Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Leadership Story Podcast

The same number kept finding Lisa: 90 days. A women’s organization told members to wait 90 days before they pivot. Online ads promised a new life in 90 days. A pastor at a revival said the next 90 days is where it turns. Same number, opposite advice.

In this solo episode, Lisa explains why both camps miss the point. Ninety days isn’t about speed. It’s how long it takes to get a real answer instead of a feeling. She walks through the two ways we get it wrong, leaving too early and staying too late, and why neither one looks at the evidence.

She closes with one assignment: name one thing, give it 90 days, and decide how you’ll measure it.

Key Topics We Explored

* Two opposite rules: Why “transform in 90 days” and “wait 90 days” can’t both be the rule.

* Pivoting too soon: Perfectionism, comparison, and releasing work before the data has time to arrive.

* Discomfort isn’t data: How fear of rejection passes itself off as a strategy decision.

* Staying too long: When holding on looks like commitment but is avoidance.

* 90 days in organizations: How consulting work moves a company from “we want to be” to “we are.”

* Your one thing: Naming it, measuring it, and giving it a real window.

Chapters

00:00 The Power of 90 Days

01:19 Revealing Hidden Insights

01:50 Navigating the 90-Day Dilemma

09:30 The Power of 90 Days in Personal Growth

10:55 Unveiling What’s Hidden

11:22 The Power of 90 Days Commitment

Join the Community!

Subscribe to Substack: leadershipstory.substack.com

· Follow on Instagram: @theleadershipstory

Work with Lisa: 1-on-1 strategy sessions (90 minutes) on leadership, and resilience.

Book your session → https://cal.com/connectblackgirlcollc/strategy-session

Shop the Black Girl Co collection: https://black-girl-co.printify.me/

Connect with Lisa

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones-mbcp-mbci-57872823

Email: connect@leadershipstory.co

Lisa Jones sits down with career coach, speaker, and learning and development facilitator Kay Kirkman to unpack why so many people feel stuck in careers that no longer fit, especially in midlife. Kay shares how her own nontraditional path, broadcast journalism background, and experience getting fired from her dream radio job shaped the way she now helps people reimagine work and reclaim the parts of themselves they set aside.

Key Topics We Explored

* Permission to Dream: Why giving yourself permission matters more than having a practical plan.

* Identity Over Job Title: Why the real block in midlife is identity, not ability.

* Reclaiming Dormant Selves: Reinvention as returning to the versions of you left in the basement.

* Making Time with Intention: Finding the hour a week your dream needs, honestly.

* Framing Your Vision: Kay’s first coaching step, getting quiet before getting a plan.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Leadership and Resilience

03:00 The Journey into Career Coaching

05:52 Permission to Dream

08:34 Breaking the Cycle of Career Expectations

11:40 The Birth of the Gen X Career Show

15:59 Relaunching the Podcast: A New Focus

20:57 Identity and Career Transitions

21:58 Reclaiming Our True Selves

28:14 Finding Time for Personal Growth

35:16 The Journey to Coaching

37:17 Defining Leadership Through Resilience

39:43 Reclaiming Your True Self

Join the Community!

Work with Lisa: 1-on-1 strategy sessions (90 minutes) on leadership, and resilience.

Book your session → https://cal.com/connectblackgirlcollc/strategy-session

Shop the collection: Tools for The Story is live:

https://black-girl-co.printify.me/

Connect with Kay

Podcast: The GenX Career Show https://pod.link/1530650736

Website: www.kirkmancommunications.com

Midlife Reinvention roadmap: https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/2514632/193188166691194183/share

Email: kay@kaykirkman.com

Connect with Lisa

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones-mbcp-mbci-57872823

Email: connect@leadershipstory.co

Burnout does not come from having too little. It comes from gathering more than the day requires.

In this solo episode, Lisa Jones revisits the story of manna and surplus through a resilience lens links it to one word: capacity. She shares how a routine walk helped her identify her own burnout, clarifies the difference from stress, and explains why the surplus we keep carrying has a real cost.

Supported by research on the invisible work women absorb, the hours lost to low-value tasks, and why women are taught to carry more in the first place, this episode gives you the next move after naming your depletion: figure out what today actually requires and stop gathering past it.

Key Topics Explored

* The manna principle: why the rule was not just gather daily, but do not store it up.

* Stress versus burnout: stress is load, burnout is load beyond capacity, and rest is not the answer

* Over-gathering as the hidden load: saying yes to everything you can do without asking whether you have room for it.

* The single point of failure: why the thing you would flag in a client’s assessment is the thing you call reliability in your own life.

* The supply you don’t count: how the small things that fill you are the source of the capacity you spend everywhere else.

* “The No Club”: women spend roughly 200 more hours a year than men on work nobody gets promoted for.

* What just enough is not: sufficiency as a higher standard, not a lower one.

* Employee Assistance Programs: why a wellness program can’t fix a capacity problem.

* The assignment: what does today actually require?

