In this high-energy, behind-the-scenes episode, we sit down with Nicole Kaney — Sarasota native, devoted mother, and the powerhouse founder behind one of Florida’s most sought-after wedding and event planning companies. From her early days as a college-town yoga trailblazer with a cult-following (and $5 classes that packed 50 people into a bike shop), to running 75+ weddings a year with a 13-woman team, Nicole walks us through the grit, grace, and groundedness that built her business.

Nicole shares how scrappiness, strong community roots, smart support systems, and a whole lot of hustle helped her grow from studio owner to event industry standout. She opens up about marriage, motherhood, hurricanes, hiring help without guilt, and the real secret to surviving the emotional roller coaster of wedding days.

This is a masterclass in building a business you love, staying sane while doing it, and remembering that dinner at the table matters just as much as any dance floor.

KEY TOPICS COVERED

• Growing up in Sarasota and returning to raise her own family
   
• Building a cult-favorite yoga studio in Gainesville before yoga was “cool”
   
• The grassroots hustle: flyers, bikes, DJs, art openings, and AOL
   
• Transitioning into events and creating a planning company brides related to
   
• Growing from 10 weddings a year to 75+ with a powerhouse all-female team
   
• Navigating motherhood, marriage, and running a business (with help — proudly!)
   
• COVID challenges, hurricanes, and the emotional weight of wedding days
   
• What clients really expect today: bigger, bolder, and more everything
   
• Marriage longevity: 23 years with her high-school sweetheart
   
• Building a new home, raising kids in Sarasota, and staying grounded

MEMORABLE QUOTES

• “You can’t be fully dedicated if you’re trying to do everything alone.”
   
• “I wasn’t a great student. But I’m scrappy — and that’s what helped me build a business.”
   
• “I’ve always had help — and I’m not afraid to say it. More people should.”

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Where to listen & watch:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/8OwglL7nA4g
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whats-your-story/id1768048076
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFWnedfyylxVs5vJrD8tY
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c4c493e-e2f2-4b4b-bfd3-52174caeaf7c/whats-your-story-with-jaime-stan

Connect with Nicole Kaney:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nk_weddings/
Website: https://nkproductions.net/

If this episode helped you rethink what success looks like, subscribe, rate, and review our podcast! Your support helps us share more powerful stories like Nicole’s.

Follow us on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/JaimeSpeaks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaimeMarcoSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimeamarco
Website: https://www.jaimemarco.com

Got feedback or a guest recommendation? Email us at [email protected]

In this unforgettable episode, Lisa Kohn shares her journey from growing up in the infamous Unification Church (the “Moonies”) to reclaiming her identity, healing deep trauma, and teaching others the radical power of self-love. From surviving a fractured childhood and cult indoctrination to becoming an author, speaker, and leadership coach, Lisa’s story is one of fierce resilience, joy, and rebirth.

KEY TOPICS COVERED

• Growing up inside the Unification Church (the “Moonies”)
• Escaping cult life and rebuilding her sense of self
• Trauma recovery and how the body stores pain
• Overcoming addiction and self-loathing
• Healing through parenting and self-love
• Neuroplasticity and rewiring the brain for joy
• Life after cancer and living with purpose
• Faith, forgiveness, and finding meaning beyond religion

MEMORABLE QUOTES

• “I rewired my brain to be joyful. That’s neuroplasticity.”
• “No one joins a cult — they join a really good idea, until they realize they were trapped.”
• “Love yourself first, most, always.”
• “The body keeps the score — and it also knows how to heal.”
• “Every magician worth talking about creates something of their own. It’s a craft.”

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Where to listen & watch:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/5kV5QS24INU
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whats-your-story/id1768048076
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFWnedfyylxVs5vJrD8tY
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c4c493e-e2f2-4b4b-bfd3-52174caeaf7c/whats-your-story-with-jaime-stan

https://x.com/LisaKohnWrites
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisakohnccg/
Website: https://lisakohn.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisakohnwrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisakohnwrites/
X: https://x.com/LisaKohnWrites

If this episode helped you rethink what success looks like, subscribe, rate, and review our podcast! Your support helps us share more powerful stories like Lisa’s.

Follow us on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/JaimeSpeaks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaimeMarcoSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimeamarco
Website: https://www.jaimemarco.com

Got feedback or a guest recommendation? Email us at [email protected]

When life gives you heartbreak, sea turtles, and a gibbon that hugs your baby bump—you write a book about it. In this episode, Jaime and Stan meet Julie Henry, zoologist turned leadership speaker and author of Wisdom from the Wild and Wisdom from the Wild for Youth. Julie opens up about growing up in the Midwest, her years at aquariums and zoos, her late husband’s remarkable legacy, and the powerful lessons she’s learned from both the animal kingdom and her own wild life journey.

