Unstoppable You

Being respected as a leader doesn’t mean being the loudest person in the room.

In this episode of Unstoppable You, I sit down with Katie Cosgrove, Partner at Cosgrove Partners, who is helping lead the next chapter of the company her father built alongside her brother. She started her career selling industrial supplies at Grainger, was managing a large team at 25, and spent years feeling like she had to look and act like the leaders around her to be taken seriously.

We talk about what it’s like to be “the boss’ daughter”, why trust is a currency you earn over time, and the moment she stopped fitting into someone else’s definition of a leader.

This episode is for anyone who has ever felt like they had to constantly become someone else to earn a seat at the table even if they’ve clearly worked hard to be there.

What you’ll learn:
- Why trying to look and lead like the people around you works against you, and what authenticity changes about how you’re respected
- How to earn trust over time instead of rushing to prove yourself when people have already decided who you are
- Why spending more time on your strengths than your gaps makes you better at the work and happier doing it

Highlights:
(00:00) Introducing Katie Cosgrove and what it takes to be taken seriously as a leader
(02:34) What having it all means to Katie, and why it’s about how she feels, not milestones
(05:36) What Katie had to unlearn to lead with authenticity
(06:55) Walking into a manufacturing plant as a sorority girl who didn’t look the part
(11:37) Being the boss’s daughter and the weight that comes with the family name
(13:22) Why trust is a currency you earn, not something you’re given
(14:52) Honoring her father’s legacy while following her own instincts
(20:01) What being unstoppable means to Katie
(24:42) How Katie redefined what success looks like
(28:18) Her advice to young professionals
(30:38) Why realizing every job can be taken on by someone else is freeing
(32:02) Why you should spend more time reinforcing your strengths than fixing your gaps
(33:44) Bree’s challenge: whose permission are you still waiting for?

We can get so used to performing that we stop noticing the difference between the role and who we actually are. 

In this episode of Unstoppable You, I sit down with Amber Fields, Chief Growth Officer & Partner at trueU. She became a caretaker for her siblings at age five and spent the decades since getting really good at being whoever the moment required. A cheerleader. A journalist. A high achiever. Until her husband asked her one ordinary night on her way out, "At what point are you going to stop chasing the thing that already exists within you?"

We talk about wearing masks that got so good it became invisible, the friend who confronted her with "I don't always know what Amber I'm going to get," and where the line actually sits between solving problems for the people you love and trusting them enough to let them figure it out on their own.

This episode is for anyone who's ever felt like they lost a piece of themselves inside everything they had to become.

What you'll learn:
 - Why performing for the people around you can become so automatic you stop recognizing the difference between the role and yourself
 - How validation and worthiness quietly become the thing you're chasing without ever naming it
 - Why being needed and being valued are not the same thing, and what changes when you understand the difference

Highlights:
(00:00) Meet Amber Fields, Chief Growth Officer and Partner at trueU
(03:51) What matters most to Amber in this season of life
(06:16) Giving up her TV news dream to build a family
(08:58) Becoming a caretaker for her siblings at age five
(12:13) The friend who called out Amber for always performing
(14:38) The board meeting that started Bree's own self-reflection
(16:24) Why identity keeps evolving instead of being one fixed answer
(17:27) Her husband's challenge to stop searching outside herself
(19:51) The two things Amber was really chasing: validation and worthiness
(21:57) Helping her 22-year-old daughter learn it's okay to be alone
(24:59) What being unstoppable means to Amber
(26:05) How a boss's tough feedback helped her let go of an old story
(27:35) Living authentically vs. doing whatever you want
(31:33) Why saying no can make room for someone else to grow
(32:44) The first step to finding yourself: time alone and your core values
(36:49) Being needed is not the same as being valued
(39:01) Bree's challenge: figure out who is really making your choices

We often communicate our expectations of others, but we almost never ask: “What are my expectations of me?”

In this episode of Unstoppable You, I sit down with Dawn Griffin, Chief Human Resource Officer at TRIMEDX, who has led people through bankruptcy, private equity scaling, a global pandemic, and rapid growth, all while being deeply clear on her values and refusing to let overwhelm win. 

