🎙 Microphones Don’t Bite: Mastering Stage Confidence, Presence, and Influence

✨ Episode Summary

I’m excited to welcome Karli Sherman to Voices of Impact for a high-energy conversation about stage presence, confidence, and using your voice to influence the rooms that matter.

Karli is an international speaker, leadership coach, emcee, and pageant coach who empowers women professionals to step into confidence, communicate powerfully, and lead with presence.

As the owner of Karli Sherman Productions, she delivers dynamic keynotes, leadership workshops, and coaching programs that help individuals and organizations develop stronger communication, deeper human connection, and courageous leadership.

Her trainings focus on areas such as:

• Public speaking
• Leadership development
• Personality typologies
• Confidence building
• Conflict management

Beyond her coaching and speaking work, Karli has spent more than 20 years involved in pageantry, earning national and international titles including Ms. USA, Ms. World Universal, and Ms. Earth. She is also an active community leader, mentor, and advocate for adoption.

This episode is for you if:

• You avoid speaking opportunities because of nerves or self-doubt
• You want to develop stronger communication and stage presence
• You’re a leader who wants to influence rooms more confidently
• You know your message matters but struggle to own the microphone

🔥 Key Takeaways

• Confidence is built through action.
Avoiding the microphone keeps fear alive — stepping into it builds strength.

• Presence creates influence.
How you show up often matters more than perfect words.

• Your voice is leadership.
Speaking up creates connection, clarity, and impact.

Connect with Karli:

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

🎙️ About Your Host Veena

I empower purpose-driven Founders & CEOs to align identity, presence, and strategy to build sustainable businesses without burnout.

Through my SOVEREIGN ALIGN™ Blueprint, I help leaders:

• Step into grounded CEO identity
• Increase authority, visibility, and influence
• Build systems that support sustainable growth
• Amplify thought leadership and voice
• Lead with intuition & regulated nervous system
• Design long-term success, legacy, and freedom

If you’re on the edge of expansion or reinvention, I help you rise into the version your next chapter requires.

Book a private Sovereign Vision & Strategy Session to explore your next chapter:
https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/private-sovereign-vision-collab

👑 If This Resonated

If this episode spoke to you, here’s how to go deeper:

Schedule a call to explore becoming a Sovereign Rise ambassador, community builder, or member:
https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/coffee-chat-with-veena

🎧 Listen & Subscribe

If you loved this episode:

• Follow the show
• Leave a 5-star review
• Share it with someone ready to step up, speak up, and lead with confidence.

🎙 Human Design at the Office: Energetic Alignment for Success

✨ Episode Summary

I’m excited to welcome Katerina Papadakou to Voices of Impact for a fascinating conversation about Human Design and how understanding your energy can transform the way you work, lead, and make decisions.

Kat is a Life Coach and Human Design expert who helps people turn insight into meaningful, real-world change in ways that feel practical, grounded, and deeply personal.

Her work focuses on embodiment — supporting people in cutting through the noise, reconnecting with their inner wisdom, and making decisions with greater clarity and ease.

This conversation explores the powerful bridge between strategy and self-awareness, especially in environments where performance, pressure, and constant decision-making are the norm.

This episode is for you if:

-You feel mentally overloaded or disconnected from your natural rhythm at work

-You want to understand how your energy influences decision-making and productivity

-You’re curious about Human Design but want a grounded, practical perspective

-You want success that feels aligned rather than forced

🔥 Key Takeaways

Alignment creates sustainable success.
When work aligns with your natural energy, effort becomes more effective and less draining.

Self-awareness strengthens leadership.
Understanding how you’re designed to operate can improve communication, decision-making, and impact.

Embodiment creates clarity.
True alignment comes from integrating insight into daily life — not just understanding it intellectually.

🌍 About Katerina Papadakou

Katerina Papadakou is a Life Coach and Human Design expert who helps people translate insight into practical, embodied change.

