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  • The Builder’s Path: AI, Leadership, and the Conversations We Still Have to Have with Darrin Murriner

    The Builder’s Path: AI, Leadership, and the Conversations We Still Have to Have with Darrin Murriner

    · Life from Within

    In today’s episode, I have Darrin Murriner, the co-founder and CEO of Cloverleaf. Darrin shares his journey from spending 15 years in the structured corporate world to launching an automated team coaching platform. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Darrin spent 15 years in the corporate world with roles in risk management and auditing at Munich Re, Arthur Andersen, and Fifth Third Bank. He is also the author of two books, Corporate Bravery and Thrive, both focused on helping organizations build adaptable cultures in the face of uncertainty.

    We talk about what it truly means to step out on your own, the distinct difference between identifying as a "builder" versus an "entrepreneur," and the mindset shift needed to navigate constant rejection during fundraising. Darrin also offers profound insights into how Cloverleaf intentionally uses AI to coach human behavior rather than replace it, and why teaching the next generation to embrace discomfort is vital for long-term success.

    💡Key Takeaways and HighlightsThe Breaking Point in Corporate Life: A severe compliance challenge served as the catalyst for Darrin to finally step away. He emphasizes the absolute necessity of open communication and financial planning with a partner before making a major career leap. Surviving the Arthur Andersen Collapse: Early in his career, Darrin lived through the sudden overnight disappearance of Arthur Andersen during the Enron scandal. He was part of a 700-person group that broke off to form a new brand under Robert Half, giving him his first taste of building from scratch.The "Builder" Identity vs. "Entrepreneur": Darrin views true entrepreneurship as being an explorer, akin to Lewis and Clark, navigating spaces without a clear map.AI as a Coach, Not an "Easy Button": Darrin discusses Cloverleaf’s intentional integration of AI, noting that the platform focuses on driving long-term behavior change and real-world dialogue.Overcoming the Soul-Crushing "No": Reflecting on fundraising, Darrin details how shifting his mindset to view rejection as a standard process—where it regularly takes 50 to 100 nos to get a single yes—helped him stop taking business rejection personally.Building Resilience in Gen Z: As a father of three teenagers, Darrin shares his perspective on the high levels of career stress and anxiety in younger generations. He emphasizes the critical need for parents to intentionally push youth into uncomfortable situations to build resilience before they enter the workforce.

    Chapters

    00:00 | Introduction

    02:19 | Corporate Experiences and Realizations: Darrin's Journey

    04:43 | Discovering the Builder Within

    08:37 | The Decision to Leave Corporate Life

    10:53 | Planning for Transition

    14:30 | Building Cloverleaf and Its Mission

    17:36 | The Role of AI in Team Dynamics

    18:17 | The Human Element in AI Integration

    25:19 | Introspection Lessons from Building a Business

    34:22 | The Importance of Shifting Your Mindset with Career Pivots

    Guest

    Darrin Murriner is the Cofounder and CEO of Cloverleaf.me - a technology platform that is bringing automated team coaching to the entire enterprise through real-time, customized coaching in the tools employees use everyday (calendar, email & Slack / Teams). The result is better collaboration, improved employee relationships and a more engaged workforce. Prior to starting Cloverleaf, Darrin had a 15 year corporate career that spanned Munich Re, Arthur Andersen and Fifth Third Bank. Darrin is also the author of Corporate Bravery and Thrive, books focused on building organizational cultures that thrive in the face of change and uncertainty.

    Website: https://cloverleaf.me/

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

    Purchase Corporate Bravery and Thrive: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Darrin-Murriner/author/B014X2DSPO?ref=ap_rdr&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

    Host

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach, facilitator, and host of Life from Within, a podcast exploring the inner work of leadership, growth, and career transition. She works with thoughtful leaders, founders, and seasoned professionals who are navigating complexity, change, and meaningful inflection points in their work. Through her coaching, facilitation, and podcast conversations, Kelly helps people find clarity, strengthen self-trust, and move forward with greater intention and grounded conviction.

    https://kellydwyer.co

    Listen, subscribe and share

    Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

    IG – @kd_lifefromwithin

    LinkedIn – /in/kellydwyer

  • From Calculating to Sensing: AI, Complexity, and Human Agency with Ryan Martens

    From Calculating to Sensing: AI, Complexity, and Human Agency with Ryan Martens

    · Life from Within

    In a world increasingly dominated by AI, how do we ensure that technology amplifies our humanity rather than eroding it? In this episode of Life From Within, I talk with Ryan Martens, a serial entrepreneur in software services, SaaS, and AI, as well as Pledge 1%. He was the founder of Rally Software, which became the first public B-Corp in 2013.

    Ryan has spent his career at the leading edge of technology, and today he is exploring how to amplify humans using AI.

    We talk about why AI requires us to be more human, not less, and how to navigate the shift from a "complicated" world of answers to a "complex" world of patterns.

    💡Key TakeawaysThe AI Bell Curve: Ryan explains why AI defaults to the "middle of the normal distribution curve."From Calculating to Sensing: In a complicated system (like a car engine), there is a right answer. In a complex system (like AI, climate, or leadership), there are only patterns. Ryan discusses the shift from being a "human calculator" to a "senser" who experiments and listens.Human-Centered Tech: A look at Ryan’s current work with MNFST AI. Instead of building tools that replace the person, he is focused on tools that require "human-in-the-loop" engagement, fostering collaboration between human intuition and machine processing.The Importance of Grounding: Why engaging with AI requires you to be first grounded in your own body and thoughts. Ryan shares how practices like morning pages are essential for maintaining human agency in a digital age.Citizen Engineers & Ethical Tech: Reflecting on his journey with Rally Software and Pledge 1%, Ryan discusses the responsibility of creators to build technology that serves the flourishing of the whole system.

    Chapters

    00:00 | Introduction

    01:49 | The Science Behind Regenerative Practices

    06:21 | Understanding Complexity vs. Complication

    10:07 | Hospicing Modernity by Vanessa Machado de Oliveira

    12:07 | Shifting Perspectives on Certainty

    14:58 | Personal Growth and Intuition

    18:43 | Expanding Your Sensibilities and Awareness

    19:53 | Amplifying Humanity with AI

    21:54 | Grounding Before AI Engagement

    23:38 | Amplifying Human Intelligence with AI

    26:02 | Community and Collaboration in AI

    28:02 | The Role of Belonging in AI Interactions

    30:24 | Safety and Vulnerability in Group Dynamics

    31:46 | Women in AI: Insights and Experiences

    37:00 | Innovative Approaches to Raising Capital

    41:19 | Emergence and Agency in AI Interactions

    44:56 | Building a Human-Centric AI

    Guest Info & Resources Mentioned

    Ryan Martens is an entrepreneur in software services, SaaS, and AI, as well as Pledge1%. He was the founder of Rally Software, which was the first public B-Corp in 2013, and used 1/1/1 funds to drive impact by working to create Citizen Engineers with partners at Code for America and Engineers without Borders.

    He is currently growing an AI business and raising regenerative, organic beef on private and public lands, using virtual fences.

    Website: https://mnfst.ai/

    Substack: https://manifest.substack.com/

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

    Pledge 1%: https://www.pledge1percent.org/

    Incorruptible by Eric Ries: https://www.incorruptible.co/

    Hospicing Modernity by Vanessa Machado de Oliveira: https://www.northatlanticbooks.com/shop/hospicing-modernity/

    Host

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach, facilitator, and host of Life from Within, a podcast exploring the inner work of leadership, growth, and career transition. She works with thoughtful leaders, founders, and seasoned professionals who are navigating complexity, change, and meaningful inflection points in their work. Through her coaching, facilitation, and podcast conversations, Kelly helps people find clarity, strengthen self-trust, and move forward with greater intention and grounded conviction.

    https://kellydwyer.co

    IG – @kd_lifefromwithin

    LinkedIn – /in/kellydwyer

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  • Flipping the Script: Identity, Career Transition, and Becoming with Kelly Dwyer and Elicia Carmichael

    Flipping the Script: Identity, Career Transition, and Becoming with Kelly Dwyer and Elicia Carmichael

    · Life from Within

    When we face a major career pivot or step into a high-stakes leadership role, we often change more than just our job title. We may lose the ability to "trade" on the value of our previous role, leaving us in a vulnerable gap between who we were and who we are becoming.

    In this special episode of Life from Within, the tables are turned as Elicia Carmichael interviews Kelly. Moving away from the role of the expert, Kelly shares her own "quarter-life crisis" transition from the high-momentum startup world to the uncertain life of an actor in LA. We discuss the "identity loss" that often blindsides high achievers and how to build the internal scaffolding necessary to support a new version of yourself.