Dawn gets honest about what it really looks like to lead when you don't have the answers, why culture is built just as much by what you tolerate as what you celebrate, and the moment someone chased her down in a parking lot crying after a pay cut announcement, only to say thanks for ensuring most affected still had a job.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why culture is defined just as much by what you tolerate as what you celebrate and what to do when a leader can't see the problem in front of them
• How to center yourself and keep moving forward when people are looking to you to lead and you don't have all the answers
• Why the most important shift women can make is asking not what others expect of them but what they expect of themselves

Highlights:
(00:00) Introducing Dawn Griffin, Chief HR Officer at TRIMEDX
(02:58) What having it all really means to Dawn and why values are the foundation
(05:38) Taking her daughter and a nanny around the world as a working mom
(06:45) What it actually felt like to lead at maximum capacity through uncertainty
(07:26) Dawn's cheat code for keeping order at home and at work
(08:54) How Dawn leads when she doesn't have all the answers
(12:29) The parking lot moment after the pay cut announcement that changed how she leads
(15:09) Why culture is defined just as much by what you tolerate as what you celebrate
(16:09) The question Dawn asks every leader who refuses to address a toxic employee
(19:39) What being unstoppable really means to Dawn
(20:51) How Dawn handles overwhelm and why she refuses to live in it
(25:04) The one thing Dawn wishes she had done more of throughout her career
(31:50) What to do when people are looking to you to lead and you feel over your head
(36:21) Bree's challenge: Where are you being called to lead but are holding back? 

Have you ever looked at someone else's life and quietly decided they must have something you don't?

In this episode of Unstoppable You, I sit down with Jennifer "Jiff" Chapman, Founder of Just Jiff LLC. With over 11,000 people following her on LinkedIn, I'll admit I did exactly what I'm about to warn you about. I compared myself to her. Then she told me that despite everything she's built, she still wrestles with the belief that she might not be chosen.

9 months after the best year of her sales career at 34, the same age her mother was when she passed away, Jiff had a stroke which led to a life-defining change. We talked about the invisible backpack of grief she didn't know she was carrying, the job interview that ended the second she said the word "stroke" out loud, and the question her coach asked that has given her a new perspective on life.

This episode is for anyone who has ever stood outside someone else's life staring at their success while standing inside their own, staring at everything they haven't done yet.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why turning achievement into proof of your worth quietly decides which risks you're willing to take
• How grief can stay frozen in the body for a full year, even after you think you've already faced it
• Why "why not me" can do more for you than "why me" ever will 

Highlights:
(00:00) Introducing Jennifer "Jiff" Chapman and the belief that she might not be chosen
(03:05) What having it all means to Jiff now versus in her 20s and 30s
(05:12) Losing her mom at 11 and turning achievement into proof she was good enough
(08:32) The best year of her sales career, and realizing she was the same age her mom was when she died
(10:43) Jiff’s brain in "protective mode" after the stroke
(14:24) The interview that ended the moment she said the word "stroke" out loud
(17:01) Her coach's reframe that changed everything: "Why not me?"
(21:31) "Whatever's in your way is the way through"
(25:04) Why so many women wait to be chosen instead of putting themselves out there
(26:49) The struggle of “one foot on the gas, one foot on the brake”
(29:40) Are you your own best friend?
(30:48) What Bree’s four-year-old sees in the mirror that the rest of us have forgotten
(33:37) Bree's challenge: stop waiting to be chosen, choose yourself

A few years ago, I had a really uncomfortable realization. Am I getting left behind?

In this episode of Unstoppable You, I sit down with Susan Murray Carlock, Executive Vice President and Co-owner of Mursix Corporation and Co-founder of Murray Mentor, an AI workforce tool built to capture and teach decades of company knowledge. Susan started her career as a nurse, walked into her family's manufacturing plant as a complete outsider, and has spent the last decade redefining what leadership, reinvention, and having it all actually looks like in a world being reshaped by AI.

