Tutum Talk with Cara Nance

What if the greatest advantage we'll have in the age of AI isn't technology... but our humanity?

In this episode of Tutum Talk, I sit down with Mike Hruska, CEO of Baryons, to explore one of the most important leadership conversations of our time: how curiosity, self-awareness, and meaningful connection will shape the future of human potential.

While artificial intelligence continues to transform the way we work and live, Mike offers a refreshing perspective: technology is at its best when it helps us become more human—not less.

Together, we explore why the questions we ask matter just as much as the answers we seek, how curiosity fuels innovation and trust, and why leaders who embrace lifelong learning will be best equipped for the future.

Whether you're leading a team, navigating change, or simply wondering how to remain grounded in an increasingly digital world, this conversation offers practical wisdom and hopeful perspective.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why curiosity is one of the most important leadership skills of the future

• How asking better questions creates stronger relationships and deeper trust

• The intersection of AI, self-awareness, and human performance

• Why technology should amplify—not replace—our humanity

• The role of mindset, systems thinking, and continuous learning in leadership

• How voice-first AI can support reflection, accountability, and personal growth

• What leaders can learn from chaos theory, emergence, and interconnected systems

• Practical ways to cultivate curiosity in your work and everyday life

Memorable Quotes

"The leaders who will thrive aren't necessarily the ones with all the answers—they're the ones who never stop asking questions."

"As technology evolves, our humanity becomes even more important, not less."

Connect with Mike Hruska

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

Learn more about Baryons: https://www.baryons.com

2gastronauts (food!): https://2gastronauts.com/

Connect with Cara

If this conversation resonated with you and you're looking to grow as a leader, I'd love to connect.

Whether you're navigating change, building stronger teams, or seeking greater alignment in your own leadership, coaching creates space to lead with greater clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Learn more about Tutum Leadership Coaching:
https://www.tutumleadershipcoaching.com

Connect with Cara on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/caranance/

Subscribe to Tutum Talk so you never miss an episode exploring leadership in the everyday and beyond.

If you enjoyed this conversation, please leave a rating and review—it helps more people discover the show and join our growing community of leaders.

About Tutum Talk:

Tutum Talk with Cara Nance is a podcast for leaders who lead with heart - even when they doubt themselves. Through honest conversations about presence, intuition, courage, and connection, Cara helps listeners build leadership rooted in humanity, not perfection.

Music provided by Music_Unlimited

What does leadership look like when the stakes are high?

In this special episode of Tutum Talk, I sit down with my dad, Steve Nance, to explore the lessons he's learned through a lifetime of leadership. Steve served more than 20 years in the U.S. Army, including service during the Vietnam War, before transitioning into the private sector as an advertising executive. Throughout our conversation, he shares the principles that guided him through moments of uncertainty, responsibility, and change.

Together, we explore what it means to lead under pressure, the importance of situational awareness, and why listening is one of the most powerful leadership tools available. Steve reflects on lessons learned from military service, insights gained from leading teams in civilian organizations, and the responsibility that comes with being entrusted to lead others.

Whether you're leading a team, a family, a classroom, a business, or simply yourself through a challenging season, this conversation offers practical wisdom that remains just as relevant today as it was throughout Steve's decades of service.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How early life experiences shaped Steve's leadership philosophy

• The importance of active listening and situational awareness

• Why leaders must take ownership when responsibility falls to them

• The difference between leadership and management—and why both matter

• Lessons learned from military service that apply to everyday leadership

• How preparation creates confidence during uncertainty

• Leading people through challenges while maintaining trust and clarity

• The value of humility, service, and lifelong learning

One of the most memorable lessons Steve shares comes from a four-star general:

"When you're in charge, take charge."

Simple. Direct. Timeless.

This conversation is a reminder that leadership isn't reserved for a title or position. It's reflected in how we show up, serve others, make decisions, and respond when circumstances demand our best.

Thank you for listening to Tutum Talk. If this conversation resonates with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode with someone who may benefit from it.

If you're interested in exploring your own leadership journey through strengths-based coaching, I'd love to connect. Learn more about one-on-one coaching opportunities at tutumleadershipcoaching.com.

Connect with Cara:
Website: www.tutumleadershipcoaching.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/caranance

About Tutum Talk:

Tutum Talk with Cara Nance is a podcast for leaders who lead with heart - even when they doubt themselves. Through honest conversations about presence, intuition, courage, and connection, Cara helps listeners build leadership rooted in humanity, not perfection.