Chapters

0:00 Manna: Not Scarcity, Surplus

2:20 When Burnout Finally Had a Name

4:05 Stress Is Not Burnout

9:48 Over-Gathering and the Cost of Being Reliable

13:30 The Supply You Don’t Count

18:00 The No Club: 200 Hours a Year

21:49 What Just Enough Actually Looks Like

25:10 If You Run a Team

27:21 Stockpiling Is Not Redundancy

28:22 The Assignment: What Does Today Require?

30:30 Work with Me: One-on-One Strategy Sessions

Join the Community!

Work with Lisa: 1-on-1 strategy sessions (90 minutes) on capacity, leadership, and resilience. Book your session → https://cal.com/connectblackgirlcollc/strategy-session

Shop the collection: Tools for The Story is live:

https://black-girl-co.printify.me/

Read the companion newsletter — Strategy, Unscripted: “You Can’t Scale Yourself on Empty“

Connect with Lisa:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones-mbcp-mbci-57872823

Email: Connect@leadershipstory.com

Sources:

Read the companion newsletter — Strategy, Unscripted: “You Can’t Scale Yourself on Empty

Babcock, Peyser, Vesterlund & Weingart, The No Club (research coverage, 2022) https://noclub.com

McKinsey survey on recognition of collaborative work

https://womenintheworkplace.com/2021

Eagle Hill Consulting employee survey, March 2025

https://www.eaglehillconsulting.com/news/workers-say-they-regularly-spend-time-on-low-value-inefficient-tasks/

Elethia S. Gay explains why self-care is a core strategic decision for high performance, focusing on setting boundaries and converting fear into courage.

Originally released earlier this year, and back in the feed for a reason. Elethia makes an argument that reframes the whole conversation: your body is one member. It travels with you into every role, every goal, every promotion — which means health goals and career goals were never two separate lists. They are one vision for who you are becoming.

This conversation sets up the new episode releasing August 17.

Key Topics We Explored

* Why self-care is strategy, not recovery and what it costs to treat it as the thing you get to afterward.

* Your body is one member: why work-life balance splits something that was never actually separate.

* Being in love with yourself; not selfishly, but strategically and how that changes what you bring into a role.

* Why the oxygen mask metaphor breaks down when you have already waited too long to put it on.

* Start with one thing, not seven resolutions, and how to find the one thing that is actually the roadblock.

* Getting to the source rather than the symptom: if your feet hurt, the problem is not your discipline.

* Rest, spirituality, and surrender as the practical foundation underneath sustainable leadership.

* Roots to Wellness and Hiking for Hope: building community and self-expression out of hard seasons.

* The signature question: the one word Elethia uses to define her leadership story.

Chapters

00:00 - Why I Am Bringing This Episode Back

00:57 - Welcome: Self-Care Is Not Separate From Your Strategy

02:16 - Meet Elethia Gay

03:12 - How We Met: A Birthday Party and a Beyoncé Song

04:24 - The Leadership Journey: Training Manager to Wellness Coach

05:49 - Mom, Tony Little, and the Seed That Got Planted

08:29 - Walking Into the Room That Felt Like It Was For Everyone Else

09:24 - The Spin Class Moment: Why Not You?

13:05 - Roots to Wellness: Journaling as Self-Expression

16:03 - Hiking for Hope: Turning Loss Into a Mission

21:36 - The Shift: Why Health Goals and Career Goals Are the Same Goal

22:24 - Your Body Is One Member

24:19 - Be In Love With Yourself

25:09 - Why Women Put Themselves Last

26:12 - Getting Practical: Where to Actually Start

27:05 - Rest, Spirituality, and Surrender

31:16 - Choose One Thing, Not Seven Resolutions

33:31 - “I Do Not Have Time for Self-Care”

35:46 - The Signature Question: Be Unafraid

36:45 - Where to Find Elethia

38:15 - Closing Reflection

Join the Community:

Subscribe on Substack for exclusive content: leadershipstory.substack.com

Now on YouTube: @LeadershipStoryPodcast

Shop the collection: Tools for The Story is live:

https://black-girl-co.printify.me/

Connect with Elethia:

Follow on Instagram: @elethiagay

Website: elethiagay.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/elethiagaycoach

Hiking for Hope: hikes supporting domestic abuse survivors

Book: Roots to Wellness — self-expression journal

Connect with Lisa:

Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones-mbcp-mbci-57872823

Email: connect@leadershipstory.co

Kate Lunger, Director of Workforce Initiatives at the Philadelphia Energy Authority, leads programs that expand equitable career pathways for adult learners, re-entry individuals, and marginalized youth in clean energy. In this conversation, she and Lisa talk about what it takes to lead a young team, providing structure without stifling growth, addressing conflict in real time instead of letting it linger, and teaching people the difference between something being personal and something just being the job.

Kate also opens up about leading as a woman, and specifically as a Black woman, in spaces where her leadership has been questioned or under-valued and what it looks like to keep going anyway. She traces her own path through learning challenges, the sudden loss of someone she loved during undergrad, raising a son through grad school, and a stretch of unemployment, to the leadership style she brings to her team today: direction paired with motivation, real talk paired with real support.

This is a conversation about perseverance that doesn’t sugarcoat the cost of it and about what it means to keep showing up for your people even when no one is asking what you need.