Julie’s story is one of resilience, humor, and heart—where science meets storytelling, and grief transforms into growth.

KEY TOPICS COVERED

• Growing up in a family of leaders and learning from her father’s steel mill days
   
• From zoology to leadership: connecting animal behavior to human potential
   
• Raising children who co-authored her latest book (Wisdom from the Wild for Youth)
   
• Leading through grief and the realities of caregiving
   
• How animals—from wolves to giant squid—teach us about resilience and connection
   
• The beauty of parenting, partnership, and living fully even after loss

MEMORABLE QUOTES

• “Your job as a leader is to create a space in which people feel safe, but not comfortable.”
   
• “Grief teaches you that you don’t know how long you have—so do what you need to do today.”
   
• “Leadership isn’t lofty. It’s real, it’s messy, and it’s human.”
   
• “I wanted to stitch together the worlds of science and leadership—to show how lessons from the wild can make us better people.”

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Where to listen & watch:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/BVOfqOKLnjM
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whats-your-story/id1768048076
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFWnedfyylxVs5vJrD8tY
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c4c493e-e2f2-4b4b-bfd3-52174caeaf7c/whats-your-story-with-jaime-stan

Connect with Julie Henry:
Website: https://www.juliechenry.com/
Podcast: https://www.juliechenry.com/podcast
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/juliechenry
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliechenry/

If this episode helped you rethink what success looks like, subscribe, rate, and review our podcast! Your support helps us share more powerful stories like Julie’s.

Follow us on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/JaimeSpeaks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaimeMarcoSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimeamarco
Website: https://www.jaimemarco.com

Got feedback or a guest recommendation? Email us at [email protected]

From teenage bingo gigs to a 30-year run at PepsiCo, Bill Bornstein’s story is pure hustle, humor, and heart. In this episode, Bill opens up about his journey from the streets of Queens to corporate success, the rock-and-roll soundtrack that shaped him, and the rediscovery of purpose through faith, volunteering, and pickleball (yes, really).

Key topics covered

• Growing up in Queens and starting work at 13
• From Beatles to Iron Maiden — the evolution of a lifelong music fan
• Thirty years at PepsiCo: loyalty, layoffs, and lessons learned
• Retirement reality: purpose, volunteering, and rediscovering Jewish roots
• Confidence, kids, and passing on wisdom from the back nine of life
• Why pickleball (and puppy Enzo) keeps him grounded

Memorable quotes

“Confidence is critical to success — and I think I lacked a little of that.”

“Use it or lose it — in music, work, or life.”

“You don’t need to be perfect, just present.”

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Where to listen & watch:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/gT9AMh3N7PY
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whats-your-story/id1768048076
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFWnedfyylxVs5vJrD8tY
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c4c493e-e2f2-4b4b-bfd3-52174caeaf7c/whats-your-story-with-jaime-stan

Connect with Bill Bornstein 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bill_bb1984/

If this episode helped you rethink what success looks like, subscribe, rate, and review our podcast! Your support helps us share more powerful stories like Bill’s.

Follow us on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/JaimeSpeaks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaimeMarcoSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimeamarco
Website: https://www.jaimemarco.com

Got feedback or a guest recommendation? Email us at [email protected]

This one’s personal — Jamie finally flips the mic to her parents, Stan and Ruth Brown, who’ve been married for 54 years and counting. From fire ants in Venice to a ski slope disaster, a diamond bought with a sold Volkswagen, and a lifetime of laughter — their story proves that love, humor, and commitment can outlast anything (including running out of gas in Vermont).

KEY TOPICS COVERED

• How a Boston hospital, a lime-green Pinto, and fate created a lifelong partnership
   
• Why a “no diamond, no wedding” ultimatum changed everything
   
• The secret to staying married 54 years (hint: laughter and patience)
   
• Selling the car (and the couch!) to buy the engagement ring
   
• Why marriage is a job — not a fairy tale — and why that’s a good thing

MEMORABLE QUOTES

• “Marriage isn’t fairy tales and unicorns. It’s a job — and you do it well or you don’t.”
   
• “He asked me out after another guy took me to an adult movie. The bar was low.”
   
• “We sold the Super Beetle and the couch. That’s how I got my diamond.”
   
• “You make a commitment — and you stick to it. No annual contracts.”
   
• “Just keep laughing.”
   

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Where to listen & watch:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/3wmk7wKzFeo
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whats-your-story/id1768048076
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFWnedfyylxVs5vJrD8tY
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c4c493e-e2f2-4b4b-bfd3-52174caeaf7c/whats-your-story-with-jaime-stan

If this episode helped you rethink what success looks like, subscribe, rate, and review our podcast! Your support helps us share more powerful stories like Stan and Ruth’s.