Music provided by Music_Unlimited

What helps people thrive at work, in relationships, and in life?

According to leadership researcher and organizational psychologist Jesse Erdheim, Ph.D., one of the most important ingredients is psychological safety.

In this episode of Tutum Talk, Jesse and Cara explore what psychological safety really means beyond the workplace buzzword. Together, they discuss why people are more likely to learn, contribute, innovate, and grow when they feel safe enough to be themselves, take risks, and speak honestly without fear of judgment or punishment.

The conversation extends beyond leadership and organizations into everyday life, exploring how psychological safety influences our relationships, parenting, friendships, and personal development.

Whether you're leading a team, raising children, supporting loved ones, or simply seeking to create healthier connections, this episode offers practical insights for fostering trust, belonging, and growth in the spaces that matter most.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• What psychological safety is—and what it isn't

• Why psychological safety is essential for learning, creativity, and innovation

• The connection between trust, vulnerability, and growth

• How leaders can create environments where people feel safe to contribute

• The impact of psychological safety on team performance and workplace culture

• Why psychological safety matters in friendships, families, and personal relationships

• The role of curiosity, empathy, and active listening in building trust

• How mistakes can become opportunities for learning when safety is present

• Practical ways to foster psychological safety in everyday interactions

Key Takeaways

✔ People grow where they feel safe.

✔ Psychological safety encourages honest communication and healthy risk-taking.

✔ Trust is built through consistency, transparency, and empathy.

✔ Growth happens more readily when mistakes are viewed as learning opportunities.

✔ Leaders set the tone for whether others feel safe to speak up and contribute.

✔ Psychological safety is not just a workplace concept—it is a foundation for healthy human relationships.

About Jesse Erdheim, Ph.D.

Jesse Erdheim, Ph.D. is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist with 20 years of experience working with individuals and groups to enhance well-being, resilience, and connection. He is passionate about empowering others to flourish using evidence-based strategies from Positive
Psychology, Mindfulness, and Behavioral Change. In his private practice, he works with individuals, couples, and groups to strengthen resilience, deepen connection and create intentional thriving lives.

Connect with Jesse Erdheim, Ph.D.

Website: https://www.jesseerdheim.com/

LinkedIn: Jesse Erdheim, Ph.D. (hyperlinked text)

Connect with Cara Nance & Tutum Leadership Coaching

If this conversation resonated with you and you're interested in creating stronger connections, healthier team cultures, or more psychologically safe workplaces, Cara would love to connect.

Schedule a complimentary conversation:
https://calendly.com/tutumleadershipcoaching/let-s-connect

Learn more:
www.tutumleadershipcoaching.com

About Tutum Talk:

Tutum Talk with Cara Nance is a podcast for leaders who lead with heart - even when they doubt themselves. Through honest conversations about presence, intuition, courage, and connection, Cara helps listeners build leadership rooted in humanity, not perfection.

Music provided by Music_Unlimited

There’s a certain kind of wisdom that doesn’t demand attention. It quietly shapes the way we lead, listen, prepare, and care for others.

In this special episode of Tutum Talk, Cara sits down with her mother, Connie Nance, for a heartfelt conversation about the leadership lessons that only life experience can teach. Drawing from decades of professional and personal leadership experience, Connie shares practical insights on planning ahead, listening beyond words, asking thoughtful questions, and using storytelling to build trust and connection.

Together, they explore the kind of leadership that isn’t always loud or flashy, but deeply impactful — the kind rooted in curiosity, preparation, humility, and human understanding.

In this episode, we explore:
• Why great leaders always have a Plan B (and sometimes a Plan C)
• The power of active listening and paying attention to what isn’t being said
• How storytelling creates connection and trust
• Why curiosity is one of the most underrated leadership skills
• Leadership lessons passed from one generation to another
• The importance of humility, preparation, and emotional awareness

About Connie Nance:
Connie Nance brings decades of leadership experience across labor relations, occupational safety, team leadership, and public service, including her work with the Department of Defense. Her thoughtful perspective and lived experience offer timeless reminders that leadership is less about authority and more about awareness, adaptability, and connection.

Thank you for listening to Tutum Talk — a space for exploring leadership in the every day and beyond.