Connect with Katerina:

Website: https://www.katerinapapadakou.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katerinapapadakou

🎙️ About Your Host Veena

I empower purpose-driven Founders & CEOs to align identity, presence, and strategy to build sustainable businesses without burnout.

Through my SOVEREIGN ALIGN™ Blueprint, I help leaders:
✔ Step into grounded CEO identity
✔ Increase authority, visibility, and influence
✔ Build systems that support sustainable growth
✔ Amplify thought leadership and voice
✔ Lead with intuition & regulated nervous system
✔ Design long-term success, legacy, and freedom

If you’re on the edge of expansion or reinvention, I help you rise into the version your next chapter requires.

Book a private Sovereign Vision & Strategy Session to explore your next chapter:
https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/private-sovereign-vision-collab

👑 If This Resonated

If this episode spoke to you, here’s how to go deeper:

Schedule a call to explore becoming a Sovereign Rise ambassador, community builder, or member:
https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/coffee-chat-with-veena

🎧 Listen & Subscribe

If you loved this episode:

Follow the show
Leave a 5-star review

Share it with someone who wants to work and lead in greater alignment.

I’m excited to welcome Adam Dickinson to Voices of Impact for a conversation that challenges one of the most deeply held assumptions in high-performance culture: that logic alone is enough.

Adam is a Logic-to-Intuition Integration Advisor and Future Self Strategist who works with high-functioning professionals navigating moments when logic no longer provides clarity.

With over 15 years of experience in logic-driven environments, Adam brings a grounded, practical lens to understanding intuition — not as mysticism, but as usable internal intelligence. His work bridges two forms of intelligence most people keep separate: analytical reasoning and intuitive insight.

That exploration led to his signature approach, Logic-to-Intuition Integration, and his structured framework, IntuLogic™.

Today, Adam works with analytical professionals who feel misaligned, uncertain, or at a crossroads — helping them decode internal signals and move forward with clarity, confidence, and coherence.

This episode is for you if:

• You’re analytical but feel stuck in overthinking
• You’re navigating a major decision or identity shift
• Logic alone isn’t giving you clarity anymore
• You want to integrate intuition without abandoning strategy

Connect with Adam:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-r-dickinson/

1. Analysis alone can create paralysis.
   Clarity often emerges when logic and intuition work together.
2. Intuition is internal data.
   When interpreted correctly, it strengthens decision-making.
3. Alignment drives momentum.
   Decisions grounded in both logic and intuition create sustainable progress.

I empower purpose-driven Founders & CEOs to align identity, presence, and strategy to build sustainable businesses without burnout.

Through my SOVEREIGN ALIGN™ Blueprint, I help leaders:
✔ Step into grounded CEO identity
✔ Increase authority, visibility, and influence
✔ Build systems that support sustainable growth
✔ Amplify thought leadership and voice
✔ Lead with intuition & regulated nervous system
✔ Design long-term success, legacy, and freedom

If you’re on the edge of expansion or reinvention, I help you rise into the version your next chapter requires.

Book a private Sovereign Vision & Strategy Session to explore your next chapter:
https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/private-sovereign-vision-collab

If this episode spoke to you, here’s how to go deeper:

Schedule a call to explore becoming a Sovereign Rise ambassador, community builder, or member:
https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/coffee-chat-with-veena

If you loved this episode:

• Follow the show
• Leave a 5-star review
• Share it with someone navigating a major decision or transition

I’m thrilled to welcome Joy L. King to Voices of Impact for a conversation about leading unapologetically while building resilient systems, aligned leadership, and sustainable impact.

Joy is an enterprise executive and organizational transformation leader with more than 20 years of experience helping mission-driven organizations scale impact by aligning strategy, talent, technology, and culture. She currently serves as Chief Talent, Strategy, and Operations Officer at the National College Attainment Network (NCAN), where she strengthens institutional capacity, modernizes systems, and guides enterprise-wide strategy through periods of growth and complexity.