    💡Key TakeawaysThe Weight of the Room: Why an executive is never in a "small room," and how your positional power changes the way your words land.Trading on Value: Understanding the specific type of loss that occurs when you move into a field where your previous successes no longer serve as currency.The Decision vs. The Integration: Why the choice to change can happen in a moment, but the integration of a new identity takes months, or even years, of "micro-shifts".Who over What: Shifting the question from "What do I want to do?" to "Who do I want to be?" to find clarity in the middle of complexity.

    Chapters

    00:00 | Introduction

    02:42 | My Experience with Identity Loss

    10:56 | How to Introduce Yourself in a Meaningful Way

    12:43 | Navigating an Identity Change in Your Career

    18:14 | The Importance of Taking the Chance

    21:18 | The Decision-Making Process

    22:04 | Micro Shifts: Building Confidence in Communication

    24:27 | Who Do You Want to Be? A Guiding Question

    26:36 | Multiple Dreams: Embracing Change in Identity

    Interviewer

    Elicia Carmichael focuses her professional energy and boundless curiosity on the intersection of finance and impact. She is the CFO and leader of financial solutions at Labor Mobility Partnerships (LaMP), where she deploys blended capital designs to overcome global migration challenges — turning the global labor/demographics mismatch into prosperity for all. In 2024, she founded the Mobility Finance Network, which unites experts from finance, industry, and migration policy to design and fund financial instruments that make cross-border opportunities accessible for migrants, students, and refugees. Her current initiatives span the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe and are driven by her desire to see safe, legal cross-border growth opportunities available to blue-collar workers. Prior to joining LaMP, Elicia was VP of Strategy for Root Capital, where she led the innovation and business development functions in service of their $100M agricultural development investment portfolio.

    Elicia holds an MBA from Cornell University and a BA in International Studies from Colby College. In her free time, she hikes, scuba dives, and patrols for invasive aquatic plants in the pristine lakes of Maine.

    Connect with Elicia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliciacarmichael/

    “Guest”

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach and facilitator. Through her podcast Life from Within, she opens up real conversations about personal growth, career crossroads, and the inner work of leadership. She created the show to explore the moments of courage and clarity that spark inner shifts and lead to meaningful outer progress.

    In her coaching and facilitation practice, Kelly partners with thoughtful leaders, including founders, C-suite executives, and rising leaders who shoulder significant responsibility and want to lead with grounded clarity and self-trust. She helps them return to what matters most, cut through the noise, and navigate inflection points with aligned conviction.

    Kelly is a graduate of the University of Colorado and holds an MBA from Cornell University.

    Connect with Kelly

    Coaching and facilitation: https://kellydwyer.co

    IG – @kd_lifefromwithin

    LinkedIn – /in/kellydwyer

    Sign up for updates

    Listen and subscribe

    Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

  • Reclaiming Visibility, Power, and Presence for Women Over 50 with Barbara Brooks and Julie Ciardi

    Reclaiming Visibility, Power, and Presence for Women Over 50 with Barbara Brooks and Julie Ciardi

    · Life from Within

    Reclaiming Visibility, Power, and Presence for Women Over 50 with Barbara Brooks and Julie Ciardi

    Is midlife a diminishing season or an ignition point?

    In this powerful double-feature conversation, Kelly talks with Barbara Brooks and Julie Ciardi about age, reinvention, visibility, ambition, and the deeper call many women feel in the second half of life. Barbara shares how ageism at 51 led her to build a movement around experience as power, while Julie reflects on leaving IBM to pursue work that felt more aligned with who she was meant to be.

    Together, they challenge the narrative that women become less relevant with age. They explore why experience is a business asset, why visibility should match your goals rather than social media trends, how ambition evolves in midlife, and why caring for the body becomes part of the work. At the heart of the episode is a clear message: you are not finished, your voice matters, and it may be time to stop waiting.

    Key Takeaways:

    Why age is an asset, not a disadvantage“Middlescence,” the gold age, and reframing the second half of lifeHow visibility changes when you start leading from substanceWhy owning your value is essential before others can value itThe evolution of ambition from proving yourself to serving something biggerThe physical realities of midlife and the need to care for the body alongside the missionFear, conformity, and the courage to use your voice anywayWhy legacy work often begins when you stop waiting

    Chapters

    00:00 | Introduction to Empowering Women in Middlescence

    03:25 | Barbara Brooks: The Birth of a Mission

    05:09 | Julie Ciardi: A Transformational Moment

    07:35 | Redefining Midlife: Middlescence

    11:20 | Visibility Differently: How to do it Right

    19:15 | The Evolution of Ambition

    23:54 | The Responsibility of Legacy Work

    24:24 | Facing the Challenges of New Beginnings

    26:00 | The Importance of Self-Care

    27:17 | Listening to Our Bodies

    30:03 | Emerging Convictions and Niche Drama

    31:04 | The Power of Female Voices

    33:32 | Age as an Asset

    35:12 | Valuing Our Experience

    36:34 | Embracing Uniqueness and Overcoming Fear

    37:50 | Taking Action and Living Fully

    Guests

    Barbara Brooks is a nationally recognized entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and founder of SecondActWomen. Through her Experience Is Power platform, she helps organizations unlock the business value of experienced talent across a five-generation workforce. A bold advocate for age inclusion and workforce performance, Barbara has been featured by Forbes, Fast Company, CBS Colorado, PBS Next Avenue, and NBC 9News. She believes beauty knows no age, value has no expiration date, and experience is power.

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbaralbrooks/

    barbarabrooks.com and secondactwomen.com

    https://barbarabrooks.substack.com/

    https://www.youtube.com/@BarbaraBrooks

    Julie Ciardi is the author of 50 Not Finished, a former IBM exec turned 7-figure founder & a mom of three. She is navigating midlife & the adult-children phase of motherhood. There is a big gap in the current menopause conversation - all health, all aesthetics, no “what’s next?” Julie believes that midlife is the start of the Gold Age - not Old Age. She is an advocate for women near or over 50 ready to do their legacy work. Julie rewrote the entire Human Design system by a woman for women to help them get clarity in their midlife calling. She is a Substack Best Seller & runs a global mentorship company for midlife women.

    https://www.julieciardi.com/

    https://substack.com/@julieciardi

    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/substack-by-design/id1882801640

    https://www.instagram.com/julieciardi/

    Host

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach, facilitator, and host of Life from Within, a podcast exploring the inner work of leadership, growth, and career transition. She works with thoughtful leaders, founders, and seasoned professionals who are navigating complexity, change, and meaningful inflection points in their work. Through her coaching, facilitation, and podcast conversations, Kelly helps people find clarity, strengthen self-trust, and move forward with greater intention and grounded conviction.

    https://kellydwyer.co

    Listen and subscribe

    Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

    IG – @kd_lifefromwithin

    LinkedIn – /in/kellydwyer

  • Culture Change, Credibility, and the Long Game of Leadership with CEO Chris Bower

    Culture Change, Credibility, and the Long Game of Leadership with CEO Chris Bower

    · Life from Within

    Change isn't just about new software or updated protocols; it’s about people. Today I am speaking with Chris Bower, President and CEO of Endurance Federal Credit Union. He is a veteran of the credit union industry with 30+ years of experience. Chris shares how he has modernized the organization over his 18-year tenure as CEO through technology and culture change. We talk about the importance of trust building and why it is so important to allow space for employees to share concerns.

    Whether you are leading a small team or a major institution, Chris’s insights on leadership are an essential roadmap in organizational transformation.

    Key Takeaways for Leaders:

    Communication is Currency: You cannot over-communicate during times of transition.Invite Collaboration: If you want buy-in, you must empower middle management.Building the Foundation: Why you can't rush culture change - trust must be earned through transparency and consistency.Be Intentional: Change should never be impulsive. A methodical approach reduces anxiety across the board.Focus on Trust: Trust isn't a byproduct of success; it’s the prerequisite for it.

    Chapters

    00:00 | Introduction to Leadership and Communication

    04:28 | Implementing Technology and Cultural Shifts

    08:42 | Embracing AI in Financial Services

    10:30 | Fostering Openness and Transparency in Culture

    16:17 | Navigating Communication Challenges

    20:25 | Learning from Missteps

    25:00 | Future Growth and Community Engagement

    Guest

    Chris is the CEO of Endurance Federal Credit Union. He is a strategic and growth-focused financial services executive with more than 25 years of progressive leadership experience in community and federal credit unions ranging from $11 million to $195 million in assets. He has a proven record of accelerating loan and deposit growth, expanding membership, enhancing profitability, and leading high-performing teams through transformation and change.