If this episode resonated with you and you’d like support in your own leadership journey, I’d love to connect with you for one-on-one coaching:
https://www.tutumleadershipcoaching.com

About Tutum Talk:

Tutum Talk with Cara Nance is a podcast for leaders who lead with heart - even when they doubt themselves. Through honest conversations about presence, intuition, courage, and connection, Cara helps listeners build leadership rooted in humanity, not perfection.

Music provided by Music_Unlimited

What happens when the version of success you worked so hard to build no longer feels aligned with the life you want to live?

In this episode of Tutum Talk, Cara sits down with Alicia Grantham, founder of Lavender and Lemons Coaching, for an honest conversation about ambition, motherhood, identity, burnout, and redefining success on your own terms.

After years of climbing the corporate ladder, Alicia began to realize that while she still desired meaningful work and financial freedom, she no longer wanted achievement at the expense of her well-being, family, or sense of self. Together, Cara and Alicia explore the quiet tension many ambitious women carry: wanting more while also longing for peace, flexibility, and alignment.

This conversation is a gentle but powerful reminder that success can evolve alongside us — and that choosing a different path does not mean you’ve failed. It may simply mean you’re becoming more honest about what truly matters.

Whether you’re navigating leadership, motherhood, career transition, burnout, or the pressure to “hold it all together,” this episode offers encouragement, reflection, and permission to redefine success in a way that feels sustainable and true.

In this episode, Cara and Alicia discuss:
• Redefining success beyond titles and external validation
• The hidden emotional weight many ambitious mothers carry
• Career pivots, identity shifts, and evolving priorities
• Why self-care is essential, not selfish
• Creating boundaries that support both ambition and well-being
• Learning to trust yourself during seasons of change
• Building a life and career that align with your values

About Alicia Grantham:
Alicia Grantham is the founder of Lavender and Lemons Coaching and a strategic coach for ambitious moms who feel successful on paper but internally exhausted. After a successful corporate career as a CPA and leader, Alicia now helps women build careers and lives that feel aligned with who they are becoming — without sacrificing themselves in the process.

Connect with Alicia on Instagram: @a.s.grantham
Listen to: The Mom’s Got This... Mostly Podcast

If this episode resonated with you, please consider subscribing, sharing with someone who may need this conversation, or leaving a review. And if you’re navigating leadership, burnout, transition, or personal growth, Cara would love to connect with you for one-on-one coaching support.

Connect with Cara:
https://www.tutumleadershipcoaching.com/

About Tutum Talk:

Tutum Talk with Cara Nance is a podcast for leaders who lead with heart - even when they doubt themselves. Through honest conversations about presence, intuition, courage, and connection, Cara helps listeners build leadership rooted in humanity, not perfection.

Music provided by Music_Unlimited

What if your relationship with money didn’t actually begin with you?

Many of us inherited unconscious beliefs about money through family dynamics, cultural conditioning, silence, stress, scarcity, or messages we absorbed long before we understood their impact. Over time, those beliefs can quietly shape our confidence, leadership, decision-making, self-worth, and relationship with success.

In this episode of Tutum Talk, Cara sits down with Sarah Elder for a thoughtful and deeply honest conversation about money shame, leadership, and healing our relationship with money.

Inspired in part by Sarah’s Substack release, “Taught Not to Talk About Money? It’s Time to Unlearn That One,” this conversation explores the emotional and societal layers many people, especially women, carry around finances.

Together, Cara and Sarah discuss:

•  How subconscious money stories shape adulthood 
•  Why money conversations can feel emotionally charged 
•  The historical and cultural roots of money shame 
•  Leadership, visibility, and financial self-trust 
•  The importance of financial literacy and awareness 
•  Healing inherited beliefs around worth and success 
•  Creating healthier, more honest conversations about money 

This episode is a compassionate reminder that awareness creates choice, and that healing our relationship with money can become part of healing our relationship with ourselves.

Show Notes

In this episode, Cara welcomes Sarah Elder for a meaningful conversation about money shame, inherited beliefs, leadership, and financial empowerment.

Sarah shares insights from her work supporting women in business and reflects on how early experiences and societal conditioning often shape our emotional relationship with money long before adulthood. Together, Cara and Sarah explore how silence around finances can impact confidence, stress, leadership, and personal growth.