This episode is for anyone who has ever felt the ground shifting beneath them and wondered if they still matter in the version of the world that's coming next.

What you'll learn:

• Why technology doesn't replace human value, it reveals exactly where that value truly lives
• How to reframe having it all as aligned ambition instead of chasing a static finish line
• Why the scariest part of growth isn't learning something new, it's letting go of the version of yourself that felt safe

Highlights:

(00:00) Meet Susan Murray Carlock

(03:07) Redefining "having it all" as aligned ambition

(06:21) Walking into the family manufacturing plant as a total outsider

(08:21) The birth of Murray Mentor and the workforce knowledge gap behind it

(09:21) What's actually at stake if manufacturing can't solve the retiring workforce problem

(12:23) The weight of 200 employees and a $10 million Series A raise

(15:07) The Great Wall of China story and the fear of heights she refused to let win

(20:23) The karaoke moment that became an unexpected act of leadership

(21:33) The most common fear Susan hears about AI, and it isn't job loss

(24:14) What gives Susan the most hope for the next generation of manufacturing

(27:35) Bree's challenge: where are you resisting growth because you're afraid of falling behind?

What if the trait that makes you the most valuable in your career is also what’s quietly burning you out?

In this episode of Unstoppable You, I sit down with my friend Rebecca Hollander, a Database Administrator at Ingenious Med, a mother, and an absolute fixer by nature, to talk about what it really looks like to be the one everyone relies on, both at home and at work. We get into the analogies of the flamingo in  motherhood, the glass versus rubber ball approach to prioritizing, and the story of the chipped plate that somehow became the most loved item in her house. All these to illustrate her story and perspective on being unstoppable.

This episode isn't about having perfect balance. It's about learning the difference between what's actually yours to carry and what you can finally set down.

What you'll learn:

• Why being the fixer can open doors but quietly become an expectation if you're not careful
• How to use the glass ball and rubber ball method to decide what's worth dropping
• Why confidence isn't something that stays constant, and how to rebuild it when it dips

Highlights:

(00:00) Meet Rebecca Hollander 
(03:08) What having it all really means to Rebecca
(06:00) The flamingo theory and what it means to lose yourself in motherhood
(09:00) The CEO office story nobody saw coming
(12:00) How being the fixer at work shaped Rebecca's career and her boundaries
(18:00) What being unstoppable means to Rebecca in work and at home
(27:00) The glass ball and rubber ball theory of knowing what to drop
(31:00) The confidence statistic in women that changed her motherhood approach
(33:00) The chipped plate story and why the hard times are the ones we remember
(37:00) Bree's challenge: Is this actually mine to carry?

What does it actually take to keep going when the world keeps saying no?

In this episode of Unstoppable You, I sit down with Haley Marie Keith, co-founder of MITO Materials, Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, exited founder, and mom of two, who built a materials science company in a highly male-dominated industry while raising young kids, fighting off a lawsuit, and living in her mom's basement with a six-month-old. This is not the highlight reel. It is the real story of what it costs to build something before anyone else believes in it, and why she kept going anyway.

What you'll learn:

• How to chase the real the “why” behind every no and use it to find your next yes
• What it means to build belief in yourself when you have nothing left to prove it with
• Why being unstoppable has everything to do with showing up as your true self

Highlights:
(00:00) Introducing Haley Marie Keith 
(03:57) How Haley got into entrepreneurship and what she had to give up to pursue it
(07:09) What she had to say no to when building a company while raising a family 
(09:03) From achievement chasing to embracing the gray
(13:18) What building MITO cost her personally and emotionally
(16:13) The hardest stretch, wondering if being a woman was the reason for every no
(18:16) What being unstoppable means to Haley
(22:44) Walking into rooms, being underestimated and how she handled it
(25:38) The moment she had to believe in herself more than anyone else
(29:06) What she would say to anyone staring at their first no
(31:00) Bree's challenge to you for the next two weeks 

Resources & Links:

• Haley Marie Keith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleymarielk/
  
  

Emily Peterman has never been the most qualified person in the room. She just refused to act like it.

