🌑 The Dark Day of the Soul: Leading Through Risk, Burnout, and the Messy Middle

What do you do when the pendulum doesn’t swing forward? When you’ve taken the big risk, made the bold call, and now find yourself stuck in the uncertainty that follows?

In this episode, Kyla Taylor, CEO and Founder of Launch & Prosper Consulting Group, unpacks the psychological toll of leadership when you're deep in the messy middle. She breaks down the difference between risk and readiness, shares a real-world example from the height of the pandemic, and offers a clear framework for clarifying what you’re risking—and why it still matters.

This one’s for founders, executive directors, and leaders holding big vision under pressure. If you’ve been white-knuckling your way through burnout, second-guessing your boldest moves, or wondering if discomfort means danger—it doesn’t. It might just mean growth.

🔗 Learn more about Kyla’s work at launchandprosper.ca

You’ve probably been told to “be a strong leader”—but what does that actually look like? In this episode of The Unmasked Leader, Kyla Taylor (CEO & Founder of Launch & Prosper Consulting Group) gets real about what it means to discover and own your leadership style.

Whether you're running a company, leading a nonprofit, or managing a team, your leadership approach isn’t just about strategy—it’s about self-awareness, adaptability, and how you make people feel.

Kyla unpacks five core leadership archetypes—Visionary, Strategist, Caregiver, Disruptor, and Culture Builder—and shares how understanding your default mode can help you build trust, make better decisions, and prevent burnout. She opens up about her own blend of Strategist and Caregiver, and reflects on early doubts and the imposter syndrome that often comes with growing into leadership roles.

You’ll hear why leadership style isn’t static, how the best leaders learn to flex depending on the moment, and why knowing your strengths (and shadows) can make the difference between leading with clarity or reacting under pressure.

We also explore:

- How self-awareness strengthens your leadership brand

- Why some styles are more helpful in crisis than others

- The risks of over-identifying with any one style

- How to reflect on your past wins and missteps to define your approach

- What it means to “lead like you”

Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been in a leadership role for years, this episode offers permission to reflect, recalibrate, and show up more intentionally.

Ask yourself: What’s my style—and when do I need to shift it?

Learn how to spot the difference between confident leadership and costly missteps, and why knowing when to pause might be your real power move.

In this episode of The Unmasked Leader, Kyla explores what happens when leaders mistake speed for strategy. From personal missteps in banking to lessons from scrappy entrepreneurs, she shares honest reflections on how acting too quickly, without enough context, can backfire. We unpack the line between decisiveness and impulsiveness, the risks of mission drift, and why your team needs to see the full equation, not just your decision. Whether you lead a nonprofit, a startup, or a scaling business, this episode is your pause button, to check your momentum and move with intention.

This isn’t a trailer — it’s a beginning. In this pilot episode, Kyla Taylor, CEO & Founder of Launch & Prosper Consulting Group, opens the door to The Unmasked Leader with an honest reflection on what leadership really feels like. From hidden pressure to founder fatigue, she explores why this podcast exists — and who it’s for.