Follow us on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/JaimeSpeaks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaimeMarcoSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimeamarco
Website: https://www.jaimemarco.com

Got feedback or a guest recommendation? Email us at [email protected]

From high school cross-country to the Shark Tank stage, Julie Busha’s story is all about endurance, grit, and flavor. The founder of Slawsa – a cabbage-based relish that’s part salsa, part slaw – shares how she turned a family recipe into a national brand, stayed debt-free, and kept her values (and humor) intact along the way.

Key topics covered
- From corporate NASCAR marketing to food entrepreneur
- Overcoming setbacks and buying out a business partner
- Turning rejection into national exposure on Shark Tank
- Smart money habits for founders (and humans)
- Building a made-in-America brand without investors
- Writing her next nonfiction exposé uncovering corruption

Memorable quotes
“Every day is different — that’s what I love. It’s never boring.”
“You can’t manufacture time, but you can control how you use it.”
“You either come with a boatload of money or something truly unique — I chose unique.”
“Being on Shark Tank? I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
“If you’re on the good side of accounting, they’ll love you forever.”

Where to listen & watch:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/InjStkEnjuY
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whats-your-story/id1768048076
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFWnedfyylxVs5vJrD8tY
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c4c493e-e2f2-4b4b-bfd3-52174caeaf7c/whats-your-story-with-jaime-stan

Connect with Julie Busha
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-busha-9220093/
Website: https://www.slawsa.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Slawsa

If this episode helped you rethink what success looks like, subscribe, rate, and review our podcast! Your support helps us share more powerful stories like Julie’s.
 

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Follow us on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/JaimeSpeaks 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaimeMarcoSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimeamarco
Website: https://www.jaimemarco.com

Got feedback or a guest recommendation? Email us at [email protected]

From rocket-scientist roots to selling her multimillion-dollar tech company and surviving Lyme disease, Jennifer Berkowitz proves grit, humour, and vision can rewrite any story. She built her empire on passion, persistence, and PB&J sandwiches — and now helps CEOs do the same through her Freedom Goal Group.

KEY TOPICS COVERED

• Building and selling a tech business in a male-dominated world
• Surviving chronic illness and finding a North Star
• Early entrepreneurship, women in STEM, and startup culture
• Love, leadership, and resilience after burnout
• Parenting with purpose and teaching money smarts

MEMORABLE QUOTES

• “You solve someone’s anxiety, they’ll open their wallet for you.”
• “There are two types of retirement — financial and business. Financial is great. Business is the worst.”
• “You have to have a North Star — something to move toward, no matter how dark it gets.”
• “Don’t live on 100 % of your salary. You’ll never miss what you never had.”

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Where to listen & watch:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/w2RmOKt7fhA
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whats-your-story/id1768048076
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFWnedfyylxVs5vJrD8tY
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c4c493e-e2f2-4b4b-bfd3-52174caeaf7c/whats-your-story-with-jaime-stan

Connect with Jennifer Berkowitz 
Website: www.freedomgoalgroup.com
Calendly: www.calendly.com/jenniferberkowitz
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenwalzerberkowitz/

If this episode helped you rethink what success looks like, subscribe, rate, and review our podcast! Your support helps us share more powerful stories like Jennifer’s.

Follow us on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/JaimeSpeaks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaimeMarcoSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimeamarco
Website: https://www.jaimemarco.com

Got feedback or a guest recommendation? Email us at [email protected]

In this heartfelt and inspiring conversation, Lynn Samis takes us through a journey as colorful as her canvases. From raising four children across Oklahoma, California, Texas, and Mexico, to rediscovering her passion for painting later in life, Lynn’s story is about resilience, reinvention, and joy in the everyday. She opens up about homeschooling in Cabo, her lifelong love of art, navigating her mother’s Alzheimer’s, the strength of family, and even surviving a near-death experience that led to a pacemaker at 41. With humor, warmth, and wisdom, Lynn reminds us that life is a masterpiece—messy, beautiful, and worth celebrating.

KEY TOPICS COVERED

• Growing up in Oklahoma with three brothers and a tomboy spirit
   
• Raising four kids while moving between California, Texas, and Mexico
   
• Homeschooling on the beach in Cabo (with surfing as recess)
   
• Rekindling her passion for art and developing a unique style in Santa Fe
   
• Caring for parents through Alzheimer’s and loss, and the lessons of love and patience
   
• Surviving fainting spells, misdiagnosis, and getting a pacemaker that changed everything
   
• Finding resilience, faith, and joy through family and creativity
   

MEMORABLE QUOTES

• “Expect the unexpected—and learn to pivot.”
   
• “Art is where I find my sanity. It’s my breakout period.”
   
• “Support is everything. You can’t do hard things alone.”
   