Key Topics We Explored

* Leadership as direction plus motivation: Kate’s approach centers on giving her team clear direction while actively motivating them toward growth, not just task completion.

* Structure in nonprofit spaces: how Kate builds structure and accountability in an environment that can otherwise feel looser than corporate — without losing the flexibility that makes nonprofit work valuable.

* Leading a young team through reactivity: teaching a generation that’s grown up reactive how to pause, document their feelings, and respond intentionally instead of firing off the first email.

* Women leading differently: Kate’s take on how women lead with more compassion and nurture, and the added weight of being underestimated or intimidating as a woman — and a Black woman — in leadership.

* Managing up: what it looks like to lead a team while also having to educate and humble the leadership above you.

Chapters

01:16 Kate Lunger: Leadership and Mentorship

07:05 Women’s Leadership and Nonprofit Culture

15:22 Leading a Young Team with Structure

24:22 Helping a Team Grow and Thrive

28:37 Resilience, Confidence, and Adversity

38:47 Perseverance: Kate’s Leadership Story

43:52 Closing and How to Connect

44:51 The Journey of Perseverance

45:32 Leadership Through Adversity

Join the Community!

Subscribe on Substack for exclusive content:

🚨Now on YouTube: @LeadershipStoryPodcast🚨

Subscribe to Substack: leadershipstory.substack.com

Follow on Instagram: @theleadershipstory

Shop the collection: Tools for The Story is live:

https://black-girl-co.printify.me/

Connect with Kate:

Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kate-lungerEmail: lungerkate@gmail.com

Connect with Lisa

Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones

Email: connect@leadershipstory.co

You can spend your whole career helping other people through crisis — and still not see your own coming. This is about what happens when the person who builds resilience programs becomes the one who needs them.

In this solo episode, Lisa Jones gets honest about unexpected job loss: the grief no one gives you permission to feel, the pressure to bounce back before you’re ready, and the harder reality facing women over 40 in this market. Part lived experience, part strategy, all real.

This episode first aired in April 2026. It’s the first to land here on YouTube — and there’s more coming this fall. New here? Subscribe so you don’t miss it.

Key Topics We Explored

* The grief of job loss: Why losing a job you didn’t see coming is a real loss — and why you don’t have to be productive in it.

* Managing everyone else’s discomfort: You’re not obligated to perform optimism so other people feel better about your crisis.

* The 2026 market, honestly: What a “low-hire, low-fire” environment means for how you actually search.

* Gendered ageism: What the data says about women facing age bias earlier and harder than men.

* Faith and the hard feelings: Why grief, anger, and belief can live in the same room.

* The first 48 hours: Unemployment, COBRA, and a survival budget before anything glamorous.

* Rebuilding your narrative: A calm, confident answer to “what happened?” — and how to lean on your network without it feeling awful.

Chapters

00:00 Facing Unexpected Job Loss

08:32 Navigating the Job Market Challenges

16:42 The Emotional Impact of Job Loss

24:48 Strategic Job Searching and Networking

32:37 Moving Forward with Resilience

Join the Community!

Subscribe on Substack for exclusive content:

Subscribe on Substack: leadershipstory.substack.comFollow on Instagram: @theleadershipstory

Shop the collection: Tools for The Story is live:

https://black-girl-co.printify.me/

Connect with LisaFollow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jonesEmail: leadershipstory@substack.com

ResourcesLisa’s article “Congratulations, You’ve Been Restructured”

The ground genuinely got less stable, and noticing it isn’t anxiety—it’s an accurate working instinct. In this solo episode, Lisa Jones brings two decades of business continuity expertise to the exact question women leaders are privately wrestling with right now: how do you build career security and survive corporate layoffs when the old corporate promises have quietly expired?

Reframing career instability not as a personal failure but as a system design problem you can solve, Lisa shares how to apply real operational resilience tools directly to your life. Learn how to spot your career’s single point of failure, deliberately build income redundancy, and execute the one career transition planning exercise most professionals avoid.

If you have been over-performing for a deal that no longer exists, this episode provides a strategic, clear-eyed roadmap to stop living in fear and start building a backup plan for your future.

Key Topics We Explored

* The Broken Corporate Promise: Why the Sunday-night hum isn’t fragility—it’s perception.

* Your Single Point of Failure: The systemic risk of running your income, healthcare, identity, and network through one employer.

* Building Career Redundancy: Lessons from Gen Z on managing single-paycheck panic and engineering portable skills.

* The Career Tabletop Exercise: How to walk through a 90-day income disruption on paper so you are never deciding in a free fall.

* The Carer’s Gap: Navigating the predictable, plannable financial exposure that impacts women leaders during peak earning years.

Chapters

00:00 The Broken Promise

02:55 The Feeling You’ve Been Carrying

05:05 Single Point of Failure

07:54 Redundancy

12:18 The Tabletop

18:40 What this Looks Like as a Practice

21:00 Planning for Tomorrow

Join the Community!

