Unapologetically Me w/ Heather Blankenship

This episode came from realizing that something I called “self-care” was actually costing me more than I wanted to admit.  

I’ve spent years talking about living unapologetically - building businesses, raising kids, and helping women step into confidence. But I hadn’t fully questioned the expectations I’d absorbed around aging and appearance.  

Instead of chasing youth, I started asking different questions about sustainability, health, and longevity - especially as a mother later in life. This conversation isn’t about rejecting beauty or telling anyone what to do. It’s about examining the pressure women quietly live under and deciding what’s actually worth keeping.  

This episode is an honest reflection on aging, identity, and choosing what aligns with the life you want now - not the standards you inherited.  

Chapters: 
00:00 - Intro & Why I Needed to Talk About This 
01:03 - The Small Moment That Sparked a Bigger Realization 
01:32 - Being Confident Everywhere… Except in Appearance 
02:45 - The Time, Energy, and Mental Cost of Maintenance 
03:46 - Motherhood, Aging, and Thinking Long-Term 
04:38 - Choosing Health Over Looking Young 
05:50 - How Women Are Taught to Fear Aging 
06:50 - Letting Go and Sitting With the Discomfort 
07:12 - Aging Gracefully as an Act of Self-Respect  

Join Our Women's Mastermind: https://woman.heatherblankenship.com/

Heather’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherblankenshipx3

Heather's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heather.blankenship.182/

Heather's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heatherblankenshipx3

Heather’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-blankenship-271908140/

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unapologetically-me/id1713972310

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4EtqDw41QW193bH3TKnCiI

Listen, rate and subscribe!

This episode was inspired by a pattern I see all the time.

Women come into my community thinking they’re behind… thinking they need a massive deal or a perfect strategy to get started.

So I invited the coaches from The Society of Entrepreneurial Women to share their real stories - not the highlight reels, but the first deals. The messy ones. The small ones. The ones that gave them confidence before they ever gave them cash flow.

If you’ve been waiting for permission to start where you are - consider this it.

Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
01:05 - Why social media lies about ‘the right’ first real estate deal
01:43 - Jen’s first deal: $106K single-family home
02:26 - The truth behind big numbers & syndications
03:46 - Chrissy’s first deal: marrying her landlord
04:09 - Losing everything & starting over
05:01 - Buying an RV park for $446K → $3M+
05:23 - Jessica’s first deal: $62K condo, unseen
06:22 - From $62K condo to $4.6M assisted living
07:42 - Candace’s first deal: $42K real estate-backed loan
08:18 - Scaling comfort levels over time
08:32 - Carolina’s first deal: just getting her Monopoly piece
09:52 - Building equity, quitting W2s, creating freedom
10:38 - Heather’s first deal: one STR → $16M portfolio
11:24 - Jerry’s first deal: house hacking in college
12:06 - Humble beginnings & the real takeaway
 

Join Our Women's Mastermind: https://woman.heatherblankenship.com/

Heather’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherblankenshipx3

Heather's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heather.blankenship.182/

Heather's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heatherblankenshipx3

Heather’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-blankenship-271908140/

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unapologetically-me/id1713972310

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4EtqDw41QW193bH3TKnCiI

Listen, rate and subscribe!

 🎙 Raising a child with autism can feel overwhelming, isolating, and full of unknowns. What happens when the support you need doesn’t exist? Dr. Stephanie B shares her journey of building a clinic for her daughter, navigating the challenges of parenting, and finding herself along the way.  

From creating a strength-based autism clinic to franchising it to help other families, to exploring self-care, feminine energy, and her new mission as a sexologist, Dr. Stephanie’s story is about resilience, balance, and discovering who you are beyond your role as a parent. This conversation is honest, inspiring, and full of insights for anyone trying to care for others while caring for themselves.