• “Life is short—celebrate the little things, not just the big ones.”
   

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Where to listen & watch:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/gZFYn6peWVU
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whats-your-story/id1768048076
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFWnedfyylxVs5vJrD8tY
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c4c493e-e2f2-4b4b-bfd3-52174caeaf7c/whats-your-story-with-jaime-stan

Connect with Lynn Samis:
Website: https://www.lynnsamisart.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lynnsamisfineart/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lynn.samis/

If this episode helped you rethink what success looks like, subscribe, rate, and review our podcast! Your support helps us share more powerful stories like Lynn’s.

Follow us on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/JaimeSpeaks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaimeMarcoSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimeamarco
Website: https://www.jaimemarco.com
Got feedback or a guest recommendation? Email us at [email protected]

In this raw and riveting episode, Jeremy opens up about his journey from a childhood marked by chaos and domestic violence to surviving 15 suicide attempts—and the radical shift that saved his life. With unflinching honesty, he shares how basketball, fatherhood, and an unexpected YouTube video sparked his transformation. Today, Jeremy is a coach who helps others trade self-doubt for self-love, and fear for freedom. His story is proof that no matter how dark it gets, change is possible, purpose is real, and healing is worth the fight.

KEY TOPICS COVERED

• Growing up in a home of volatility, violence, and survival mode
• The weight of shame, insecurity, and repeated suicide attempts
• A turning point sparked by Tony Robbins and the world of personal developmen
• The impact of becoming a father—and the responsibility of breaking cycles
• Learning acceptance, respect, self-esteem, self-care, and true self-love
• From near tragedy to transformation: why Jeremy now helps others rewrite their story

MEMORABLE QUOTES

• “I tried to take my life 15 times… and every single time, something stopped me.”
• “We spend more time masking our pain than confronting it.”
• “Confidence isn’t loud—it’s simply trusting yourself.”
• “If you love yourself, why would you entertain a thought that does you a disservice?”

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Where to listen & watch:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/d0XOCrY5ohE
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whats-your-story/id1768048076
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFWnedfyylxVs5vJrD8tY
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c4c493e-e2f2-4b4b-bfd3-52174caeaf7c/whats-your-story-with-jaime-stan

Connect with Jeremy Rodriguez
Jeremy is offering a 15 minute complimentary call with listeners.
Complimentary call: https://calendly.com/inspiredbyunity/1
Email: [email protected]

If this episode helped you rethink what success looks like, subscribe, rate, and review our podcast! Your support helps us share more powerful stories like Jeremy’s.

Follow us on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/JaimeSpeaks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaimeMarcoSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimeamarco
Website: https://www.jaimemarco.com
Got feedback or a guest recommendation? Email us at [email protected]

In this sharp, heartfelt, and hilarious episode, we sit down with comedian Anthony Bonazzo — a Jersey-born comic who has built a career on Chicago’s comedy stages while navigating the highs and lows of life, loss, and laughter. Anthony shares his journey from a big Italian family full of material, to AmeriCorps service in Alaska, to carving out a name for himself at Zanies, Dry Bar Comedy, and beyond. Along the way, he opens up about depression, resilience, hecklers, social media pressures, and why comedy at its best doesn’t just punch lines — it connects people.

KEY TOPICS COVERED

• Growing up in a big Italian family and discovering comedy through impressions
• From Alaska volunteer work to Chicago improv and stand-up
• Balancing comedy with personal training and fitness
• The rollercoaster lifestyle of a working comedian
• Navigating depression, loss, and personal struggles through humor
• The challenge of writing comedy in today’s sensitive climate
• Viral moments, specials, and opening for Michael Che
• Why authenticity in comedy matters more than shock value

MEMORABLE QUOTES

• “Comedy is like riding a wave — you can’t control it, you just have to hang on.” — Anthony Bonazzo
• “Am I depressed, or is everybody just depressing? Sometimes it’s hard to tell.” — Anthony Bonazzo
• “Comedy at its best isn’t about being offensive — it’s about being authentic.” — Anthony Bonazzo

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Where to listen & watch:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/o61EB6RK6pk
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whats-your-story/id1768048076
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFWnedfyylxVs5vJrD8tY
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c4c493e-e2f2-4b4b-bfd3-52174caeaf7c/whats-your-story-with-jaime-stan

Connect with Anthony Bonazzo
Website - https://www.anthonybonazzo.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/comediantrainer/

If this episode helped you rethink what success looks like, subscribe, rate, and review our podcast! Your support helps us share more powerful stories like Anthony's.

Follow us on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/JaimeSpeaks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaimeMarcoSpeaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimeamarco
Website: https://www.jaimemarco.com
Got feedback or a guest recommendation? Email us at [email protected]