In parallel, Joy is the Founder and Principal of Suite Life Business Coaching, where she advises CEOs, founders, and senior leadership teams on leadership alignment, executive decision-making, organizational design, and building durable systems that support long-term performance — not just short-term fixes.

Connect with Joy:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyking912/

This episode is for you if:

• You’re leading through growth, transition, or complexity
• You want to build durable systems that support your team and organization
• You’re navigating the balance between performance and personal life
• You want to lead with clarity, courage, and structure

1. Bravery and balance work together.
   Strong leadership requires both courageous decisions and sustainable boundaries.
2. Systems create sustainability.
   Organizations thrive when strategy, talent, and structure are aligned.
3. Boundaries strengthen leadership presence.
   Clear limits allow leaders to show up with greater focus and impact.

I empower purpose-driven Founders & CEOs to align identity, presence, and strategy to build sustainable businesses without burnout.

Through my SOVEREIGN ALIGN™ Blueprint, I help leaders:
✔ Step into grounded CEO identity
✔ Increase authority, visibility, and influence
✔ Build systems that support sustainable growth
✔ Amplify thought leadership and voice
✔ Lead with intuition & regulated nervous system
✔ Design long-term success, legacy, and freedom

If you’re on the edge of expansion or reinvention, I help you rise into the version your next chapter requires.

Book a private Sovereign Vision & Strategy Session to explore your next chapter:
https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/private-sovereign-vision-collab

If this episode spoke to you, here’s how to go deeper:

Schedule a call to explore becoming a Sovereign Rise ambassador, community builder, or member:

https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/coffee-chat-with-veena

If you loved this episode:

• Follow the show
• Leave a 5-star review
• Share it with a leader building sustainable impact and courageous leadership

I’m excited to welcome Natalie Jobity to Voices of Impact for a powerful conversation centered on identity, visibility, and authentic authority.

Natalie is a faith-driven leadership and executive coach who supports high-achieving women leaders navigating career and leadership transitions. She helps women strengthen confidence, visibility, and influence — empowering them to command rooms of power without overperforming, self-doubt, or burnout.

She is also the author of two impactful books:

📘 Frumpy to Fabulous: Flaunting It (Amazon Best Seller)
📘 It’s Your Time to Shine, Girl — a leadership guide for women ready to rise with clarity and confidence

This episode is for you if:

• You’re navigating a leadership or career transition
• You want to strengthen your voice and presence in rooms of influence
• You’re ready to release overperformance and lead with alignment
• You’re reclaiming your identity and authority as a leader

1. Authority begins with identity.
   Leaders who know who they are command space differently.
2. Overperformance often masks self-doubt.
   Sustainable leadership comes from alignment — not constant proving.
3. Visibility must be rooted in authenticity.
   True influence grows when leaders show up as their whole selves.

Natalie Jobity is a faith-driven leadership and executive coach helping high-achieving women leaders reclaim their voice, visibility, and authority during career and leadership transitions.

Connect with Natalie:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliejobity-leadershipdevelopmentcoach/

I empower purpose-driven Founders & CEOs to align identity, presence, and strategy to build sustainable businesses without burnout.

Through my SOVEREIGN ALIGN™ Blueprint, I help leaders:
✔ Step into grounded CEO identity
✔ Increase authority, visibility, and influence
✔ Build systems that support sustainable growth
✔ Amplify thought leadership and voice
✔ Lead with intuition & regulated nervous system
✔ Design long-term success, legacy, and freedom

If you’re on the edge of expansion or reinvention, I help you rise into the version your next chapter requires.

Book a private Sovereign Vision & Strategy Session to explore your next chapter:
https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/private-sovereign-vision-collab

If this episode spoke to you, here’s how to go deeper:

Schedule a call to explore becoming a Sovereign Rise ambassador, community builder, or member:
https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/coffee-chat-with-veena

If you loved this episode:

• Follow the show
• Leave a 5-star review
• Share it with a leader navigating identity and visibility in their next chapter

I’m excited to welcome Stefanie Hingley to Voices of Impact for a conversation grounded in something we both deeply believe: that sustainable leadership begins within.