 #autismparenting  #specialneedssupport  #selfcareforparents  #feminineenergy  #parentingjourney  #personalgrowth   

Chapters: 
00:00 - Intro 
00:55 - Episode Overview: Guest & Why This Matters 
01:25 - Autism: The Problem That Sparked a Mission 
02:00 - Infertility, Loss & a Miracle Baby 
03:15 - Going Back to School - Becoming a BCBA 
06:03 - Building Autism Wonderland (the clinic & model) 
07:12 - Why the Center Matters - Parents, Practical Skills & Franchising 
10:32 - Burnout, Self-Care & the Turning Point
14:09 - Reclaiming Feminine Energy - Dance, Creativity & Sexology 
27:45 - Actionable Tip + How to Find Her Work

Join Our Women's Mastermind: https://woman.heatherblankenship.com/

Stephanie's Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/dr.stephanie_v/

Heather’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherblankenshipx3

Heather's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heather.blankenship.182/

Heather's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heatherblankenshipx3

Heather’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-blankenship-271908140/

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unapologetically-me/id1713972310

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4EtqDw41QW193bH3TKnCiI

Listen, rate and subscribe!

What do you do when everyone says your idea won’t work… and the market you’re choosing seems like a “waste of time”?  

Most people back down. Destiny Rowell didn’t.  

In today’s episode, we get into how she went from a single coffee truck to a multi-state franchise, even though she didn’t start with experience, connections, or a love for coffee.  

What she did have was a different way of looking at business, a willingness to build systems, and a real understanding of how small-town communities work.  

We talk through the whole journey - the wins, the setbacks, the really personal chapters of marriage and motherhood - and how she built a company that grows because of people, not in spite of them.  

If you’ve ever felt like you’re “late,” “unqualified,” or building something in a place no one else believes in… this one will hit home. 

Full conversation inside.  

Chapters: 
00:00 - Intro 
01:00 - Meet Destiny: From Coffee Truck to 20+ Franchise Locations 
02:29 - Starting With No Coffee Experience & Building Systems From Scratch 
04:20 - Why Small Towns Became Their Winning Strategy 
06:30 - Picking the Right Partners (and “Business Divorces”) 
12:15 - The Marriage Story: 20 Years, a Teen Son & a New Baby 
16:16 - Navigating Hard Seasons: Addiction, Boundaries & Recovery 
19:50 - Preparing the Business for Maternity Leave 
21:38 - The Real Talk on “Work–Life Balance
24:14 - Hiring: Culture Fit, Red Flags & Personality-Based Vetting
28:08 - What They Look For in Franchisees (“It’s basically dating”) 
29:44 - Bringing Their 17-Year-Old Into the Business 

Join Our Women's Mastermind: https://woman.heatherblankenship.com/

Heather’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherblankenshipx3

Heather's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heather.blankenship.182/

Heather's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heatherblankenshipx3

Heather’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-blankenship-271908140/

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unapologetically-me/id1713972310

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4EtqDw41QW193bH3TKnCiI

Listen, rate and subscribe!

Think big city rentals are too expensive or impossible to cash flow? Think again. Co-living is quietly changing the game for real estate investors, letting them maximize income from homes that might otherwise sit empty.  

In this episode, we break down the strategy that takes a standard single-family home earning $1,600/month and turns it into $4,700/month through smart layout changes, proper tenant screening, and strategic management.  

You’ll hear about the challenges, wins, and real-world tips that make this approach both practical and profitable - even for investors who thought the big city market was out of reach.  

Whether you’re looking for ways to increase cash flow, create affordable housing, or just rethink your rental strategy, this episode is packed with insights and behind-the-scenes details you won’t find anywhere else.  

🎧 Watch now and get inspired to make your properties work harder for you.  

Chapters:  
00:00 - Intro 
02:48 - The Investor's Approach: Why Co-Living? 
03:25 - Identifying a Good Market & Strategy 
06:41 - "Fixed Fee Split" & Forcing Appreciation 
08:25 - The Co-Living Resident Profile (Affordable Housing) 
09:50 - Pricing Strategy: The 20% Discount Rule 
10:34 - Property Setup: Furnishings & Housekeeping 
12:50 - The Tenant Screening Process 
17:00 - Setting Expectations & Handling Conflicts 
18:22 - Logistics: Transportation, Parking, & Supplies 
21:13 - Onboarding New Residents & Community Leaders 
22:23 - Getting Started: Finding the Right Property 
25:04 - Management Time Commitment & Scaling 
27:20 - Building a Brand: The Co-Living Girl  

Join Our Women's Mastermind: https://woman.heatherblankenship.com/

Christiane's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecolivinggirl/

Heather’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherblankenshipx3

Heather's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heather.blankenship.182/

Heather's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heatherblankenshipx3

Heather’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-blankenship-271908140/

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unapologetically-me/id1713972310

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4EtqDw41QW193bH3TKnCiI

Listen, rate and subscribe!

