Each week we explore Womanhood and Leadership with the goal to question the status quo and challenge our thinking so we celebrate every woman as a leader. Our episodes will interview leaders in the field, meet authors, explore books on the subject, hear inspiring stories, or talk with organizations leading the charge for women to lead. We’ll look at the different topics from different generational perspectives as my daughters, a Millennial and a Gen Z, will join me, a Boomer, from time to time. We hope to make you laugh and leave inspired as you hear our voices on this very important topic.
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294. SOUND BITE – Hope, Trust, and the Leaders Who Are Coming
Season 1 · Episode 294
Thursday, June 11, 2026 • Duration 06:57
After my conversation with Sheryl Robinson in Episode 293, I found myself sitting with an unexpected feeling:
Hope.
Not because everything is suddenly okay.
Not because the challenges facing our communities have disappeared.
And not because the future comes with guarantees.
Instead, I found myself wondering:
What exactly is hope?
Is it optimism?
Is it trust?
Or is it something else entirely?
In This Sound Bite
In this Sound Bite, I reflect on the work of Brené Brown and psychologist C.R. Snyder, whose research suggests that hope is not simply an emotion but a way of thinking—one that involves goals, pathways, and agency.
I also explore the connection between hope and trust, why it's easy to focus on what's declining as we grow older, and the question that stayed with me after talking with Sheryl:
What's still growing?
What if hope isn't about ignoring reality?
What if hope is seeing evidence that people are still learning how to care, contribute, and lead?
And what if trust is what allows us to invest in that future?
Hope versus optimism
The difference between hope and trust
Brené Brown's discussion of Hope Theory
Why agency matters
What gives us confidence in future generations
The leadership lessons hidden inside the Girl Scout Gold Award
Why "The leaders are coming" became my takeaway from Episode 293
Inspired By
Episode 293:
🎙️ "Hearts of Gold: How the Girl Scout Gold Award Builds Leaders for Life with Sheryl Robinson"
Sheryl Robinson is an author, podcaster, speaker, and leadership advocate who helps teens and young adults discover their gifts, talents, and abilities while creating meaningful change in their communities.
She is the creator of the Hearts of Gold podcast and the Hearts of Gold book series, which share stories of Girl Scout Gold Award recipients from across the country. The series is designed to help young people develop leadership skills, identify root causes, and create lasting impact.
293. Girl Scout Gold Award: Building the Next Generation of Leaders
Season 1 · Episode 293
Tuesday, June 9, 2026 • Duration 22:05
What gives you hope for the future?
In this inspiring episode, Yo Canny sits down with Sheryl Robinson—author, podcaster, speaker, and longtime Girl Scout volunteer—to explore how the Girl Scout Gold Award helps young women develop confidence, leadership skills, and the belief that they can make a difference in the world.
As a troop leader for more than 20 years and a member of the Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Badgerland Council's Highest Awards Committee, Sheryl has witnessed firsthand the transformation that occurs when young women take on meaningful community challenges and lead sustainable solutions.
Inspired by the remarkable Gold Award Girl Scouts she has mentored, Sheryl launched the Hearts of Gold Podcast, interviewing Gold Award recipients from around the world. She has now adapted those stories into the Hearts of Gold book series, helping middle school students discover their own gifts, talents, and ability to create positive change.
Together, Yo and Sheryl discuss what the Gold Award is, why it matters, and how young women are developing the skills, confidence, and resilience needed to become the next generation of leaders.
In This Episode You'll Learn:
What the Girl Scout Gold Award is and why it is considered the highest achievement in Girl Scouting
How identifying root causes leads to more meaningful and sustainable solutions
Why leadership is developed through action, not just instruction
The importance of moving from managing to mentoring
How asking questions can be more powerful than providing answers
Why volunteering helps young people develop confidence and purpose
How one young woman's Gold Award project helped transform feelings of cultural isolation into belonging and connection
Key Takeaways
✨ Leadership grows through experience.
✨ Confidence comes from tackling challenges and seeing them through.