Subscribe on Substack for exclusive content:

Subscribe to Substack: leadershipstory.substack.com

Follow on Instagram: @theleadershipstory

Real Women. Real Leadership. Real Resilience!™

Shop the collection: Tools for The Story is live:

black-girl-co.printify.me/

Connect with Lisa

Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones

Resources & sources

Gen Z and multiple income streams:

* Block / Cash App: ~54 million Americans now hold more than one income stream, up from 41 million two years prior; Gen Z drives the growth at roughly five times the rate of Baby Boomers (Bloomberg / Staffing Industry Review, June 2026).

* Deputy “Big Shift” report: Gen Z makes up 55% of all workers holding multiple jobs simultaneously — the highest poly-employment rate in over a decade.

* Fiverr “Next Gen of Work” report: 67% of Gen Z say multiple income streams are essential for financial security; 56% believe traditional employment will eventually become obsolete. Origin of the “single-paycheck panic” framing (Oct 2025).

* Context / nuance: Gen Z switchers’ wage gains have fallen roughly 20 percentage points since 2022 — the old job-hopping playbook returns less now (Fortune, June 2026).

The Carer’s Gap and women’s financial exposure:

* PensionBee: a one-year pause in retirement contributions can compound to nearly $79,000 in lost savings; a five-year break, about $346,000 less at retirement (Oct 2025).

* Women’s earnings track close to men’s early, then diverge during prime career years before narrowing after 55 — meaning women often enter peak earning years with lower lifetime earnings (Carry / BLS, Feb 2026).

* Women’s longer life expectancy leaves fewer resources to stretch over more years (National Partnership for Women & Families).

Stop overthinking and start leading! Most women leaders aren’t missing the answer; they’re missing the move. In this solo episode, Lisa Jones breaks down the leadership strategy to move from analysis paralysis to decisive action.

Learn the decision-making framework Lisa uses to break the overthinking loop with three core questions:

* What’s the smallest version I can test?

* What if it fails? So what?

* What can I control to lower the risk?

If you’ve ever confused more thinking with more progress, this episode provides the tools to get unstuck, improve your leadership mindset, and start moving.

Key Topics We Explored

* Why overthinking feels like diligence but functions as a stall

* What the research says: the 99.5% finding and why women ruminate more

* The belief that quietly feeds overthinking instead of solving it

* The three-question framework for moving from analysis to action

Chapters

00:00 The Journey of Self-Discovery

01:23 Overcoming Overthinking

05:25 Taking Action: The Small Steps

09:29 Moving Forward with Courage

Join the Community!

Subscribe on Substack for exclusive content:

Subscribe to Substack: leadershipstory.substack.com

Follow on Instagram: @theleadershipstory

Connect with Lisa

Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones

Shop the Collection:

🚨“Tools for The Story” is live! Black Girl Co Store

Real Women. Real Leadership. Real Resilience!™

Are you struggling with a career transition or wondering why your experience isn’t translating in today’s job market? In this episode of The Leadership Story, host Lisa Jones sits down with two-time bestselling author Irene Chukwuma to break down the job search system.

In this insightful interview, Irene shares her journey from West Africa to the US, navigating the job market as an immigrant, and overcoming challenges in career re-entry. She discusses strategic job search techniques, the importance of networking, and her inspiring approach to career resilience, including her books on job searching and career restarting.

Key Topics We Explored:

* ATS Optimization: Why alignment with the job description matters more than application volume.

* Strategic Networking: How to find advocates to speak for you in rooms you haven’t entered yet.

* The “Restart” Mindset: Leveraging your experience and international credentials in a new market.

* Resilience as Leadership: Staying consistent through market ambiguity and rejection.

Chapters:

00:00 The Reality of the Invisible Job Search

02:15 Navigating the U.S. Job Market as an Immigrant

05:55 The Importance of Networking

09:45 Writing and Publishing Books

13:14 The Concept of Restarting vs. Starting Over

15:07 Advice for Job Seekers in a Tough Market

16:11 Defining Leadership: Reliability

Join the Community!

Subscribe on Substack for exclusive content:

Subscribe on Substack: leadershipstory.substack.com

Follow on Instagram: @theleadershipstory

Connect with Irene

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/irenechukwuma-riskmanagement

Irene’s Books

101 Job Search Tips for Immigrants and New Grads

She Didn’t Start Over, She Restarted

Connect with Lisa

Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones

Lisa Jones reframes AI as a leadership opportunity, sharing strategies for women to leverage emotional intelligence and adaptability to lead in the age of AI.

Key Topics We Explore

Why women feel behind on AI (it has nothing to do with capability)

AI as a leadership issue, not a technology problem

The three strengths women bring to AI adoption: emotional intelligence, collaboration, ethical reasoning

Four practical strategies: identify what’s draining you, start small, check for bias, bring your team in

Mindset essentials: be a learner, normalize discomfort, invest in adaptability

Chapters

0:00 Introduction to Leadership in AI

01:50 The Pressure of AI on Women in the Workforce

01:30 Why This is a Leadership Conversation

07:13 Practical Strategies for AI Integration

12:39 The Resilient Leader's Mindset

15:25 Final Thoughts on Leadership

Resources Mentioned

I Let AI Do My Busy Work. Now I Actually Have Time to Lead

I Let AI Do My Busy Work. Now I Actually Have Time to Lead

Connect with the Leadership Story

📖 Subscribe on Substack: leadershipstory.substack.com💼 Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones-mbcp-mbci-57872823📱 Follow on Instagram: @theleadershipstory

Real Women. Real Leadership. Real Resilience!™

Lisa Jones shares a strategic blueprint for navigating a Reduction in Force (RIF) and re-centering your leadership identity when a job title ends.