Stefanie is a leadership and resilience strategist, speaker, and former global business leader with more than 20 years of experience across startups and Fortune 500 organizations in the U.S. and Europe.

She helps executives and entrepreneurs cultivate an internal compass — strengthening decision-making, presence, and performance under pressure.

Blending neuroscience, ancient wisdom, and practical leadership strategy, Stefanie translates complex ideas into grounded frameworks that move leaders from reactive performance to purposeful authority. Her work bridges internal alignment with external impact, demonstrating that sustainable influence is built on clarity, regulation, and resilience.

She is the founder of Stefanie Coaching and the creator of Inner Edge Coaching, her leadership publication on Substack.

This episode is for you if:

• You’re performing at a high level but feel internally misaligned
• You want to strengthen decision-making under pressure
• You’re ready to shift from reactive leadership to rooted authority
• You want sustainable success without sacrificing well-being

1. Internal clarity drives external performance.
   Sustainable results begin with grounded self-leadership.
2. Regulation is strategic.
   Leaders who manage their nervous system lead with greater impact.
3. Authority is cultivated.
   True influence comes from alignment — not optics.

Stefanie Hingley is a leadership and resilience strategist, speaker, and founder of Stefanie Coaching.

Connect with Stefanie:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanie-hingley/

I empower purpose-driven Founders & CEOs to align identity, presence, and strategy to build sustainable businesses without burnout.

Through my SOVEREIGN ALIGN™ Blueprint, I help leaders:
✔ Step into grounded CEO identity
✔ Increase authority, visibility, and influence
✔ Build systems that support sustainable growth
✔ Amplify thought leadership and voice
✔ Lead with intuition & regulated nervous system
✔ Design long-term success, legacy, and freedom

If you’re on the edge of expansion or reinvention, I help you rise into the version your next chapter requires.

Book a private Sovereign Vision & Strategy Session to explore your next chapter:
https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/private-sovereign-vision-collab

If this episode spoke to you, here’s how to go deeper:

Schedule a call to explore becoming a Sovereign Rise ambassador, community builder, or member:
https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/coffee-chat-with-veena

If you loved this episode:

• Follow the show
• Leave a 5-star review
• Share it with a leader ready to build authority from the inside out

I’m honored to welcome Kathleen Wisemandle, MSLOC, DOEC to Voices of Impact for a conversation rooted in something we both deeply believe: that sustainable leadership begins with self-understanding.

Kathleen is a scientist, researcher, and leadership coach working at the powerful intersection of science and leadership.

Now pursuing a PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, her research centers on the often-overlooked experiences of high-achieving professional women with ADHD — women who frequently mask their challenges while excelling in demanding careers.

Drawing on her expertise in organizational development, executive coaching, and strategic leadership, Kathleen explores how late or missed ADHD diagnoses impact workplace performance, career progression, and well-being. Her work challenges traditional narratives of productivity and performance, asking us to rethink what sustainable leadership truly requires.

This episode is for you if:

• You’re a high-achieving professional navigating hidden challenges
• You want to understand neurodivergence in leadership more deeply
• You’re rethinking what sustainable performance looks like
• You’re committed to leading from a place of awareness and authenticity

1. High performance can coexist with hidden struggle.
   Achievement does not eliminate the need for support.
2. Psychological safety fuels sustainable leadership.
   Performance improves when people feel safe to be seen.
3. Self-understanding is strategic.
   Awareness of cognitive style strengthens leadership impact.

Kathleen Wisemandle, MSLOC, DOEC is a scientist, researcher, and leadership coach with over three decades of experience in biotechnology and pharmaceutical leadership.

Connect with Kathleen:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleenharperwisemandle/

I empower purpose-driven Founders & CEOs to align identity, presence, and strategy to build sustainable businesses without burnout.