There’s a moment in every entrepreneur’s journey when you realize the strategy you started with can’t take you where you want to go. In this episode, Beth Kolk opens up about that exact turning point. As rental arbitrage became harder to profit from, she and her husband recognized the shift early and transitioned into co-hosting long before the market pushed them in that direction. Today, that pivot has grown into a nearly 60-property operation built through clarity, timing, and the willingness to evolve.  

But this conversation isn’t just about business. Beth shares the emotional side of entrepreneurship - the identity changes that come with stepping away from stable careers, what it’s like to build a company alongside someone who thinks completely differently than you do, and the challenges of hiring, delegating, and learning to trust other people with the work that used to live entirely on your shoulders. She also talks openly about preparing for motherhood while running a growing business and the internal tension between ambition and the desire to slow down and redefine who you are becoming.  

If you’ve ever felt yourself caught in the middle of who you were, who you’re becoming, and the business you’re building along the way, this episode with Beth Kolk will feel like a breath of honesty you didn’t know you needed.   

Chapters: 
00:00 - Intro 
01:26 - Working With Her Husband: Opposites That Work 
03:00 - From 'Normal Jobs' to Entrepreneurship 
06:33 - Why Arbitrage Got Hard + Shift Into Co-Hosting 
08:08 - How They Grew to 60 Properties 
09:33 - Co-Hosting vs Management Companies 
10:50 - Building a Team + Prepping for Baby 
12:12 - Motherhood, Identity, and Homeschooling  

Join Our Women's Mastermind: https://woman.heatherblankenship.com/

Beth's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beth_kolk/

Heather’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherblankenshipx3

Heather's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heather.blankenship.182/

Heather's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heatherblankenshipx3

Heather’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-blankenship-271908140/

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unapologetically-me/id1713972310

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4EtqDw41QW193bH3TKnCiI

Listen, rate and subscribe!

What does “enough” actually mean, and why do so many high achievers feel like they never reach it? In this episode, I sit down with Amberly Grant - real estate investor, FIRE expert, and financial independence strategist - for an honest conversation about the pressure to always do more. We talk about how childhood shapes your money mindset, why the goalpost keeps moving, and how productivity can take over your life without you even realizing it. 

 Amberly opens up about her own journey, the comparison culture in real estate, and the moment she realized the hustle was costing her more than it was giving. If you’ve ever hit a goal and still felt like it wasn’t enough, or wondered what slowing down would actually look like, this episode will speak to you.  

Tune in… this might shift the way you see success.  

Chapters:   
00:00 - Intro 
01:00 - What Is Enough? 
02:40 - Money Stories & How We’re Raised 
04:05 - Comparison Culture in Real Estate 
05:27 - When Productivity Turns Into an Addiction 
09:00 - Life Changes & Shifting Priorities 
11:00 - Learning to Say No 
28:00 - Being Yourself… Even in Toe Shoes 
33:09 - The “Let Them” Theory 
37:47 - One Simple Step to Start Changing Your Life  

Join Our Women's Mastermind: https://woman.heatherblankenship.com/

Amberly’s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amberlygrant/

Heather’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherblankenshipx3

Heather's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heather.blankenship.182/

Heather's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heatherblankenshipx3

Heather’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-blankenship-271908140/

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unapologetically-me/id1713972310   

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4EtqDw41QW193bH3TKnCiI

Listen, rate and subscribe!

Not everyone wants to quit their job. And honestly? That might be the smartest thing you can do.

This week’s guest, Sarah King, is a genetic counselor, mom of two, and real estate investor who’s built serious wealth - without walking away from her career. She’s smart, steady, and totally over the idea that success only counts if it’s risky or loud.

Sarah and Heather talk about what real financial freedom looks like - building slowly, keeping stability, and creating options instead of chaos. They get into how she manages her portfolio, the hacks that make her life easier (hello, Amazon Business account), and the mindset that keeps her grounded while everyone else is shouting about “hustle.”