With nearly 90,000 jobs eliminated from just three major companies in early 2026, and a job market that’s harder for older workers and women specifically, Lisa shares data, strategy, and honest reflection on navigating layoff, ageism, faith, and what it actually means to build resilience.This isn’t a ‘blessing in disguise’ conversation. It’s the real version. And it’s for anyone who’s been laid off, is watching others go through it, or is wondering how to move through uncertainty with both grace and strategy.

Key Topics We Explore

Unexpected job loss and the disorientation that comes with it

The pressure to perform positivity after layoff

Ageism & gendered ageism in hiring and career advancement

The job market reality in early 2026

Long-term unemployment rates for older workers

Faith and grief existing together

Six practical strategies for navigating job loss

How to support someone who has lost their job

The resilience you did not know you already had

Chapters

00:00 Facing Unexpected Job Loss

08:32 Navigating the Job Market Challenges

16:42 The Emotional Impact of Job Loss

24:48 Strategic Job Searching and Networking

32:37 Moving Forward with Resilience

Join the Community!

Subscribe on Substack: leadershipstory.substack.com

Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones-mbcp-mbci-57872823Follow on Instagram: @leadershipstory

Real Women. Real Leadership. Real Resilience!™

Companion article on Substack:

“Congratulations! You’ve Been Restructured!”

Amy Palmer and Lisa Jones explore “pre-tirement” and the strategic decision to leave corporate life to find a more authentic professional identity.

A former senior executive, award-winning actress, and lifetime content creator, Amy walked away from corporate life without a backup plan and discovered something unexpected on the other side.

Key Topics Explored

The decision to leave corporate without a backup plan

What “pre-tirement” means and why it’s resonating with so many women

How corporate conditioning shaped who we thought we needed to be

Gen X vs. Gen Z: What each generation is getting right and what they can learn from each other

Redefining productivity and ambition outside of corporate metrics

The role of rest, spirituality, and listening to your body

How to redesign your life when you can’t leave your job

The moment Amy turned down the “ideal” corporate role

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

03:54 Leaving the Corporate World: The Decision to Transition

06:30 Navigating Mental and Physical Health Challenges

09:05 The Importance of Rest and Reflection

11:43 Preparing for Change: Taking Breaks and Seeking Support

14:22 Embracing Vulnerability and Asking for Help

17:17 Shifting Focus: From Destination to Journey

19:44 Creating a New Identity Beyond Corporate Expectations

22:15 The Concept of Pre-Tirement: Redefining Retirement

24:49 Finding Joy and Fulfillment Before Retirement

27:18 Navigating Ageism and the Concept of Pre-tirement

30:13 Generational Perspectives on Work and Life

35:08 Creating Content and Finding Purpose

38:46 Listening to Our Bodies and Redefining Success

45:38 Expansive Leadership: Redefining Ambition

Join the Community!

Subscribe on Substack for exclusive content:

Subscribe on Substack: leadershipstory.substack.com

Follow on Instagram: @theleadershipstory

Real Women. Real Leadership. Real Resilience!™

Connect with Amy

Follow on Instagram: @amypalmer.today

Website: amypalmer.bio

YouTube: Amy Palmer | Blueprint Breakers

Connect with Lisa

Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones

Jenna Muniz and Lisa Jones discuss how personal history and trauma can be transformed into a source of empathetic and effective leadership.

Jenna shares her journey from a challenging childhood marked by trauma to becoming a licensed professional counselor and business owner. She discusses the impact of her upbringing on her understanding of leadership, the importance of vulnerability in both her personal and professional life, and how her experiences shape her parenting. Jenna emphasizes the significance of empathy, resilience, and the transformative power of acknowledging one’s own vulnerabilities in the healing process.

Key Topics We Explore

Jenna’s childhood experiences shaped her understanding of leadership.

She found purpose in her pain and used it to help others.

Empathy is a crucial skill developed through her experiences.

Parenting is a reflection of one’s own vulnerabilities.

Vulnerability is essential for effective leadership.

Chapters

00:00 Childhood and Early Leadership Experiences

05:49 Finding Purpose in Pain

08:55 Becoming a Therapist and Specializing in Trauma

11:56 Lessons from Mentorship and Leadership

14:33 Starting a New Practice

17:25 Parenting Through a Lens of Trauma

21:21 Vulnerability in Leadership

24:58 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Join the Community!

Subscribe on Substack for exclusive content:

Subscribe on Substack: leadershipstory.substack.comFollow on Instagram: @theleadershipstory

Connect with Jenna

🌐Check the website: Echoes and Embers Therapy

Connect with the LisaFollow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones

References

📺Becky Kennedy: The Most Important Parenting Strategy

🌐Brene Brown Parenting Manifesto: The Wholehearted Parenting Manifesto - Brené Brown

Kiersten M. Talbert details the persistence required to overcome industry barriers and the strategic mindset needed to launch a successful business.