    Chris is recognized for building strong organizational cultures, improving operational efficiency, driving digital modernization, and delivering exceptional member experiences. He is a collaborative leader and persuasive communicator who thrives in dynamic, evolving environments.

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-bower-93b181157/

    Endurance Federal Credit Union: https://www.endurancefcu.org/

    Host

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach and facilitator. Through her podcast Life from Within, she opens up real conversations about personal growth, career crossroads, and the inner work of leadership. She created the show to explore the moments of courage and clarity that spark inner shifts and lead to meaningful outer progress.

    In her coaching and facilitation practice, Kelly partners with thoughtful, influential leaders, including founders, C-suite executives, and rising leaders who shoulder significant responsibility and want to lead with grounded clarity and self-trust. She helps them return to what matters most, cut through the noise, and navigate inflection points with aligned conviction.

    Kelly is a graduate of the University of Colorado and holds an MBA from Cornell University.

    Coaching and facilitation: https://kellydwyer.co

    Listen and subscribe

    Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

    Follow Kelly

    Instagram – @kd_lifefromwithin

    LinkedIn – /in/kellydwyer

    Sign up for updates

  • How Clarity Arrives When You Stop Forcing the Outcome

    How Clarity Arrives When You Stop Forcing the Outcome

    · Life from Within

    In this solo episode, I reflect on surrender, resistance, and the moments of clarity that energize the path ahead. Whether it’s pivoting to a new career or launching a creative project, we often find ourselves stuck in seeking mode, paralyzed by the need to guarantee an outcome before we even begin.

    I share two pivotal stories from my own life - transitioning into full-time coaching and launching this very podcast. Surrender is about letting go of the illusion of control so that momentum can finally take over.

    💡 Key Takeaways:How to Identify Your Authentic Desire: A genuine spark or idea arises.Ask the big questions (e.g., "What is my next right step?").What is the Wall of Resistance? Fear-based questions like "Will it work financially?" or "What if I quit?"How to shift perspectives to make the resistance crumble.

    Chapters

    00:00 | The Essence of Surrender

    01:11 | Personal Journey: Surrendering to Coaching

    05:03 | Personal Journey: Surrendering to the Podcast

    08:45 | Connecting the Dots: Common Themes in Surrender

    09:31 | Universal Experience: Desire and Resistance

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach and facilitator. Through her podcast Life from Within, she opens up real conversations about personal growth, career crossroads, and the inner work of leadership. She created the show to explore the moments of courage and clarity that spark inner shifts and lead to meaningful outer progress.

    In her coaching and facilitation practice, Kelly partners with thoughtful, influential leaders, including founders, C-suite executives, and rising leaders who shoulder significant responsibility and want to lead with grounded clarity and self-trust. She helps them return to what matters most, cut through the noise, and navigate inflection points with aligned conviction.

    Kelly is a graduate of the University of Colorado and holds an MBA from Cornell University.

    Coaching and facilitation: https://kellydwyer.co

    Listen and subscribe

    Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

    Follow Kelly

    Instagram – @kd_lifefromwithin

    LinkedIn – /in/kellydwyer

    Sign up for updates

  • Leaving Corporate Without Losing Yourself: Identity, Burnout & Creative Reinvention with Vika Nikitina Chala

    Leaving Corporate Without Losing Yourself: Identity, Burnout & Creative Reinvention with Vika Nikitina Chala

    · Life from Within

    Have you ever told yourself, "I’m just not the creative type"? In this episode, Vika Nikitina Chala, founder of Rising Heart Coaching and Studio and author of Mother Monster Mystery, dismantles the myth that creativity is reserved for professional artists.

    Vika shares her incredible journey from a 20-year career as a process engineer and pharmaceutical services professional to becoming a creative wellness entrepreneur. We discuss the pivotal moments that led Vika to embrace the title of Artist. Vika also opens up about the entrepreneurial burnout she faced after opening her physical studio and how she used her own creative wellness tools to navigate insomnia and anxiety. If you are standing at a career crossroads or feeling the weight of hustle culture, this episode offers a soulful, practical guide to coming back to yourself.

    💡 Key Takeaways:The science behind creative wellness and how you can incorporate it into your life.Art as a tool for neuroplasticity, problem-solving, and nervous system regulation.The importance of speaking your truth after the creative process.How voicing who you want to become will help bring your vision to life.How to avoid burnout when you are starting a business.

    Chapters

    00:00 | Introduction to Vika Nikitina Chala

    02:07 | The Belief in Universal Creativity

    06:42 | Creative Wellness as a Pathway to Well-Being

    09:25 | Personal Journey: From Corporate to Creative

    13:47 | The Pivotal Moment of Change

    16:59 | Launching the Creative Arts Studio

    20:34 | Navigating Grief with Past Identities

    22:24 | The Importance of Pacing and Pausing

    27:18 | How to Work with Vika 

    Guest

    Vika is an artist, expressive arts practitioner, and certified professional life coach who helps people reconnect with themselves through creativity, reflection, and honest conversation. After nearly 20 years in a pharmaceutical services career, a persistent creative calling pushed Vika to reimagine achievement and belonging on her own terms.

    Her pivot into creative wellness came after realizing she could not fake being successful if she could not be herself. Over the past decade, Vika has delivered hundreds of hours of creative facilitation, helping people reframe their relationship with creativity as an internal resource rather than a performance. She has developed multiple comprehensive creative wellness programs that support connection with creativity from within, in conversation with others, and in relationship with society as a whole. 

    Vika is a mother of two, the founder of Rising Heart Coaching, and the owner of Rising Heart Studio in Metuchen, New Jersey. She is the author of Mother Monster Mystery and is currently working on a children’s book. Vika believes that creativity is for everyone and is an essential component of human life. 

     

    Website: https://www.risingheartcoach.com/

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/risingheartcoach/

    Host

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach and facilitator. Through her podcast Life from Within, she opens up real conversations about personal growth, career crossroads, and the inner work of leadership. She created the show to explore the moments of courage and clarity that spark inner shifts and lead to meaningful outer progress.

    In her coaching and facilitation practice, Kelly partners with thoughtful, influential leaders including founders, C-suite executives, and rising leaders who shoulder significant responsibility and want to lead with grounded clarity and self-trust. She helps them return to what matters most, cut through the noise, and navigate inflection points with aligned conviction.

    Kelly is a graduate of the University of Colorado and holds an MBA from Cornell University.

    Coaching and facilitation: https://kellydwyer.co

    Listen and subscribe

    Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

    ï»żFollow Kelly

    Instagram – @kd_lifefromwithin

    LinkedIn – /in/kellydwyer

    Sign up for updates

  • When a High Performer Hurts the Team: A CEO’s Hardest Culture Call with Lara Hodgson

    When a High Performer Hurts the Team: A CEO’s Hardest Culture Call with Lara Hodgson

    · Life from Within

    Welcome back to Life from Within. In this episode, I chat with Lara O'Connor Hodgson, the CEO of ROXWrite. We talk about her journey as a contrarian thinker and how her background in aerospace engineering shaped her unique approach to solving complex problems in startups.

    We also discuss how to foster innovation, the importance of doing something different and how she is currently using AI to revolutionize risk assessment in the lending world. If you’ve ever wanted to challenge the status quo in your organization, this episode is for you.

    💡 Key Takeaways:

    How to navigate business challenges that feel overwhelming.How to create a safe space for teams to experiment and ideate without fear.How ROXWrite is leading the lending industry by using AI to look at risk through a completely different lens.How to build the muscle for navigating uncertainty in your own career.

    Chapters

    00:00 | Introduction to Engineering Mindset and Liberal Arts Personality

    04:40 | The Strengths and Weaknesses of Compassionate Leadership

    06:34 | Hiring for Mindsets vs. Skill Sets

    11:55 | Navigating Team Dynamics and Cultural Fit

    18:05 | Developing Comfort with Conflict in Leadership

    24:09 | The Importance of Intentional Culture

    26:09 | The Difference Between the Collective Person and Individuals

    31:40 | Introducing ROX Write: A New Venture

    38:30 | The Role of a CEO in Team Building

    Guest

    Lara Hodgson currently serves as the CEO of RoxWrite, an innovative, AI-enabled underwriting platform to enable lenders and businesses to assess the risk of their customers.  She is a rocket scientist, a contrarian and a serial entrepreneur with an engineering mind and a liberal arts personality, having founded 3 companies, Insomnia LLC, Nourish and NowAccount, prior to Rox. Before starting her first company, she worked at startups such as Dunk.net, founded with Shaquille O'Neal and at iXL where she learned she thrived in the ambiguity of start-ups.  Lara is co-author of the best-selling book, "Level Up: Rise Above the Hidden Forces Holding your Business Back" and has served as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Harvard Business School.  She serves as a Trustee at Georgia Tech where she studied Aerospace Engineering and was a member of the Varsity Track and Field Team.