Through my SOVEREIGN ALIGN™ Blueprint, I help leaders:
✔ Step into grounded CEO identity
✔ Increase authority, visibility, and influence
✔ Build systems that support sustainable growth
✔ Amplify thought leadership and voice
✔ Lead with intuition & regulated nervous system
✔ Design long-term success, legacy, and freedom

If you’re on the edge of expansion or reinvention, I help you rise into the version your next chapter requires.

Book a private Sovereign Vision & Strategy Session to explore your next chapter:
https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/private-sovereign-vision-collab

If this episode spoke to you, here’s how to go deeper:

Schedule a call to explore becoming a Sovereign Rise ambassador, community builder, or member:
https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/coffee-chat-with-veena

If you loved this episode:

• Follow the show
• Leave a 5-star review
• Share it with a leader ready to rethink performance and authenticity

I’m honored to welcome Mary Balistreri, The Mindful Business Coach, to Voices of Impact for a conversation rooted in something we both deeply believe: that belonging is the foundation of sustainable leadership.

Mary is the CEO & President of MBT Mindful Business Today. For over a decade, she has worked with leaders and organizations to build cultures where belonging is not an initiative — but a lived experience.

As a Certified Diversity to Belonging Facilitator through Veritas Culture and the Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth and Reconciliation, and a Conversational Intelligence (CIQ) Coach, Mary believes courageous conversations are essential to inclusive leadership.

Through MBT, she integrates mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and strengths-based leadership to help individuals and teams grow talent, strengthen trust, and build sustainable success.

This episode is for you if:

• You’re leading a team and want to build true belonging
• You’re navigating difficult conversations in your organization
• You want to strengthen culture without performative initiatives
• You believe leadership must be human-centered to be effective

1. Belonging drives performance.
   Culture isn’t separate from results — it shapes them.
2. Courageous conversations build trust.
   Avoidance weakens teams; intentional dialogue strengthens them.
3. Mindful leadership is strategic.
   Emotional intelligence and presence are competitive advantages.

Mary Balistreri, The Mindful Business Coach, is the CEO & President of MBT Mindful Business Today.

Connect with Mary:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marybalistreri/

I empower purpose-driven Founders & CEOs to align identity, presence, and strategy to build sustainable businesses without burnout.

Through my SOVEREIGN ALIGN™ Blueprint, I help leaders:
✔ Step into grounded CEO identity
✔ Increase authority, visibility, and influence
✔ Build systems that support sustainable growth
✔ Amplify thought leadership and voice
✔ Lead with intuition & regulated nervous system
✔ Design long-term success, legacy, and freedom

If you’re on the edge of expansion or reinvention, I help you rise into the version your next chapter requires.

Book a private Sovereign Vision & Strategy Session to explore your next chapter:
https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/private-sovereign-vision-collab

If this episode spoke to you, here’s how to go deeper:

Schedule a call to explore becoming a Sovereign Rise ambassador, community builder, or member:
https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/coffee-chat-with-veena

If you loved this episode:

• Follow the show
• Leave a 5-star review
• Share it with a leader committed to building cultures of belonging

I’m excited to welcome Mary Scott to Voices of Impact for a conversation grounded in something we both deeply understand: that real momentum is built through clarity, strategy, and decisive action.

Mary Scott is an award-winning filmmaker turned entrepreneur who is deeply committed to helping startups become wildly successful. With roots in media in New York, she’s often only two degrees of separation from whoever you need to meet — and knows enough about nearly every industry to make things interesting.

She is the founder of BusinessRiff, author of the St. Louis Startup Resource Guide, founder of PitchSTL, and former St. Louis Lead Organizer for 1 Million Cups. As an advisor to hundreds of startups and established businesses, Mary works with inventors, tech and product founders, and solopreneurs to validate ideas, refine their pitch, and secure funding.