Listeners will hear reflections on:

•  Generational beliefs around money 
•  Money shame and emotional conditioning 
•  Leadership and financial confidence 
•  Self-worth and visibility 
•  Financial literacy and empowerment 
•  Healing subconscious money patterns 
•  Why open conversations around money matter 

This episode was inspired in part by Sarah’s Substack release:
 “Taught Not to Talk About Money? It’s Time to Unlearn That One”

Learn more and subscribe to Sarah’s highly informative Substack:
 I Make the Rules substack

About Tutum Talk:

Tutum Talk with Cara Nance is a podcast for leaders who lead with heart - even when they doubt themselves. Through honest conversations about presence, intuition, courage, and connection, Cara helps listeners build leadership rooted in humanity, not perfection.

Music provided by Music_Unlimited

What if beauty was never something you had to chase… but something you defined for yourself?

In this heartfelt conversation, Cara sits down with Tiffaney Webb, founder of Stillness & Skin, to explore aging, self-care, hormonal wellness, and the quiet courage it takes to go against the grain in a culture constantly telling women they are not enough.

Together, they unpack the pressure of “anti-aging” culture, the importance of human touch and nervous system regulation, and the growing concern around beauty marketing aimed at children. Tiffaney also shares how leadership sometimes means creating what you wish existed, even when it feels unconventional or difficult.

This conversation is an invitation to slow down, reconnect with yourself, and reclaim beauty on your own terms.

Show Notes

In this episode of Tutum Talk, Cara Nance welcomes Tiffaney Webb, founder of Stillness & Skin, for a thoughtful conversation about beauty, aging, leadership, and self-trust.

With more than 15 years of experience in holistic skincare and wellness, Tiffaney supports women navigating hormonal shifts from postpartum through menopause. Her work centers around helping women reconnect with themselves beyond the noise of media messaging and unrealistic beauty standards.

Together, Cara and Tiffaney discuss:

•  The emotional weight of anti-aging culture 
•  Why aging is something to honor, not fear 
•  The connection between nervous system regulation and self-care 
•  The healing power of touch and human connection 
•  Mindful skincare for children and the impact of early beauty marketing 
•  How leadership sometimes means creating a different path 
•  Reclaiming beauty, wellness, and self-worth on your own terms 

This episode offers a gentle but powerful reminder that self-care is not about perfection. It’s about presence, awareness, and learning to trust yourself again.

Learn more about Tiffaney’s work: stillnessandskin.com

If this conversation resonates and you’re local to the Triangle, Tiffaney and her team at Stillness & Skin are offering a Mother’s Day special for the month of May: The Stillness Essential facial with a complementary LED add on, all for $150.

A beautiful way to care for yourself… or someone you love.

About Tutum Talk:

Tutum Talk with Cara Nance is a podcast for leaders who lead with heart - even when they doubt themselves. Through honest conversations about presence, intuition, courage, and connection, Cara helps listeners build leadership rooted in humanity, not perfection.

Music provided by Music_Unlimited

What happens when a friendship changes… because leadership entered the picture?

In this solo episode of Tutum Talk, Cara reflects on a question that emerged from her Spring 2026 6 in 6 Mastermind—one that many leaders and team members quietly carry:

This conversation explores the emotional and relational shifts that can happen when roles change inside an organization. Cara offers a compassionate lens for understanding both sides of the experience—honoring the hurt of feeling left out, while also acknowledging the unseen weight that leadership can bring.

If you’ve ever felt like you “lost” a friend to leadership… or if you’ve stepped into a role and sensed relationships shifting around you… this episode offers language, perspective, and grounded ways to move forward with care.

Because sometimes, the relationship isn’t gone.
It’s just changing shape.

Show Notes

In this episode, Cara explores the often unspoken impact leadership transitions can have on relationships—especially when a trusted colleague becomes less accessible after stepping into a leadership role.

This reflection was inspired by a real question from a participant in the 6 in 6 Mastermind, and speaks to the emotional complexity of navigating connection, distance, and evolving roles within a workplace.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

•  Why relationship shifts in leadership are more common than we talk about 
•  How to process feelings of hurt, loss, or disconnection without dismissing them 
•  What may be happening beneath the surface for someone stepping into leadership 
•  How to approach a conversation with honesty, care, and grounded intention 
•  Ways to expand your support system during seasons of change 
•  A gentle reframe: is the relationship gone, or is it evolving? 

This episode also offers an important reminder for leaders:
Even as your role grows, your relationships still matter—and small moments of intentional connection can make a meaningful difference.

Call to Action

If this episode resonated with you, especially if you're navigating a shift in your own relationships or leadership role, you don’t have to hold it alone.

Cara offers one-on-one coaching as a steady, supportive space to reflect, process, and lead with clarity and intention.

