WISEly Speaking

Welcome to Season 2 of WISEly Speaking! We’re kicking off the new season with an inside look at how WISE has grown and evolved over the years.

Laura Early sits down with Jennifer Cox, Chief of Staff, and Heather LeBlanc, Executive Account Manager, to hear from two people who have experienced that growth firsthand. Together, they reflect on how WISE has changed, what surprised them along the way, and what they’ve learned about leading with transparency, staying curious, and navigating change as a team.

Season 1 explored the founders’ story. Season 2 picks up where that story left off, exploring what it takes to grow a company while staying true to its people and purpose.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction 

01:53 Roles and Unexpected Hats

04:03 How WISE Has Changed in Seven Years 

06:05 When it Clicked that WISE was Different 

08:02 Jennifer’s First Impressions 

10:06 Internal Operations vs. the Client View 

11:41 Case Study: the New Software Rollout 

15:16 Staffing with Intention 

17:06 How Decision-Making Has Evolved

20:48 Leadership Lessons from the Last Year 

24:29 Building Trust in Leadership Communication 

27:59 What new hires should know beyond the SOPs 

32:27 Closing Thoughts and Gratitude 

34:11 Conclusion

Resources:

WISE Advise + Assist Team 

Diana LinkedIn 

Laura LinkedIn 

Jennifer Cox

Heather LeBlanc 

Welcome back to WISEly Speaking! This season, we’re bringing you bigger and bolder conversations.

WISEly Speaking began with one goal: to pull back the curtain on WISE- the good, the bad, and the ugly. In this episode, Laura reflects on the leadership lessons, bold decisions, and hard-earned insights that have shaped WISE's journey and reveals what it really takes to build something that lasts.

Time Stamps

00.00 Introduction 

01.40 You Don’t Need a Perfect Plan

03.10 Purpose Makes Hard Decisions Clear 

05.33 Partnership Requires More than Friendship 

07:45 Growth Will Expose What’s Not Working

09.57 Leadership is Not a Title

12.39 Not Every Opportunity is the Right One

15.58 Burnout is Not a Business Strategy

20.24 Freedom Has to Be Defined and Designed

23.38 Build Something Bigger Than You

25.36 Final Lessons and Takeaway

28.15 Celebrating Season One

29.10 Thank-yous and Conclusion

Resources:

Diana LinkedIn 

Laura LinkedIn 

wiseadviseteam.com

What does it really take to build a business while navigating military life, raising a family, and redefining success along the way?

In this episode of WISEly Speaking, Laura sits down with entrepreneur, military spouse, and founder Moni Jefferson for an honest conversation about entrepreneurship. Together, they explore what it looks like to grow a business through changing seasons, embracing boundaries, and building a life that reflects your values. 

Time Stamps

00.00 Introduction 

02:19 From Military Spouse to Entrepreneur

08:32 Building a Business through Changing Seasons 

13:49 Redefining Success and Financial Freedom 

25:00 Boundaries, Burnout and Sustainable Growth 

31:10 Advice for the Entrepreneur she Once Was 

34:05 Saying Yes to Your Next Chapter

Resources:

Moni LinkedIn

Diana LinkedIn 

Laura LinkedIn 

wiseadviseteam.com

Welcome to WISEly Speaking, where we’re diving into lessons in boundaries and intentionality. In this solo episode, Laura opens up about her personal journey that changes everything from chronic overcommitment and burnout to building a business focused on life, family, and career. She shares the real story of that shift, plus the boundaries, reflection habits, and decision-making frameworks that made it sustainable.

Time Stamps

00.00 Introduction 

05:14 Recognizing Burnout and the Need for Change 

10:58 Defining Personal Boundaries and Freedom

15:41 Implementing Practical Changes for Balance

19:56 Reflecting on Values and Sustainable Growth 

Resources:

Struggle of the Juggle 

Get Your Time Back Audit

Diana LinkedIn 

Laura LinkedIn 

wiseadviseteam.com 

In today's episode of WISEly Speaking, we're exploring the concept of success, which goes far beyond titles and external validation. Join us as Laura shares her insights on leadership, character, and sustainable growth. She offers encouraging advice to entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing personal development and recognizing its significance over mere titles and applause.

Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction 

00:32 Success Beyond Achievements 

4:21 Success as Character and Integrity

7:09 Challenges and Growth in Leadership Roles

9:02 Learning through Mentorship in Leadership 

10:58  Imposter Syndrome

17:50  Redefining Success and Leadership

19:06 Reflections on Personal Definitions of Success

Resources:

Laura LinkedIn 

wiseadviseteam.com

Welcome to WISEly Speaking. Today we’re talking about the leap from a traditional path into entrepreneurship and the courage it takes to bet on oneself. Entrepreneurship involves constant learning, pushing through fear and making decisions without all the information. These problems are what gives us the building blocks to grow and develop confidence. Are you feeling that push towards entrepreneurship? 

Time Stamps

00.00 Introduction 

00:53 The Leap into Entrepreneurship 

02:46 Facing Fear and Doubt

04:40 The Journey of Learning

07:32 Building Confidence Through Experience 

10:22 Courage Over Confidence

Resources:

Diana LinkedIn 

Laura LinkedIn 

wiseadviseteam.com 

Dare to Lead by Brene Brown

Today, we want to talk to you about something that feels real and timely: leading in transition. Leadership can evolve during seasons of change, especially when personal or even team transitions are happening. Life is always moving, and there needs to be space for compassion, clarity, and boundaries to lead effectively through uncertain seasons.

Time Stamps

00.00 Introduction 

04:53 Empathy and Clarity in Leadership 

09:14 Boundaries and Care in Leadership 

11:40 Leading a Female Team

15:56 Key Takeaways For leaders in Transition

Resources:

Diana LinkedIn 

Laura LinkedIn 

wiseadviseteam.com

Today we’re talking about the scrappy, gritty and messy part of building WISE from the ground up. We’re focusing on start-up strategies, our initial financial choices we made and lessons learned through mistakes. No matter where you are in launching your own business or looking for sustainable growth inspiration, these insights will provide valuable guidance. 

Time Stamps

00:00 Bootstrapping WISE: The Early Days

03:33 Creative Solutions and Initial Investments

07:33 Learning from Early Mistakes

15:50 Growth and Sustainability Strategies

20:08 The Importance of Intentionality in Business

Resources:

Diana LinkedIn 

Laura LinkedIn 

wiseadviseteam.com

In this episode, we share our personal journey through foundership and business growth from the past 10 years. We explore foundational elements such as the importance of trust, shared values, and how effective communication is vital for a successful partnership. 

Time Stamps

00:00 The Birth of a Business Idea

03:05 Navigating Partnership Dynamics

06:13 Building Trust and Shared Vision

09:00 Conflict Resolution and Communication

12:02 Staying Inspired and Motivated

15:08 The Importance of Vulnerability 

18:10 Commitment and Accountability in Partnership 

21:11 Continuous Growth and Learning

24:08 Key Takeaways for Future Partnerships

Resources:

wiseadviseteam.com 

Diana LinkedIn 

Laura LinkedIn 

wiseadviseteam.com