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

    X: @laraohodgson

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/level.up.2day/

    Level Up Book: https://www.amazon.com/Level-Up-Hidden-Holding-Business/dp/0593539826

    Host

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach and facilitator. Through her podcast Life from Within, she opens up real conversations about personal growth, career crossroads, and the inner work of leadership. She created the show to explore the moments of courage and clarity that spark inner shifts and lead to meaningful outer progress.

    In her coaching and facilitation practice, Kelly partners with thoughtful, influential leaders, including founders, C-suite executives, and rising leaders who shoulder significant responsibility and want to lead with grounded clarity and self-trust. She helps them return to what matters most, cut through the noise, and navigate inflection points with aligned conviction.

    Kelly is a graduate of the University of Colorado and holds an MBA from Cornell University.

    Coaching and facilitation: https://kellydwyer.co

    Listen and subscribe

    Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

    Follow Kelly

    Instagram – @kd_lifefromwithin

    LinkedIn – /in/kellydwyer

    Sign up for updates

  • After the Exit: A CEO’s Story of Private Equity, Burnout, and Finding Your Ground with Beck Sydow

    After the Exit: A CEO’s Story of Private Equity, Burnout, and Finding Your Ground with Beck Sydow

    · Life from Within

    Welcome back to Life from Within. How do you transition to the next version of yourself when you achieve everything you thought was impossible, only to find a hollow feeling inside? In this episode, I am joined with Beck Sydow, a self-described "business geek with Buddhist roots." Beck shares their journey from a 20-year corporate career at UPS to leading Sticker Giant as COO through a period of massive growth and an eventual private equity sale.

    Beck discusses the heartbreak in leadership, the difference between effort-based burnout and values-based burnout, and why the most precious times in our lives are often the transitions we try to rush through.

    💡 Key Takeaways & Leadership LessonsHow the practice of meditation translates to how you respond to conflict in your daily life.Why networking is a marathon, not a sprint.How to have honest, human conversations with employees when they are struggling to meet new expectations.How they managed 30%+ growth plans during a global pandemic and the eventual sale of Sticker Giant to Private Equity (PE).How to stop rushing through life’s transitionsHow to recognize fear disguises and what is behind them

    Chapters

    00:00 | Exploring Buddhist Roots and Personal Journey

    06:28 | Navigating Corporate Leadership and Growth Challenges

    12:40 | The Heartbreak of Leadership and Human Connection

    16:29 | Personal Identity and Transitioning

    20:41 | Uncovering Hidden Challenges in Business Purchases

    22:41 | The Different Levels of Burnout

    24:50 | The Pain and Beauty of Transition

    28:11 | Understanding Fear with Compromising

    29:50 | The Journey of Remaking Yourself

    35:45 | Befriending Your Experience

    Guest

    Founder, Business Advisor & Leadership Coach

    Beck Sydow (they/them) works with leaders who are brilliant, overloaded, and tired of losing themselves under pressure. A business geek with Buddhist roots, Beck teaches founders, entrepreneurs, and senior leaders to recognize fear in real time, steady their nervous system, and return to clarity when it matters most.

    With four decades of experience as a CEO/COO, therapist, and mindfulness teacher, Beck moves easily between business strategy and the inner workings of a leader’s nervous system. This dual fluency is what clients call “magic”—the moment when reactivity quiets, insight returns, and leadership feels spacious again.

    Beck’s work offers a way of leading where results and humanity can finally coexist. They are the Founder of HumanKind Business Leaders and the creator of the People-Hearted & Business-Mindedℱ framework.

    Beck’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becksydow/

    Human KindBusiness Leaders: https://www.humankindbusinessleaders.com/

    Brene Brown’s New Book: https://brenebrown.com/book/strong-ground/

    Host

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach and facilitator. Through her podcast Life from Within, she opens up real conversations about personal growth, career crossroads, and the inner work of leadership. She created the show to explore the moments of courage and clarity that spark inner shifts and lead to meaningful outer progress.

    In her coaching and facilitation practice, Kelly partners with thoughtful, influential leaders including founders, C-suite executives, and rising leaders who shoulder significant responsibility and want to lead with grounded clarity and self-trust. She helps them return to what matters most, cut through the noise, and navigate inflection points with aligned conviction.

    Kelly is a graduate of the University of Colorado and holds an MBA from Cornell University.

    Coaching and facilitation: https://kellydwyer.co

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  • Servant Leadership in Private Equity: Putting People to Work with Matthew Ripaldi

    Servant Leadership in Private Equity: Putting People to Work with Matthew Ripaldi

    · Life from Within

    How do you move from a $19,000-a-year entry-level recruiter to the CEO of a private equity-backed IT staffing firm? In this episode, Matthew Ripaldi, CEO of Talent Groups, shares his 26-year journey through the technical staffing industry.

    Matthew shares his motivation behind recruiting, the isolating pressure of the CEO chair, and the high-speed execution required in the world of Private Equity (PE). We discuss his startup experience, the challenge of integrating five companies into one brand, and the humbling experience of receiving a 12-page 360 review. Matthew’s insights on trust, delegation, and being open to learning can benefit you whether you are an aspiring leader or a seasoned executive. 

    💡 Key Takeaways & Leadership LessonsMatthew recalls the moment he found his why—helping a candidate land a life-changing job that allowed him to buy his first home. This core passion for putting people to work has fueled his 26-year career.After promising his mother he would try a startup, Matthew realized he thrived in high-energy environments. He discusses the importance of self-awareness in knowing where you do your best work.Operating a PE-backed company involves a unique speed of execution, especially when working in a leveraged environment with debt obligations and clear exit targets.As a CEO, Matthew views himself as reporting to his employees rather than the other way around.Matthew opens up about his 360 review. He explains why leaders must create a culture where teams feel safe telling them what they need to hear, not what they want to hear.

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction to Talent Groups and Career Journey

    07:35 Transitioning to CEO Role and Responsibilities

    12:29 Decision-Making as a CEO

    18:16 Challenges in a Changing Industry

    21:35 Integration and Operating in a Leveraged Environment

    22:28 Navigating the Challenges of First-Time CEO

    25:56 The Importance of Delegation and Trust

    30:23 Building Trust Through Feedback and Reflection

    33:23 Focusing on Execution and Delivering Results

    37:05 The Role of Project Management in Execution

    38:11 Finding Passion in Your Career

    Guest

    Matthew James Ripaldi is an accomplished staffing industry veteran with over 20 years of experience. During his first 18 years in the industry Matthew worked for The Adecco Group, a Global Fortune 500 Company and the world’s second largest staffing firm. Starting off as a Technical Recruiter and quickly finding his passion for the business. This passion combined with a strong work ethic and consistent high-performance helped him excel to seven (7) consecutive promotional opportunities, holding executive leadership roles across eight (8) different industry leading brands; TAD Technical, Adecco Technical, Ajilon ICT, Ajilon Consulting, VendorPass, Modis IT, Modis Engineering and Modis Managed Solutions. Matthew’s vast early experience led to extensive knowledge across contract staffing, direct hire, managed services, project based solutions, onsite MSP programs, payrolling, training and development, and global client solutions.

    Matthew then joined Collabera as Executive Vice President in September of 2017 reporting directly to the Founder, Chairman and CEO of this fast growing and industry leading IT Staffing and Consulting Firm. While with Collabera he was part of the Executive Management Team, supported their managed services business unit and launched Collabera’s stand-alone Direct Hire Practice. This role provided him with extensive experience in direct hire, executive search, and global delivery. Closing in on 20 years and learning directly from some of the industry's legendary leaders, Matthew then co-founded and launched Simon+James Group, a boutique firm that provided services to start-ups on up to the Fortune 500.

    As CEO of Talent Groups, Matthew helps set the strategic direction, continually looks to improve every aspect of the organization, works to drive scalable growth, operates with a collaborative and servant-based leadership approach with this team, and continues to run his own full desk. Matthew resides in Houston, Texas, with his wife and son.

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

    Talent Groups LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talentgroups-connections/

    Host

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach and facilitator. Through her podcast Life from Within, she opens up real conversations about personal growth, career crossroads, and the inner work of leadership. She created the show to explore the moments of courage and clarity that spark inner shifts and lead to meaningful outer progress.