She shares her journey from struggling through 12 years of licensing attempts to becoming one of the youngest first-generation funeral home owners in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. She opens up about learning the business in heels and a pocketbook, the personal losses that fueled her determination, and the divine guidance that led her to build her own chapel instead of someone else’s brand.

This is a story about faith, persistence, and the courage to bring your authentic self—rhinestones and all—to an industry that doesn’t always expect it. When asked for one word to describe her leadership story, Kiersten’s answer says it all: Consistent.

Key Topics We Explore

The 12-year journey to passing the national funeral director boards and what finally made the difference

Learning funeral service from a female director who insisted on doing it all, in heels

How personal loss and a colleague’s question became the catalyst for finally getting licensed

The moment Kiersten decided to build her own business instead of someone else’s brand

Starting a funeral home from scratch with no loans, the real obstacles of entrepreneurship

Breaking barriers as a young, first-generation funeral home owner in Montgomery County, PA

How prayer, fasting, and faith guide business decisions in a practical, difficult industry

Creating comfort for families through authentic presence and signature style

Why consistency, not perfection, is the real key to leadership

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:28 Educational Journey and Career Start

05:48 Apprenticeship Experience

10:31 Overcoming Personal and Professional Challenges

17:38 Starting Her Own Funeral Home

21:31 Business Challenges and Vision

25:40 Incorporating Personal Style and Faith

27:04 Legacy and Leadership

Join the Community!

Subscribe on Substack for exclusive content:

Subscribe on Substack: leadershipstory.substack.comFollow on Instagram: @theleadershipstory

Connect with Kiersten:

🌐Check the website: Kiersten M. Talbert Funeral Chapel

📱Follow on Instagram: @kmtalbertfuneralchapel

📔Follow on Facebook: Kiersten M Talbert Funeral Chapel, Inc

☑️Follow on TikTok: KMTalbert Funeral Chapel

Connect with Lisa

Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones

Subscribe, rate, and review The Leadership Story wherever you listen to podcasts. Your reviews help other women find these conversations.

Emily Vizcano and Lisa Jones discuss the “planner mindset” used to manage a global career at Google while navigating a family health crisis.

The discussion highlights the significance of resilience in navigating both professional and personal challenges, emphasizing that while one may not always see the entire path ahead, taking small steps can lead to meaningful progress.

Key Topics We Explore:

How Emily accidentally “fell into” business continuity

The 2015 call to quit and the call back that changed everything

Six years of part-time flexibility: making it work with three boys

April 2021: Her son’s leukemia diagnosis and going to zero hours

How business continuity planning mode kicked in during the most unpredictable time

Working hard 9-5, then leaving at 5 (no guilt, no apologies!)

Why she hated an organization’s leadership principles and appreciates them now

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Emily Vizcaino

04:14 Emily’s Journey into Business Continuity

06:55 Transitioning from Public to Private Sector

09:53 Consulting Experience and Industry Exposure

12:44 The Challenges of Client Education

15:26 Balancing Career and Family Life

18:07 Supportive Work Environment and Flexibility

20:54 Mentorship and Growth in Consulting

25:47 Building a Supportive Team Environment

27:07 Navigating Family Challenges During COVID

29:15 Coping with a Child’s Illness

33:00 The Journey of Resilience

35:55 Leadership Lessons from Personal Experience

42:25 Defining Leadership Through Resilience

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Contact with Emily

LinkedIn: Emily Vizcaino

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Melissa Muniz and Annalicia Russell join Lisa Jones to discuss generational shifts in career boundaries and the evolving definition of professional worth.

This is an honest conversation about career, identity, and what happens when one generation clears a path for the next. From negotiating salaries without apology to redefining what work means in your life, this special episode explores how daughters learned from watching mothers do it scared and decided to do it differently.

Key Topics We Explore

Why Gen Z negotiate salaries from day one while Gen X waited decades to find that confidence

How career became identity for one generation while the next keeps work as just one part of life

The “yes woman” syndrome and learning when saying no is actually saying yes to yourself

What happened when COVID forced everyone to question if their career sacrifices were worth it

Why representation matters: How watching strong women shapes the next generation’s confidence

The database project moment: Knowing your strengths vs proving you can do everything

Doing it scared so your daughters can do it confident

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Generational Perspectives02:40 Negotiating Salary: A Generational Shift06:17 Understanding Self-Worth in Careers11:33 The Influence of Strong Female Role Models18:36 Defining Career vs. Identity26:17 Impact of COVID-19 on Career Perspectives33:29 The Pressure to Say Yes in the Workplace34:27 The Struggle for Self-Advocacy36:07 Knowing Your Strengths37:27 The Importance of Self-Awareness41:44 Finding the Balance: Yes vs. No47:53 Lessons from Our Mothers51:45 Hopes for the Next Generation58:23 Defining Leadership: Energetic vs. Beginning01:02:32 Embracing Fear in Leadership

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Connect with Our Guests

Melissa MuñizLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/melissamuñiz-resilience

Annalicia Russell

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annaliciacarlson

Connect with Lisa Jones

Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jonesFollow on Instagram: @theleadershipstory

Elethia S. Gay explains why self-care is a core strategic decision for high performance, focusing on setting boundaries and converting fear into courage.