This isn’t a story about quitting.

It’s about staying, building, and doing it differently.

🎧 Watch the full episode and see how Sarah’s quietly rewriting what success looks like.

Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
01:19 - Do You Really Need to Quit Your Job?
03:30 - The Power of Being Bankable
04:48 - Building Wealth While Staying Secure
08:03 - Money, Makeup & Mindset
11:22 - The Village That Makes It Work
15:01 - Systems, Hacks & Bookkeeping Secrets
13:45 - Doing It Scared: The Power of the First Deal
19:56 - Next Frontier: Boutique Hotels & Partnerships

Join Our Women's Mastermind: https://woman.heatherblankenship.com/

Heather’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherblankenshipx3

Sarah King's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahkinginvests/?hl=en 

Heather's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heather.blankenship.182/

Heather's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heatherblankenshipx3

Heather’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-blankenship-271908140/

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unapologetically-me/id1713972310

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4EtqDw41QW193bH3TKnCiI

Listen, rate and subscribe!

Straight out of high school and already flipping houses. No degree, no plan - just figuring it out one deal at a time.  

What started as one flip turned into eighty. Dominique Gunderson built her real estate business completely remotely, managing teams in another state, working with contractors she’d never met in person, and raising money through real relationships instead of pitches.  

In this episode, Heather and Dominique Gunderson get real about what it takes to build something before you feel “ready.” They talk about the chaos of flipping, the difference between working in your business and on it, and how chasing more isn’t always the move.  

If you’ve ever dreamed about building freedom your own way, this one’s for you.  

🎙️ Watch the full episode now to hear how Dominique built a real estate empire from anywhere.  

Chapters:  
00:00 - Intro 
01:21 - How Dominique Started in Real Estate Straight Out of High School 
04:35 - Transitioning from Wholesaling to Out-of-State Flipping 
07:46 - Buying the First Property and Learning Through Trial and Error 
11:41 - Finding Contractors and Building a Reliable Local Network 
15:32 - Raising Private Capital and Scaling Beyond Solo Flips 
20:54 - Getting Married at 22 While Building a Business 
24:54 - From Flipping to Owning Rentals and Managing Taxes 
27:32 - Living in an RV and Discovering Where ‘Home’ Feels Right 
31:30 - Redefining Success: Quality Over Quantity  

Join Our Women's Mastermind: https://woman.heatherblankenship.com/

Dominique's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dom_flips_nola/

Heather’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherblankenshipx3

Heather's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heather.blankenship.182/

Heather's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heatherblankenshipx3

Heather’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-blankenship-271908140/

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unapologetically-me/id1713972310

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4EtqDw41QW193bH3TKnCiI

Listen, rate and subscribe!

When you hear “Miss Nevada,” you probably think crowns and cameras - not an attorney, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist running multiple companies. But that’s exactly who Lisa Song Sutton is.  

In this episode, Heather Blankenship sits down with Lisa to talk about how a law career and a batch of alcohol cupcakes turned into five successful businesses, including a venture capital fund investing in tech and veteran-led startups.  

Lisa opens up about building through different seasons of life, becoming a mom at 40, and why she doesn’t believe in balance - just building a life that fits.  

If you’ve ever wondered how to do it all without doing it perfectly, this episode will change how you see success.  

Chapters: 
00:00 Intro 
01:19 Life in Las Vegas 
03:09 From Law to Cupcakes 
05:03 The Hustle Phase of Entrepreneurship 
07:30 Building Smart: From Kitchen to Cupcake Truck 
08:27 The Mailbox Business Breakthrough 
15:17 Partnering with Friends (and Keeping the Friendship) 
16:23 Motherhood & Entrepreneurship at 40 
22:45 Launching The Veteran Fund 
31:19 Finding Fulfillment & Redefining Success  

Join Our Women's Mastermind: https://woman.heatherblankenship.com/

Lisa Song Sutton's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisasongsutton/

Heather’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherblankenshipx3

Heather's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heather.blankenship.182/

Heather's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heatherblankenshipx3

Heather’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-blankenship-271908140/

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unapologetically-me/id1713972310

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4EtqDw41QW193bH3TKnCiI

Listen, rate and subscribe!