    In her coaching and facilitation practice, Kelly partners with thoughtful, influential leaders, including founders, C-suite executives, and rising leaders who shoulder significant responsibility and want to lead with grounded clarity and self-trust. She helps them return to what matters most, cut through the noise, and navigate inflection points with aligned conviction.

    Kelly is a graduate of the University of Colorado and holds an MBA from Cornell University.

    Coaching and facilitation: https://kellydwyer.co

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    Instagram – @kd_lifefromwithin

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  • The Power of a Million Little Things: Persistence in Work and Life with Bill Nolan

    The Power of a Million Little Things: Persistence in Work and Life with Bill Nolan

    · Life from Within

    The Power of a Million Little Things: Persistence in Work and Life with Bill Nolan

    What does it take to leave a secure, prestigious position to build something from scratch? In this episode, I chat with Bill Nolan, the founding managing partner of Barnes & Thornburg’s Columbus office.

    Bill shares the unflashy reality of leadership from his days as the Mayor of Powell and the persistence required to put a new law office on the map. This conversation explores the power of a million little things, the art of developing talent in business services, and the grace required to navigate identity shifts when handing over the reins of leadership.

    🔑 Key Takeaways for Leadership & Personal Growth

    95% of his graduating class ended up in a different place than they imagined—and that’s okay.The tactical socialization needed to get a national firm to remember and utilize a new local branch.Success is rooted in the ability to perceive how your actions affect others—whether they are clients, judges, or colleagues.Looking for personal strengths (marketing, client service, or event planning) creates a culture of growth and loyalty.The importance of planning for a successor and finding fulfillment in community rather than just the title.

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction to Bill Nolan and His Background

    02:01 Experiences as Mayor of Powell

    05:22 Transitioning to Barnes & Thornburg

    07:30 Building the Columbus Office

    10:07 Strategies for Success in a New Market

    12:06 Personal Growth and Leadership Evolution

    14:25 Understanding Client Relationships and Communication

    16:35 Building a Thriving Legal Team

    20:45 Navigating Challenges in Office Management

    22:37 Transitioning Leadership Roles

    27:04 The Long View

    29:48 Looking Ahead: Future Aspirations

    Guest

    Bill Nolan brings clarity and closure to employment, contract and business disputes. Passionate about helping employers build strong teams, policies and processes, Bill’s proactive advice minimizes the frequency, cost and severity of employment disputes. Bill also works with clients to design systems and practices to manage the many challenges of complex employer-employee relationships.

    An experienced trial lawyer, Bill handles covenant not-to-compete and trade secret cases in many states. He also regularly defends employers in discrimination and discharge cases, administrative claims, arbitrations and mediations. Bill helps clients maneuver shifting legal mandates and has distinct experience handling complicated employee health and leave issues. Admired for his calm and thoughtful approach to resolving disputes, Bill also acts as a neutral.

    In his role as employment counselor, Bill advises clients on a range of workplace issues. He is called upon to conduct manager and workplace trainings that ensure legal compliance on the front lines. He was an early leader in tracking how employers and legislatures respond to discrimination in the workplace, advocating for changes in training models to better address persistent workplace behaviors.

    Bill is not one to back down from a challenge. Opening the firm’s Columbus office in 2009 during the Great Recession, he built and ran a notable team for over 15 years. Also, as a former two-term councilman and Powell, Ohio, mayor, Bill brings contagious energy to community affairs, focusing on furthering inclusion in the legal profession.

    Website: https://btlaw.com/en/people/william-nolan

    Host

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach and facilitator. Through her podcast Life from Within, she opens up real conversations about personal growth, career crossroads, and the inner work of leadership. She created the show to explore the moments of courage and clarity that spark inner shifts and lead to meaningful outer progress.

    In her coaching and facilitation practice, Kelly partners with thoughtful, influential leaders including founders, C-suite executives, and rising leaders who shoulder significant responsibility and want to lead with grounded clarity and self-trust. She helps them return to what matters most, cut through the noise, and navigate inflection points with aligned conviction.

    Kelly is a graduate of the University of Colorado and holds an MBA from Cornell University.

    Coaching and facilitation: https://kellydwyer.co

    Book mentioned

    Buckeye: A Novel 

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  • How Confidence Is Built in the Stretch: From White-Knuckling to Grounded Leadership with Kate Tansey Chevlen

    How Confidence Is Built in the Stretch: From White-Knuckling to Grounded Leadership with Kate Tansey Chevlen

    · Life from Within

    How Confidence Is Built in the Stretch: From White-Knuckling to Grounded Leadership with Kate Tansey Chevlen

    Episode 9

    Welcome back to Life from Within. This is the final episode of the year, and I am so grateful for all of my guests and listeners who made this podcast possible.

    What happens when you land your dream promotion and realize on day one that you don’t speak the technical "language" of the room? In today’s episode, I am joined by Kate Tansey Chevlen, a Vice President at Amgen with a 17-year tenure at the company.

    Kate shares the raw, honest story of a career transition - moving from a marketing director to a franchise leader overseeing multi-billion dollar contracts. She opens up about the white-knuckle months, the physical toll of trying to be a different kind of leader, and the specific steps she took to reclaim her authenticity and empower her team.

    🔑 Key Takeaways for Leadership & Personal Growth

    To master her new domain, Kate sought out trusted partners for intensive deep dives into their mastered skill.Kate initially tried to copy the boisterous, high-energy style of her predecessor. This led to white-knuckling, physical stress, and a team that felt unsupported.A moment of exhaustion during a business trip forced Kate to stop performing and start advising authentically. The result was immediate clarity for her team and liberation for herself.Kate discusses her "Trust but Verify" framework - knowing when to delegate and empower experts through full delegation.

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction and Background of Kate Tansey Chevlen

    02:07 Transitioning to Different Leadership Roles at Amgen

    04:35 Navigating Leadership and Multi-billion Dollar Contracts

    07:18 Building Trusting Relationships in Decision Making

    09:51 The Impact of Leadership Style on Team Dynamics

    11:07 Finding Your Authentic Self in Leadership Roles

    13:00 Embracing Personal Leadership Style

    17:49 The Journey to Self-Discovery

    20:23 How to Find Your Own Way to Manage Stress

    22:45 Building Confidence Through Challenges

    24:22 Applying Confidence in Leadership

    26:19 The Art of Delegation and Trust

    30:03 The Importance of Authenticity in Leadership

    31:17 Outro

    Guest

    Kate Tansey Chevlen has been a commercial leader at Amgen for 17 years and is currently serving as the Vice President, Global Marketing and Therapeutic Area Head of Inflammation. 

    Prior to joining the Global Inflammation team, Kate led the US Patient Access and Reimbursement team, where she oversaw efforts to help patients start and stay on Amgen medications. 

    Kate’s prior experience at Amgen spans across marketing, sales, and market access leadership. Kate has worked across the US and global side of Amgen’s commercial business, and across all major therapeutic areas, including oncology, nephrology, cardiovascular, bone, neurology, and inflammation. She has led multiple franchises at Amgen, including the nephrology and respiratory businesses in the US. 

    Prior to joining Amgen, Kate served as a gubernatorial appointee for the State of California, where she managed healthcare and economic development public policy. She also worked in local government in California, managing economic development public policies.

    Kate holds a BA in Politics and French from Brandeis University, an MBA from the Johnson School at Cornell University, and an executive coach certification from the Hudson Institute of Coaching.

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-tansey-chevlen-4953391/

    Host

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach and facilitator. Through her podcast Life from Within, she opens up real conversations about personal growth, career crossroads, and the inner work of leadership. She created the show to explore the moments of courage and clarity that spark inner shifts and lead to meaningful outer progress.

    In her coaching and facilitation practice, Kelly partners with thoughtful, influential leaders, including founders, C-suite executives, and rising leaders who shoulder significant responsibility and want to lead with grounded clarity and self-trust. She helps them return to what matters most, cut through the noise, and navigate inflection points with aligned conviction.

    Kelly is a graduate of the University of Colorado and holds an MBA from Cornell University.

    Coaching and facilitation: https://kellydwyer.co

    Book mentioned

    Buckeye: A Novel 

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    Instagram – @kd_lifefromwithin

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  • Excellence, Authenticity, and Family Balance with Rashida Bradley

    Excellence, Authenticity, and Family Balance with Rashida Bradley

    · Life from Within

    Join us for a deeply honest and inspiring conversation with Rashida Bradley, an accomplished Operational Strategist, as she shares her journey in navigating career pivots and family balance. Rashida opens up about the many challenges she faced—from balancing graduate school and a surprise pregnancy to managing the impact of grief and joy on the same day.