We explore why “being in love with yourself” is strategic not selfish, why rest is a leadership superpower, and how to pick ONE thing to start with instead of seven resolutions you’ll abandon by February.

If you’re burnt out, exhausted, and wondering why you can’t seem to reach the next level, this conversation is for you.

Key Topics We Explore

The Wellness Journey Begins

Elethia’s shares how watching her mom exercise during cancer remission planted a seed that would transform her life. From laughing at the energetic instructor to joining her mom on the living room floor, this early experience showed her that health and wellness were connected to survival and thriving, not just fitness.

From Personal Transformation to Hiking for Hope

The founding of Hiking for Hope came from tragedy. The devastating loss of a woman due to domestic abuse sparked Elethia’s mission to create a space to raise awareness while building community through nature. What started as one hike has grown into a movement that combines outdoor wellness purpose.

The Problem with Two Lists

We’ve been conditioned to separate our professional goals from our health goals, creating two distinct lists for our lives. Elethia challenges this approach, explaining that “your body is one member”; you can’t compartmentalize yourself into “work you” and “personal you.” The work-life balance concept creates a false dichotomy that leads us to skip self-care in pursuit of professional development, only to reach our goals feeling burnt out and empty.

Self-Care as Strategy

Self-care isn’t just about massages and bubble baths, t’s about caring for yourself in ways that help you thrive. Elethia reframes self-care as a strategic decision, not a luxury. When you’re in love with yourself and thriving in your personal life, that energy naturally flows into your professional success. The key is understanding that setting realistic goals for your wellness is just as important as the goals you set for your career.

The Practical Approach

Instead of setting seven resolutions that you’ll abandon, Elethia recommends starting with ONE thing. Identify what’s creating a roadblock or deficiency in your life and address that first. Whether it’s rest, movement, or dealing with something you’ve been avoiding, pick the one thing that’s holding you back from being your best self.

Rest as Leadership Strategy

Rest isn’t optional, it’s strategic. Elethia shares her own journey of working with a sleep doctor to optimize her rest and learning to include sleep in her daily planning the same way she schedules meetings. She challenges the “I could do it in college” mentality, reminding us that our bodies change and what worked at 20 doesn’t work at 40.

Spirituality and Surrender

Growing up with adult responsibilities from a young age taught Elethia to try to control outcomes, but spirituality has shown her the power of letting go. When you surrender what you can’t control and focus on what you can, clarity follows. This practice of surrendering creates space for God to speak and for answers to emerge.

The Courage to Lead

When asked for the one word that describes her leadership story, Elethia chose COURAGE. Her journey has been about converting fear into faith and stepping into who she is without worrying about what others think. From the courage to try that first spin class to the courage to found a nonprofit, every step has required her to ask, “why not me?” and then act on the answer.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction: The Two Lists Problem02:11 - Meet Elethia: From Birthday Party to Leadership Conversations03:31 - The Wellness Journey: Mom’s Cancer Battle & Tony Little08:16 - The Spin Class Moment: “Why Not You?”11:01 - Roots to Wellness: Creating Space for Self-Expression14:18 - Hiking for Hope: From Tragedy to Healing Mission19:12 - Your Body Is One Member: Why Self-Care Gets Skipped24:05 - Practical Integration: Start With ONE Thing29:01 - Rest, Spirituality & Surrender: The Foundation of Leadership34:00 - The Signature Question: COURAGE34:51 - Connect With Elethia & Closing

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Website: leadershipstory.substack.com

Email: leadershipstory@substack.com

Connect with Elethia

Instagram: @elethiagayWebsite: elethiagay.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/elethiagaycoachBook a Wellness Discovery Call: elethiagay.comElethia offers wellness coaching, personal training, and transformative programs that help you integrate self-care with professional success.

Roots to Wellness Journal: https://a.co/d/2zQoXEN

Connect with Lisa:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones

Lee Anna Will and Lisa Jones discuss how the creative process of distilling complexity in art mirrors the high-level strategy required for C-suite leadership.

Lee Anna started as a high school art teacher in Baltimore and today advises C-suite executives on large-scale transformation initiatives. But here’s what makes her journey so compelling, she never left the art behind. She brought it with her into every boardroom, every strategy session, every leadership moment.

Lee Anna shares how the same process she uses to create a painting is exactly what she uses to lead transformation projects. She reveals what teaching 38 teenagers taught her about executive leadership, the story behind her painting “Follow Your Heart Home,” and why she gave herself permission to bring her whole self to work.

If you’ve ever felt like you had to choose between different parts of yourself to be an effective leader, this conversation will change how you think about your leadership journey.

Key Topics We Explore:

The Art of TranslationHow distilling complex ideas into clear form connects artistic creation and strategic business transformation and why this matters for your leadership.

From Classroom to C-SuiteWhat teaching 38 teenagers in Baltimore taught Lee Anna about leading executives, building credibility, and showing up authentically in high-stakes situations.