In this episode of Unstoppable You, I sit down with Emily Peterman, Director of Sales at Learfield and YPO Indiana Board Member, who has spent her career winning in rooms that weren't built for her. Emily gets real about building confidence before credentials, speaking up when every voice in your head says stay quiet, and redefining what success actually looks like for women who refuse to shrink. We dig into mom guilt, two-career households, and why the most powerful thing you can do for your career is say what you want out loud.

What you’ll learn:

• Why saying your goals out loud is the accountability trick that actually works
• How to keep speaking up at work when you've been told you're "too much"
• Why confidence has to come before credentials if you want to get where you're going

Highlights:
(00:00) Meet Emily Peterman
(03:10) Mom guilt vs. dad guilt
(05:14) Where Emily’s competitive drive came from
(09:36) Owning your career before you feel qualified
(18:15) What being unstoppable really looks like
(20:47) Lucky Seven and the power of saying goals out loud
(32:49) Advice for women who don't feel unstoppable yet
(35:37) How she's raising her daughter Blake to be fearless
(38:22) Why two-career households aren't a backup plan

Resources & Links:

• Emily Peterman’s LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/emilyepeterman/
  
  

What if the only thing holding you back from your next leap is the fear of not being ready?

 In this episode of Unstoppable You, I sit down with Andee Simpson, a creative, project manager, entrepreneur, and co-founder of the alcohol-free bottle shop Orangily. Andee gets real about navigating a nonlinear career, balancing meaningful work with family, and taking bold action before feeling fully prepared. We dive into how she’s built a life and career that embraces creativity, curiosity, and messy progress.

What you’ll learn:

• Why growth happens before you feel ready
• How to embrace tradeoffs while still “having it all”
• Why your network and curiosity are your biggest accelerators

Highlights:
(00:00) Meet Andee Simpson
(02:55) What having it all means in this season of life 
(04:42) Andee's nonlinear career path and early creative ambitions 
(09:33) The switch motherhood triggered in her career focus 
(12:07) Overcoming comparison and building confidence through action 
(15:18) The inspiration behind Orangily and the alcohol-free movement 
(19:14) Unexpected challenges and lessons learned launching a business 
(32:43) Defining what being unstoppable really means 
(35:09) How to leverage your network to pivot and grow 
(41:18) Closing takeaway and challenge: take one small step toward your goal

Resources & Links:

• Andee Marley Simpson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreamarley/
• Orangily Alcohol-Free: https://orangily.com/
• Kitchen Table Creative Economy Zine: Coming soon on LinkedIn

What if success wasn’t about doing it all, but doing what truly matters?

In this episode of Unstoppable You, I sit down with Jason Ulm, husband, father of five, and Director of Strategic Partnerships at Braden Business Systems. Jason shares what it takes to balance fatherhood, leadership, and personal growth while staying true to yourself.

He gets real about the pressures men face, how presence and intentionality transform both family and career, and why defining your own version of success matters more than checking boxes. From showing up for his kids in unexpected ways to leading with curiosity and empathy at work, Jason opens up about lessons that apply to anyone striving to build a meaningful life, not just an impressive one.

What you'll learn:

• How to recognize which pressures are truly yours versus inheritedWhy presence and intentionality matter more than perfection
• How curiosity and empathy make you a better leader and parent
• Lessons on balancing career ambition with being a present father

Highlights:
(00:00) Meet Jason Ulm

(01:46) Why "having it all" is the wrong goal 
(03:23) The moment his kids caught him living a double life 
(06:43) He skipped a work trip to wear a dress on stage and it changed everything 
(08:33) What Jason actually wants his five kids to walk away with 
(14:54) Why a nonlinear career path is an asset 
(16:49) The pressure men carry that nobody talks about 
(21:37) There is a difference between unstoppable and unbreakable 
(28:31) What strength actually looks like from the inside 
(32:58) How feeling like a loner made him the most connected person in the room 
(36:18) How to understand the men in your life without trying to fix them 
(40:15) Your worth is not your output