    Rashida highlights the importance of community support and advocates passionately for vulnerability in leadership as a pathway to building deeper trust and connection. We discuss the importance of striving for excellence over the pursuit of perfection, and the freedom found in embracing authenticity in all professional spaces. This episode is packed with essential advice on prioritizing mental health, practicing self-care, and continuously fostering personal growth in life and career.

    🔑 Key Takeaways for Leadership & Personal Growth

    Surround yourself with a strong network.Honest vulnerability is the key to genuine connection and building a high-trust team.Pursue excellence, not perfection.Authenticity in professional settings is a form of leadership.Prioritize mental health and self-care practices for sustained personal growth and high performance.View your career as a journey of continuous evolution.

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction to Rashida Bradley

    01:45 Career Pivots, Applying for Graduate School and Personal Growth

    04:03 Balancing Family and Education

    07:07 Choosing A Career AND A Family

    07:37 Navigating Grief and Joy on the Same Day

    11:17 Being Vulnerable and Building Community

    14:33 The Importance of Helpability and Support

    18:03 Mental and Physical Health Management

    19:23 Pursuing Excellence Over Perfection

    21:44 Navigating How to Show up Authenticity When You Feel Left Out

    27:20 Charting Your Own Course in Career and Life

    Guest

    Rashida is a seasoned healthcare leader and operational strategist with over 15 years of experience driving financial and operational transformations for Fortune 50 companies like CVS Health. As a Lead Director supporting Health Services, she oversees financial strategy and operational execution across pharmacy benefit management. Drawing on her background in investment banking (Lehman Brothers, Citi, J.P. Morgan), Rashida brings deep expertise in financial strategy and enterprise change management to complex, regulated healthcare environments. She is an alum of Babson College and a dual Master's recipient from Cornell University (MBA & MS in Healthcare Policy).

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

    Host

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach and facilitator. Through her podcast Life from Within, she opens up real conversations about personal growth, career crossroads, and the inner work of leadership. She created the show to explore the moments of courage and clarity that spark inner shifts and lead to meaningful outer progress.

    In her coaching and facilitation practice, Kelly partners with thoughtful, influential leaders including founders, C-suite executives, and rising leaders who shoulder significant responsibility and want to lead with grounded clarity and self-trust. She helps them return to what matters most, cut through the noise, and navigate inflection points with aligned conviction.

    Kelly is a graduate of the University of Colorado and holds an MBA from Cornell University.

    Coaching and facilitation: https://kellydwyer.co

    Resources mentioned

    Drive by Daniel Pink: https://www.danpink.com/books/drive/

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  • Finding What’s Next: How Values and Vulnerability Drive Career Pivots with Jake Gunn-Sandell

    Finding What’s Next: How Values and Vulnerability Drive Career Pivots with Jake Gunn-Sandell

    · Life from Within

    Episode 7 Jake Gunn-Sandell

    On this episode, I speak with Jake Gunn-Sandell, Director of Strategic Affairs at Instructure (the company behind Canvas), about his incredible journey. We discussed his bold career pivots, particularly his high-stakes transition into executive search, where he developed the innovative 'Polymath Practice'—a powerful framework for C-Suite recruiting.

    I learned so much about how Jake leveraged vulnerability and strategic networking to make the leap from placing top talent to a pivotal leadership role in Education Technology (EdTech). I think this conversation offers a powerful blueprint for successful job searching and personal growth, emphasizing the need to ask critical questions, identify one's values, and remain adaptable throughout major career changes.

    💡 Actionable Takeaways I Learned from JakeEmbrace Vulnerability for Professional Growth: Ask probing questions, and let intellectual curiosity guide learning. This builds trust and accelerates skill acquisition.The Polymath Practice: Jake's strategy to compartmentalize new, complex roles into simple, core subjects (e.g., Psychology, Tech, Finance) to make major career pivots manageable.Strategic Networking is Essential for Job Searching: Focus networking efforts on leaders and companies you admire. Finding the right organizational culture is as important as the role itself.Establish Credibility, Sell the Dream, and Slow Down: These three steps are what Jake found critical for building influence and trust in any leadership position or high-stakes environment like executive search.Identify Your Values and Goals: Jake defined his next move by writing down what he wanted (lead more, travel more, give back). A clear personal vision for guiding career pivots is essential.Creative Thinking Unlocks Opportunity: Challenge assumptions about the "perfect" candidate or the "obvious" career move. Leverage transferable skills to pivot into new sectors like EdTech seamlessly.

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction and Background

    03:30 Career Pivots and Challenges

    13:35 Using Vulnerability in Executive Search

    20:52 Fundraising Challenges in Nonprofit Work

    22:54 Embracing Vulnerability in Leadership

    24:34 Navigating Career Transitions SPMB to Instructure

    30:03 Identifying Personal Values and the Impact of a Career Coach

    32:05 Leveraging Relationships for Career Growth

    34:47 Strategic Job Searching

    38:34 Understanding Your Identity as a Builder

    Guest

    Jake Gunn-Sandell’s career is a masterclass in the power of the career pivot. He currently serves as the Director of Strategic Affairs at Instructure, helping define the future of education through his work in government affairs and strategic partnerships. Before moving into EdTech, Jake excelled in the demanding world of executive search, where he built the Polymath Practice—leveraging transferable skills to place C-suite leaders across every major tech vertical. From the fast-paced environment of recruiting top executives to his early days as a Disney character performer, Jake attributes his success to embracing vulnerability, strategic networking, and a relentless drive for personal growth. He remains committed to his community as a board member for the Arapahoe Rescue Patrol.

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/education-the-first-step/

    Host

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach and facilitator. Through her podcast Life from Within, she opens up real conversations about personal growth, career crossroads, and the inner work of leadership. She created the show to explore the moments of courage and clarity that spark inner shifts and lead to meaningful outer progress. In her coaching and facilitation work, Kelly helps leaders uncover what matters most to them, navigate inflection points with intention, and build the kind of impact that grows from the inside out.

    Coaching and facilitation: https://kellydwyer.co

    Resources mentioned

    Jake on LinkedIn - /in/education-the-first-step/Arapahoe Search and Rescue - https://www.arapahoerescue.org/

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  • Connecting Authentically: A Conversation with Chris Schwalbach

    Connecting Authentically: A Conversation with Chris Schwalbach

    · Life from Within
    Connecting Authentically: A Conversation with Chris Schwalbach

    Episode 6 ‱ November 10, 2025

    Founder Chris Schwalbach on shifting from head to heart and why authentic relationships are the real ROI.

    After building a successful finance firm, Chris Schwalbach realized his leadership needed less logic and more heart. He shares how coaching helped him unlearn family beliefs, ask personal questions, and practice vulnerability at work and home. This inner shift ultimately shaped his company’s culture and the relationships that led to AVL Growth Partners’ acquisition by Ampleo. A story about connection, curiosity, and saying what matters now.

    About this episode

    Founder and finance leader Chris Schwalbach opens up about shifting from a brain-first, value-proving style to a heart-led, relational approach. The pivot began in 2019 when outward success no longer matched his inner experience. Working with a coach, Chris uncovered an inherited belief that it is impolite to ask personal questions, saw why it served his family, and chose a different path. He practiced new muscles — asking human questions, building emotional vocabulary, and receiving appreciation without deflecting.

    We trace how that inner work supported major business moves: hiring a CEO, stepping back in, and ultimately selling AVL Growth Partners to Ampleo. Chris committed to relationship building with no immediate agenda, meeting 100 people across the ecosystem. The eventual acquirer was a relationship planted eight years earlier. His takeaway is simple and practical: relationships are not a tactic — they are the point. We close with a challenge inspired by Walter Green’s “Say It Now” — tell people what they mean to you while you are both here.