Permission to Be WholeWhy bringing your entire self to work - the creative AND the analytical, the personal AND the professional - isn’t just okay, it’s your competitive advantage.

Redefining Creativity in LeadershipHow analytics can be just as creative as art, why curiosity drives both innovation and strategy, and what creative skills you’re not giving yourself credit for.

The Anchor and Compass PhilosophyThe story behind Lee Anna’s painting “Follow Your Heart Home” and how the people who ground us and the direction that guides us are both necessary for the leadership journey.

Chapters

00:00 Bridging Art and Strategy11:53 The Journey from Teaching to Business22:10 Fostering Creativity in Leadership31:16 - Authenticity and Collaboration in Leadership

Join the Community!

Website: leadershipstory.substack.com

Email: leadershipstory@substack.com

Connect with Lee Anna:

Instagram: @WillPowerDesigns

Etsy: WillPowerDesigns - Check out “Follow Your Heart Home” and more of Lee Anna’s artwork

LinkedIn: Lee Anna Will - Transformation PMP

Connect with Lisa Jones

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones

Tara Jones and Lisa Jones explore how soft skills, mentorship, and professional instincts can turn unexpected luck into a sustainable leadership strategy.

Tara emphasizes the value of authenticity in leadership and the necessity of trusting one’s instincts when considering career changes. Her insights provide a roadmap for those looking to pivot in their careers, highlighting the interplay between preparation, opportunity, and the support of others.

Key Topics We Explore:

Tara’s journey illustrates the importance of mentorship in career development.

Soft skills are crucial for success in any field, especially consulting.

Trusting your instincts can lead to significant career changes.

Authenticity in leadership fosters trust and productivity among team members.

Career pivots can be driven by personal circumstances and opportunities.

Networking and community support are vital for professional growth.

Preparation and opportunity are key to achieving success.

Leadership is about supporting and trusting your team, not micromanaging.

Embracing change can lead to unexpected and rewarding career paths.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Tara Jones and Her Journey

04:28 From Pre-Med to PhD: A Shift in Career Path

08:53 Transitioning to Business Continuity

14:58 Navigating the Early Days in Consulting

18:58 The Importance of Mentorship and Soft Skills

19:47 The Journey of Mentorship and Learning

21:04 Transitioning to Entrepreneurship

23:35 Exploring Different Sectors

25:45 Building a Consulting Business

27:30 The Importance of Trust in Leadership

30:05 Authenticity in Leadership

34:05 Navigating Career Changes

36:47 Defining Leadership Through Luck

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Connect with Tara Jones:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tara-jones-329b138

QS Consulting: QS Consulting | Quodammodo Solutions, LLC

ACP Hampton Roads Association of Continuity Professionals - VA: Hampton Roads (Virginia)

Connect with Lisa Jones

Email: leadershipstory@substack.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones

April Renner and Lisa Jones discuss the shift from the “work-life balance” myth to sustainable, authentic work-life integration for high-performing women.

April gets real about navigating the shift from financial services to construction, finding her voice in rooms where she’s often the only woman, and leading through personal challenges including divorce and single parenthood. Through candid conversation, she shares how those difficult seasons didn’t derail her career - they shaped her into a more authentic, empathetic, and effective leader.

Key topics We Explore:

Finding your authentic voice across different industries and cultures

Working your way up without a traditional path (and going back to school as an adult)

Navigating personal challenges while advancing your career

The resilience required to keep moving forward when everything feels overwhelming

How personal struggles become leadership strengths

Chapters

00:00 Navigating Authenticity in Career Transitions

02:37 Mentorship and Leadership in Male-Dominated Fields

05:16 Embracing Change: From Finance to Construction

07:59 Curiosity and Compassion in Leadership

11:01 Work-Life Integration in the Resilience Industry

13:56 Balancing Education and Career

17:07 Finding Your Voice Through Education

24:30 Navigating Leadership and Education

28:04 Personal Challenges and Professional Growth

37:21 Vulnerability in Leadership

39:43 The Essence of Resilience

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leadershipstory.substack.com

Connect with April Renner:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aprilrenner

Connect with Lisa:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones

Lisa Jones explores the defining moments of a leadership journey, focusing on how to reclaim your personal narrative and find your authentic voice.

She reflects on her own journey from being an administrative assistant to a leader in the resilience industry, highlighting the lessons learned along the way. The conversation touches on themes of imposter syndrome, the value of personal experiences, and the need for women to recognize their leadership potential. Lisa encourages listeners to embrace their unique stories and prepare for future episodes featuring diverse voices in leadership.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Leadership Stories

02:48 The Journey to Leadership

05:25 Overcoming Adversity in Leadership

08:06 Building Resilience in Leadership

11:13 Imposter Syndrome and Leadership

13:52 Embracing Your Leadership Potential

16:42 Looking Ahead: Future Conversations on Leadership

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Connect: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones

resource for women’s career advancement, focusing on authentic leadership and real resilience.

Episode Length: 90 seconds

Host: Lisa Jones, MBCP, MBCI

Key Pillars:

Personal story meets professional leadership

Resilience as a measurable capability

Connect with Lisa:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones-cbcp-mbci-57872823

Website: leadershipstory.substack.com