293. SOUND BITES | Your Worth Was Never the Problem A Reflection Inspired by Ep 292 with Marisa Handler
Season 1 · Episode 293
Thursday, June 4, 2026 • Duration 05:54
What happens when the way we've measured our importance no longer fits our lives?
In this first Girl, Take the Lead! Sound Bite, I reflect on a question that surfaced after my conversation with Marisa Handler:
If I am no longer defined by my title, accomplishments, or responsibilities, what makes me important?
After 42 years in corporate leadership, retirement invited me into a different kind of impact—one measured less by titles and achievements and more by conversations, creativity, relationships, and contribution.
Yet I found myself wrestling with an uncomfortable question:
Do I still matter?
In this reflection, I explore the difference between achievement and worthiness, why comparison can reveal deeper beliefs, and what it means to create a new definition of significance in this stage of life.
In This Sound Bite:
• Why gratitude and worthiness are not the same thing
• The hidden challenge many high-achieving women face after retirement
• How comparison can reveal old beliefs about success and importance
• Why achievement and worthiness are often confused
• The question: "Who am I when there's nothing left to prove?"
• Creating a new definition of significance and contribution
Reflection Questions for You:
Have you ever found yourself using an old definition of success to measure your value?
What might change if your worth was never tied to your accomplishments in the first place?
292. From Shame to Worthiness: Living Your Creative Genius with Marisa Handler
Season 1 · Episode 292
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 • Duration 40:50
What if the shame you've been carrying isn't evidence that you're broken—but an invitation to discover your worth?
In this deeply moving conversation, award-winning author, poet, singer-songwriter, and creative coach Marisa Handler joins Girl, Take the Lead! to explore authenticity, creativity, leadership, and the journey from shame to a deeper sense of worthiness.
She is the author of Loyal to the Sky (Nautilus Gold Award) and the forthcoming Sanctuary.
Marisa shares her personal story of growing up in apartheid South Africa, immigrating to the United States, and navigating what she describes as a "dark night of the soul" that ultimately transformed her understanding of belonging, creativity, and self-worth.
Together, we explore how fear, grief, anger, and shame can become unexpected guides on the path back to ourselves. We also discuss why creativity is essential to leadership, how women can stop performing their lives and start living them, and why our worth was never something we had to earn.
Along the way, Marisa shares her beautiful poem Grace and treats us to a live excerpt from her song Seed and Star.
What Marisa Would Tell Her 20-Something Self
If you've ever found yourself striving to be impressive instead of being fully yourself, Marisa's wisdom offers a gentle invitation to come home—to your creativity, your voice, and your worthiness.
Because perhaps the path forward isn't about becoming someone new.
It's about remembering who you've been all along.
In This Episode, We Discuss:
• What it means to stop performing and start living authentically
• Why fear is often the doorway to growth and transformation
291. Can AI Lighten the Heaviness? with Dawn Andrews
Season 1 · Episode 291
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 • Duration 36:08
What if AI wasn’t about replacing people… but helping us carry less?
In this thought-provoking and surprisingly human conversation, Dawn Andrews joins Yo to explore the emotional side of AI, leadership, creativity, and the mental load so many of us carry every day.
Dawn is the Founder & CEO of Free Range Thinking, a boutique business strategy consultancy helping entrepreneurs and leaders build smarter, more sustainable systems without sacrificing themselves in the process. She’s also the host of the She's That Founder podcast and creator of the Female Leadership Accelerator.
Together, Yo and Dawn unpack:
why AI can feel both exciting and overwhelming
the invisible “mental load” many women carry
how AI can support creativity instead of replacing it
why discernment and human leadership still matter
the generational differences in AI adoption
how AI can help lighten the heaviness of work and life
the importance of curiosity, boundaries, and staying human in a rapidly changing world
One powerful takeaway from the episode:
“AI informs. You decide.”
Whether you’re AI-curious, already using tools like ChatGPT, or simply wondering how to navigate change without losing yourself in the process, this episode offers a grounded and hopeful perspective.