    Key takeawaysAuthentic leadership is built in practice; expand your emotional vocabulary and reps.Question inherited rules — helpful family beliefs may not serve your leadership today.Calibrate depth; go one notch deeper while protecting safety and trust.Change can disorient colleagues and family — name it, slow down, stay in dialogue.Receiving is half of connection; when appreciation arrives, let it land.Curiosity is a strategic asset — ask real questions without pre-editing.Relationships create outcomes — plant seeds early, nurture often, release the timeline.Protect time yet connect — make brief human check-ins part of meetings.Keep a reconnection list; reach out to two or three people this month.Say it now — express gratitude today rather than saving it for later.
    Chapters

    00:00 Navigating Personal Growth and Authenticity

    03:10 From Head to Heart: Shifting How We Connect

    06:01 Unlearning Family Rules About “What’s Personal”

    09:02 Asking for Help, Vulnerability, and Early Stumbles

    12:06 How Change Lands at Home and Work

    15:04 Calibrating Depth and Building Emotional Vocabulary

    20:57 Presence, Listening, and Subtle Culture Shifts

    21:46 CEO Experiment, Return, and Path to an Exit

    22:52 Relationship Mapping: 100 Conversations, No Agenda

    25:19 Curiosity and Trusting Your Voice

    27:12 The Practice of Receiving Praise

    29:05 Time Respect, Human Check-ins, and Team Norms

    30:40 Intentionality in Leadership and People Systems

    35:07 Relationships as the Point, Not the Tactic

    39:29 Say It Now: Expressing Appreciation in Real Time

    Guest

    Chris Schwalbach is a serial entrepreneur, finance professional, board director, and the founder of AVL Growth Partners, a fractional accounting and CFO firm recently acquired by Ampleo.

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

    Host

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach and facilitator who brings real conversations about growth, leadership, and life to her podcast Life from Within.

    Coaching and facilitation: https://kellydwyer.co

    Resources mentionedChris on LinkedIn - /in/cschwalbach/Small Giants by Bo BurlinghamFinish Big by Bo BurlinghamAVL Growth PartnersAmpleoWalter Green’s Say It Now concept
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  • Owning Your Work, Your Worth, and Your Well-Being with Kristin McGee

    Owning Your Work, Your Worth, and Your Well-Being with Kristin McGee

    · Life from Within
    Owning Your Work, Your Worth, and Your Well-Being with Kristin McGee

    Episode 5 — October 26, 2025

    “I want people to feel joy.”

    About This Episode

    What happens when a world-class teacher with decades of experience and who helped launch Peloton’s Yoga & Pilates programs bets on herself? Kristin McGee joins Kelly to talk about the brave, messy, very human leap from corporate star to founder of Kristin McGee Movement. It’s a story about owning your content, rebuilding confidence, and designing a business that supports both artistry and motherhood.

    Kristin shares why a contract change at Peloton and the realities of single parenting pushed her to step into founder mode - and how she navigated a one-year non-compete while listening for the next right step. She gets specific about the unglamorous parts of entrepreneurship (choosing a white-label platform, wrestling with mics/lighting, learning to delegate editing and comms) and the mindset shifts that made it possible (“No one’s going to do it for me, and I don’t have to do it alone”).

    We dig into movement as community: live classes where Kristin can coach form in real time, a chat space for recipes and questions, and 21-day challenges to build consistency. We also go deep on breathwork - how Pilates’ lateral breathing differs from yoga’s Ujjayi, and why that mattered in Kristin’s recovery from diastasis recti, which inspired a 21-day core program inside the app.

    Finally, Kristin introduces her forthcoming book, The Treat Yourself Philosophy (“Truly Realizing Everything Is Already There”), and makes the case for small, daily treats as a path to healing, presence, and self-trust. From “pure healing energy” mantras to practical marketing discomforts, this is a masterclass in owning your work, your worth, and your wellbeing - without losing the joy.

    Offer: Life from Within listeners get 30 days free on Kristin McGee Movement with code LIFEFROMWITHIN (good through November 26, 2025).

    Bios

    Kristin McGee is a nationally recognized yoga & Pilates teacher, speaker, mompreneur, and author. Across three decades, she’s taught thousands (including many celebrities), pioneered Peloton’s Yoga & Pilates program, and now leads Kristin McGee Movement.

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach and facilitator who brings real conversations about growth, leadership, and life to her podcast Life from Within.

    Topics & Timestamps

    00:00 It’s Up To You

    00:26 Episode Intro

    00:53 What is Kristin McGee Movement?

    04:04 Launching Yoga & Pilates at Peloton

    08:48 Navigating Motherhood and Career

    11:01 Embracing Change and Creativity

    13:22 Building a Community and Ownership of Content

    15:06 Overcoming Challenges in Entrepreneurship

    16:43 Decision-Making and Self-Reflection

    20:07 Stepping into Founder Mode

    20:20 Building Confidence and Resilience

    21:32 Launching the App and Marketing Strategies

    23:23 Creating a Community and Organic Growth

    25:04 Pilates Breath and Diastasis

    28:35 The Treat Yourself Philosophy

    32:36 Embracing Self-Care and Healing

    36:28 Cultivating Inner Peace and Presence

    38:34 30 Days Free on Kristin’s Platform

    39:12 Rate, Follow, and Share

    Resources Mentioned

    Kristin’s site: https://www.kristinmcgee.com/

    Instagram: https://instagram.com/kristinmcgee/

    Book: The Treat Yourself Philosophy: A Guilt-Free Guide to Prioritizing You (pre-order at all major booksellers)

    Offer: Life from Within listeners get 30 days free on Kristin McGee Movement with code LIFEFROMWITHIN(good through November 26, 2025).

    TakeawaysOwn your library, own your leverage: Leaving Peloton clarified the value of content ownership, creative freedom, and optionality (“Kristin’s version”).Founder is a mindset: Confidence + consistency beat perfection. “No one’s going to do it for me” became Kristin’s operating system.Decisions need space: A twice-daily 20-minute meditation practice helps her stop over-analyzing and feel for the next right step.Build the team you need: Delegate editing, comms, and production so your genius (program design + teaching) stays front and center.Community accelerates progress: Live classes, chat, and 21-day challenges create accountability and real-time coaching.Breathe differently for different aims: Use lateral breathing in Pilates to engage the transverse abdominals - especially helpful in diastasis recti recovery.Treats as daily medicine: Small, varied delights retrain self-trust and joy; Kristin’s mantra: “pure healing energy.”Marketing with integrity: Balance organic word-of-mouth with clear, consistent invitations - people can’t join what they don’t know exists.

    Listen, rate, subscribe, and share!

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    Follow Kelly

    IG: @kd_lifefromwithin LinkedIn: /in/kellydwyer/Updates: lifefromwithin.comCoaching: kellydwyer.co
  • Speak Up with Confidence: Lessons from

    Speak Up with Confidence: Lessons from "The Next Conversation" with Alessandra Zielinski

    · Life from Within

    Speak Up with Confidence: Lessons from "The Next Conversation" with Alessandra Zielinski

    Episode 4 - October 13, 2025

    About This Episode

    In this episode, Kelly Dwyer and Alessandra Zielinski discuss the intricacies of communication, particularly in the context of coaching and leadership. They explore themes from Jefferson Fisher's book, 'The Next Conversation,' focusing on assertive voice, confidence, and the challenges of navigating difficult conversations. The conversation highlights the importance of preparation, understanding identity dynamics, and practical strategies for effective communication.

    Bios

    Alessandra Zielinski is a certified leadership coach with more than 20 years of experience across the private and nonprofit sectors. She helps leaders become more strategic, effective, and sustainable in their work, drawing on a rich global perspective shaped by living and working in seven countries. Alessandra teaches graduate courses on intercultural communication and consulting at American University and holds an MBA from Cornell, an MA in International Relations from Universidad Andina SimĂłn BolĂ­var, and a BA from the University of Notre Dame.

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach and facilitator who brings real conversations about growth, leadership, and life to her podcast Life from Within.

    Topics & Timestamps

    00:00 Intro to Confidence

    00:14 What To Expect in this Episode

    01:08 The Role of Confidence in Communication

    05:54 Preparation for Difficult Conversations

    08:27 Navigating Emotions in Conversations

    10:57 Choosing Your Timing and the Rule of Three

    15:39 Tricky Situations for Assertiveness

    19:44 Understanding Defensiveness in Conversations

    21:35 Tips and Phrases to Try On

    23:25 Resources for Continued Learning

    24:39 Thank you  - please follow and rate

    Resources mentioned in this episode

    The Next Conversation, by Jefferson Fisher: https://www.jeffersonfisher.com/bookJefferson Fisher, YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXjnpu6lK0HoUyOMh2ZBwhQAdam Grant article:  https://share.google/BHeK1kNIU6aUHWJoHAmy Gallo book, Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People) https://www.amyegallo.com/getting-along-difficult-people-archetypesAlessandra’s website: https://www.alessandrazielinski.com/Alessandra LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandrazielinski/

    Takeaways

    Communication is a lifelong skill that requires continuous improvement.Confidence is often a result of taking action, not a prerequisite.Assertive voice can be cultivated through specific language choices.Recognizing patterns in communication can help address issues effectively.Bottling emotions can lead to negative consequences in interpersonal relationships.Preparation is key to successful conversations and outcomes.Identity dynamics play a significant role in how communication is perceived.