This episode is for you if:

• You have a powerful idea but feel stuck in execution
• You’re building something and want real traction, not just inspiration
• You need clarity on refining your pitch or positioning
• You’re ready to move from concept to measurable growth

1. Execution creates momentum.
   Ideas spark possibility — action builds impact.
2. Mindset and mechanics must work together.
   Strategy without belief stalls. Belief without strategy scatters.
3. Access accelerates growth.
   The right rooms, relationships, and resources can dramatically shift outcomes.

Mary Scott is an award-winning filmmaker turned entrepreneur, startup advisor, and founder of BusinessRiff.

Connect with Mary:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-scott-stl/

I empower purpose-driven Founders & CEOs to align identity, presence, and strategy to build sustainable businesses without burnout.

Through my SOVEREIGN ALIGN™ Blueprint, I help leaders:
✔ Step into grounded CEO identity
✔ Increase authority, visibility, and influence
✔ Build systems that support sustainable growth
✔ Amplify thought leadership and voice
✔ Lead with intuition & regulated nervous system
✔ Design long-term success, legacy, and freedom

If you’re on the edge of expansion or reinvention, I help you rise into the version your next chapter requires.

Book a private Sovereign Vision & Strategy Session to explore your next chapter:
https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/private-sovereign-vision-collab

If this episode spoke to you, here’s how to go deeper:

Schedule a call to explore becoming a Sovereign Rise ambassador, community builder, or member:
https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/coffee-chat-with-veena

If you loved this episode:

• Follow the show
• Follow Veena on LinkedIn
• Leave a 5-star review
• Share it with a founder or visionary ready to turn ideas into traction
  

I’m excited to welcome Nirva Mentor to Voices of Impact for a conversation rooted in something we both deeply believe: that career moves are most powerful when grounded in values.

Nirva is an ICF-certified career coach, recruiter, and multi-passionate entrepreneur who helps ambitious professionals navigate career transitions without sacrificing mental health or personal life. She is the founder of Mentored to Success, supporting professionals pivot with confidence, and Mobile Serves by Nirvs, a mobile bartending business curating elevated cocktail experiences for weddings, private events, and community gatherings.

Through her work and lived example, Nirva challenges the idea that you must choose one lane to be successful, showing that fulfillment comes from honoring all parts of who you are.

This episode is for you if:

• You’re considering a career pivot but don’t want to compromise your values
• You want to integrate multiple passions without losing focus
• You’re seeking alignment, confidence, and well-being in your professional path
• You want clarity on how to navigate transitions intentionally

1. Values-first decisions transform careers.
   Alignment creates fulfillment and sustainable growth.
2. Mental health is strategic.
   Prioritizing well-being improves confidence and clarity.
3. Multi-dimensional identity is an asset.
   You don’t have to choose between passions — integration expands possibilities.

Nirva Mentor is an ICF-certified career coach, recruiter, and multi-passionate entrepreneur. She helps ambitious professionals pivot confidently while preserving alignment, well-being, and a multi-dimensional identity.

Connect with Nirva:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nirvamentor/

I empower purpose-driven Founders & CEOs to align identity, presence, and strategy to build sustainable businesses without burnout.

Through my SOVEREIGN ALIGN™ Blueprint, I help leaders:
✔ Step into grounded CEO identity
✔ Increase authority, visibility, and influence
✔ Build systems that support sustainable growth
✔ Amplify thought leadership and voice
✔ Lead with intuition & regulated nervous system
✔ Design long-term success, legacy, and freedom

If you’re on the edge of expansion or reinvention, I help you rise into the version your next chapter requires.

Book a private Sovereign Vision & Strategy Session to explore your next chapter: https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/private-sovereign-vision-collab

If this episode spoke to you, here’s how to go deeper:
• Schedule a call to explore becoming a Sovereign Rise ambassador, community builder, or member: https://cal.com/beyoutifullyempowercoaching/coffee-chat-with-veena

If you loved this episode:

• Follow the show
• Leave a 5-star review
• Share it with someone navigating a career pivot or transition
  

Your support helps amplify conversations redefining sustainable leadership and meaningful success.