered to step into your greatness.

#beatrueicon #staytrueandboldlygrow #creativelife #redefinesuccess