You can schedule time through the Let’s Connect link here (hyperlinked text) to explore what support might look like for you.

About Tutum Talk:

Tutum Talk with Cara Nance is a podcast for leaders who lead with heart - even when they doubt themselves. Through honest conversations about presence, intuition, courage, and connection, Cara helps listeners build leadership rooted in humanity, not perfection.

Music provided by Music_Unlimited

What if motivation isn’t something you have… or don’t have?

What if it’s something that can be intentionally built?

In Episode 30 of Tutum Talk, Cara is joined by returning guests Zoë Dehmer and Dr. Jesse Erdheim for a thoughtful and practical conversation about the myth of motivation—and what leaders often misunderstand about it.

Together, they explore what’s really happening when individuals or teams feel “unmotivated,” and why the answer isn’t more pressure, incentives, or pushing harder.

Instead, this conversation invites a different perspective: motivation is something that can be designed.

Through the lenses of leadership, psychology, and real-world experience, Zoë and Jesse share how factors like growth, autonomy, and purpose shape engagement in lasting ways.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, burnt out, or unsure how to re-engage yourself or your team, this episode offers both a reframe and a way forward.

🎧 Tune in to explore how motivation is not found—it’s engineered.

If this conversation resonates, you don’t have to navigate it alone. You’re always welcome to connect 1:1 through the Let’s Connect link to explore what support could look like for you.

📝 Show Notes

In this episode, Cara sits down with returning guests Zoë Dehmer and Dr. Jesse Erdheim to explore one of the most common—and often misunderstood—topics in leadership: motivation.

Rather than viewing motivation as something people either have or lack, this conversation reframes it as something shaped by environment, leadership, and access to growth.

Together, they unpack the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and why so many organizations unintentionally focus on the wrong drivers.

Zoë and Jesse share practical insights for leaders who want to create conditions where motivation can actually take root and sustain itself over time.

In this episode, we explore:

•  Why “lack of motivation” is often a signal, not the root problem 
•  The difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation 
•  How mastery, autonomy, and purpose influence engagement 
•  The role of learning and development in sustaining motivation 
•  Why personalized growth matters more than one-size-fits-all approaches 
•  How leaders can more clearly communicate purpose and connection 
•  The real cost of disengagement, including burnout and turnover 

This episode offers both a mindset shift and practical strategies for leaders who want to move from frustration to intentional design.

Connect with Zoë Dehmer, MPS, ACC at https://www.zoedehmer.com/

Connect with Jesse Erdheim, Ph.D. at https://www.jesseerdheim.com/

Connect with Cara Nance, M.Ed. at https://www.tutumleadershipcoaching.com/

• 6 in 6 Mastermind info here

About Tutum Talk:

Tutum Talk with Cara Nance is a podcast for leaders who lead with heart - even when they doubt themselves. Through honest conversations about presence, intuition, courage, and connection, Cara helps listeners build leadership rooted in humanity, not perfection.

Music provided by Music_Unlimited

In this solo episode, Cara Nance explores the balance between intuition and data in leadership.

Many leaders appear calm and confident externally while internally navigating doubt, uncertainty, and pressure to make the “right” decision. When the data is unclear or incomplete, leaders can feel stuck, seeking more input, overanalyzing, or questioning their own capability.

This episode offers a grounded perspective on intuition as a valuable leadership tool. Not as a replacement for data, but as a complement to it.

Cara shares how developing trust in your internal guidance system can help quiet self-doubt, support clearer decision-making, and create a steadier, more authentic leadership presence.

Key Topics:

•  Internal vs. external leadership experience 
•  The pressure to “get it right” as a leader 
•  Decision-making beyond spreadsheets and pros/cons lists 
•  Building self-trust in moments of uncertainty 
•  Leading with both clarity and intuition 

Reflection Question:
Where in your leadership are you being invited to trust yourself more?

Work with Cara:
If you’re a leader navigating uncertainty, decision fatigue, or self-doubt, Cara offers one-on-one coaching to help you build clarity, confidence, and trust in your leadership.
Connect to learn more: Schedule a conversation (hyperlinked text)

About Tutum Talk:

Tutum Talk with Cara Nance is a podcast for leaders who lead with heart - even when they doubt themselves. Through honest conversations about presence, intuition, courage, and connection, Cara helps listeners build leadership rooted in humanity, not perfection.

Music provided by Music_Unlimited