    Listen, rate, subscribe, and share! 

    If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend who’s navigating their own leadership journey.

    Find us on your favorite podcast platform:

    Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-from-within/id1840787981Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5J1jDK3lgEnAfBwMsOgHvu?si=65aa3b39cd844443Youtube - https://youtube.com/@lifefromwithinpodcast?si=liejuiW6gI7lJ45c

    Follow Kelly

    Instagram: @kd_lifefromwithin

    LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellydwyer/

    Sign up for updates: https://www.lifefromwithin.com/

    Coaching and facilitation: kellydwyer.co

  • Unlocking Purpose: Sobriety, Vision Quests, and Leadership with Laurel Donnellan

    Unlocking Purpose: Sobriety, Vision Quests, and Leadership with Laurel Donnellan

    · Life from Within
    Unlocking Purpose: Sobriety, Vision Quests, and Leadership with Laurel Donnellan

    Episode 1 - September 29, 2025

    Ask yourself, why am I working?

    About This Episode

    In this episode of Life From Within, Kelly Dwyer interviews Laurel Donnellan, founder and CEO of Compassionate Leaders Circle. Laurel shares her transformative journey from a successful career in hospitality to embracing sobriety and discovering her true calling through a Lakota vision quest. The conversation delves into the concept of 'soul work', the challenges of navigating career changes, and the impact of AI on the workforce. Laurel emphasizes the importance of purpose in work and encourages listeners to reflect on their motivations and aspirations.

    Bios

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach and facilitator who brings real conversations about growth, leadership, and life to her podcast Life from Within.

    Laurel Donnellan is a compassionate leadership expert, founder of Compassionate Leaders Circle, and cohost of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast. With degrees from Cornell and Columbia, she has spent over 25 years developing transformational programs that build careers and organizations from the inside out.

    Topics & Timestamps

    00:00 God Shot and Introduction

    01:20 The Journey to Sobriety

    07:00 Finding Purpose Through Vision Quest

    09:02 Soul Work

    11:24 Navigating Business Challenges

    14:11 Embracing Change and Purpose

    18:23 Pivoting with Grace

    23:09 AI and Turning Worry into Wonder

    27:29 Why Am I Working?

    Resources mentioned in this episode

    Compassionate Leaders Circle

    Takeaways

    Sobriety marked a powerful turning point in Laurel’s career and life.A Lakota vision quest revealed her deeper sense of purpose.Soul work is about aligning personal passion with meaningful contribution.AI is reshaping the job market, but human connection and compassion remain essential.Asking “Why am I working?” is a simple yet transformative question for leaders and professionals.

    Listen, rate, and subscribe! 

    Find us on your favorite podcast platform:

    Apple Podcasts SpotifyYoutube

    Follow Kelly

    Instagram: @kd_lifefromwithinLinkedInSign up for updates: https://www.lifefromwithin.com/Coaching and facilitation: kellydwyer.co
  • Tools for Resilience: Facing a Health Crisis and Career Crossroads with Justin Shuman

    Tools for Resilience: Facing a Health Crisis and Career Crossroads with Justin Shuman

    · Life from Within
    Tools for Resilience: Facing a Health Crisis and Career Crossroads with Justin Shuman

    Episode 2 - September 29, 2025

    Fear for my life was a gift.

    About This Episode

    In this conversation, Kelly Dwyer and Justin Shuman explore the profound impact of personal health challenges on career and self-perception. Justin shares his journey through a serious health diagnosis while also searching for a job, the fear and uncertainty it brought, and how he leaned on his community for support. They discuss the importance of cultivating relationships, the therapeutic practices that helped Justin cope, and the three filters he applies to career opportunities post-diagnosis. The conversation emphasizes resilience, the value of community, and the lessons learned from navigating unexpected challenges.

    Bios

    Justin Shuman builds and leads growth functions for mission-led healthcare companies and serves as Treasurer on the board of Uptown Health Clinic, a Denver-based community health center. His own health journey with valvular heart disease has deepened his compassion and persistence, shaping how he builds, leads, and connects.

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach and facilitator who brings real conversations about growth, leadership, and life to her podcast Life from Within.

    Topics & Timestamps

    00:00 Navigating Career Challenges and Personal Growth

    02:36 Facing Health Crises and Their Impact

    04:52 Building Community During Tough Times

    07:31 Shifts in Self-Perception and Identity

    09:51 Finding Purpose in Career Transitions

    12:10 The Importance of Trust in Leadership

    14:39 Evaluating Job Opportunities with New Perspectives

    16:37 Advice for Navigating Unexpected Life Changes

    19:20 Moments of Redemption and Moving Forward

    Resources mentioned in this episode

    Justin Shuman LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinshuman/[email protected]

    Takeaways

    Health challenges can lead to significant personal growth.Community support is vital during tough times.Invest in relationships before you need them.Self-perception can shift dramatically during crises.Trust in management is crucial for emotional safety.Job searches should align with personal values and mission.Every challenge can lead to redemptive moments.

    Listen, rate, and subscribe! 

    Find us on your favorite podcast platform:

    Apple Podcasts

    Spotify

    Youtube

    Follow Kelly

    Instagram: @kd_lifefromwithin

    LinkedIn

    Sign up for updates

    Coaching and facilitation: kellydwyer.co

  • Becoming a Visible CEO: Leading Through Chaos with Stephanie Postles

    Becoming a Visible CEO: Leading Through Chaos with Stephanie Postles

    · Life from Within

    Leading Through Chaos and Becoming a Visible CEO with Stephanie Postles

    Episode 3 - September 29, 2025

    "51% curiosity, 49% fear."

    About This Episode

    In this episode, Kelly Dwyer talks with Stephanie Postles, founder and CEO of Mission.org and RELVNT.com. Stephanie shares her journey from Google to entrepreneurship, the near-collapse of her company, and the limiting beliefs she overcame to step into the spotlight as CEO. She also discusses balancing personal life with business, the launch of her new media firm, and her insights on leadership, delegation, and visibility in today’s digital age.

    Bios

    Stephanie Postles is the founder and CEO of Mission.org, one of the world’s most-downloaded business and tech podcast networks, and CEO of RELVNT.com, a media strategy firm helping B2B brands show up where it counts—through trusted conversations, podcasts, and thought leadership. She’s worked with global brands like Salesforce, NYSE, Splunk, and General Mills, bringing a rare mix of creative content instincts and ROI-driven strategy. Before launching her own companies, Stephanie managed a $1B+ P&L at Google and began her career in finance at Fannie Mae.

    Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach and facilitator who brings real conversations about growth, leadership, and life to her podcast Life from Within.

    Topics & Timestamps

    00:00 From Behind the Scenes to the Spotlight

    08:01 Overcoming Limiting Beliefs

    12:53 Building Company Culture & Business Model

    24:02 Launching Relvnt.com: A New Venture

    26:32 The Entrepreneurial Journey: Course Creation and Growth

    29:06 Delegation and Leadership: Finding Your Unique Ability

    33:30 The Cost of Visibility: Balancing Help and Boundaries

    37:46 Overcoming Fear of Visibility: Meditation and Authenticity

    39:54 Identifying Unique Abilities: A Methodical Approach

    45:21 Learn More

    Resources mentioned in this episode

    Strategic Podcasting Course - https://training.mission.org/optin Hiring VA talent in the Philippines - https://www.onlinejobs.ph/mission.orgrelvnt.comPodcasts:The Mission Daily - https://mission.org/mission-daily/about-the-mission-daily/Marketing Trends - https://mission.org/marketing-trends/

    Takeaways

    Mission.org started as a side project and grew into a major podcast network.Facing near bankruptcy pushed Stephanie to step into being a visible leader, essential for founders in today’s digital landscape.Curiosity can help overcome fear in challenging situations.Personal challenges, including pregnancy and divorce, shaped her leadership journey.The launch of Relvnt.com was a strategic move to separate business offerings.Creating a podcast course was a response to demand from aspiring podcasters.Delegation is key to scaling a business effectively.

    Listen, rate, subscribe, and share! 

    If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend who’s navigating their own leadership journey.

    Find us on your favorite podcast platform:

    Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-from-within/id1840787981Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5J1jDK3lgEnAfBwMsOgHvu?si=65aa3b39cd844443Youtube - https://youtube.com/@lifefromwithinpodcast?si=liejuiW6gI7lJ45c

    Follow Kelly

    Instagram: @kd_lifefromwithin

    LinkedIn

    Sign up for updates

    Coaching and facilitation: kellydwyer.co

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