⏱️ Timestamps
0:00 – Welcome & Dawn’s background in leadership and strategy1:27 – Why AI feels exciting…and overwhelming4:16 – The fear of AI replacing jobs6:09 – Using AI for podcasting, creativity & discernment9:03 – How to make AI challenge your thinking13:15 – AI, mental health & emotional support17:00 – Dawn’s favorite AI tools right now20:20 – Multi-agent workflows & saving time23:09 – “What would you do with the time back?”25:29 – Boundaries, burnout & staying human28:28 – Curiosity, play & not trying to “keep up”30:20 – What Dawn would tell her 20-something self32:14 – “Drop the shame” around using AI
290. Shattering the Mirror — What Breaks Can Also Heal with Lena Fein
Season 1 · Episode 290
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 • Duration 44:39
Welcome back to Girl, Take the Lead! — the podcast where we explore leadership, healing, identity, and the stories that help us reclaim our voice and lead with intention.
In this deeply moving episode, Yo welcomes author Lena Fein to talk about her memoir, Shattering the Mirror, and the healing journey that unfolded after a lifetime of living behind distorted beliefs formed through childhood trauma.
Lena shares how achievement, perfectionism, and high performance became her armor — and how, later in life, she began peeling back the layers to rediscover her true self, her voice, and her heart.
Together, Yo and Lena explore: ✨ Healing in layers over time ✨ Moving from survival to wholeness ✨ Reclaiming the parts of ourselves we left behind ✨ Releasing shame and self-rejection ✨ Finding courage to tell our stories ✨ Learning to surrender instead of holding on so tightly ✨ The connection between voice, breath, heart, and healing ✨ Why healing and authentic self-expression are possible at any age
Lena also shares one of the original songs that became part of her healing journey and reclaiming of her voice.
💡 In this episode:
The metaphor behind Shattering the Mirror
How trauma shaped Lena’s self-worth and identity
Why achievement became survival
The role of somatics, singing, dancing, and writing in healing
Recording her audiobook and reclaiming her voice
Seeing both the loving and painful sides of her parents
Why mature women are resonating deeply with her memoir
What Lena would tell her 20-something self today
“Blessing the moment instead of cursing the moment”
289. What Do You Want? Reinvention, Gratitude & the Courage to Choose Yourself with Carmell Clark
Season 1 · Episode 289
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 • Duration 44:52
What if the most important question in your life isn’t what should I do next… but: “What do I truly want?”
In this powerful and deeply reflective conversation, I’m joined by Carmell Clark, founder of the Center for Transformational Influence, executive coach, and global leader in advancing women’s leadership and sustainability.
Together, we explore what it really means to reinvent ourselves across life’s thresholds — from grief and loss to growth, purpose, and expansion.
This episode is a conversation about gratitude, conflict, identity, self-trust, and the courage it takes to choose yourself again and again through every stage of life.
🌿 What you’ll walk away with from this episode:
• A deeper understanding of why reinvention often begins with loss or change • Insight into the emotional patterns that may be keeping you stuck • A new perspective on conflict and why many women avoid it • Encouragement to reconnect with your own desires, needs, and voice • A reminder that healing, growth, and self-discovery are possible at every age and stage of life
💡 In this episode:
• Why reinvention is a path — not a quick answer • How gratitude can become a healing force during difficult seasons • The powerful question: “What do I want?” • Why women often avoid conflict — and how to begin changing that • Understanding emotional patterns: fear, obligation, guilt, and shame (FOGS) • The difference between internal vs. external conflict • How to carry your own sense of safety • Why aging invites us to either expand or contract • Letting go of external validation and reclaiming your voice • The role of courage in becoming a pioneer in your own life
288. Becoming Who You Are—Even as You Grow | Marques Ogden on Authenticity
Season 1 · Episode 288
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 • Duration 40:35
A powerful conversation on authenticity, resilience, and rebuilding after rock bottom—why becoming who you are is a lifelong journey.
In this episode:
Living with authenticity—not perfection
From the Jacksonville Jaguars to losing everything—and rebuilding
Motivation vs. inspiration (and why it matters)
How ego can derail success—and what it takes to recover
Why rock bottom can become a turning point
The power of perseverance and resilience
Investing in yourself at every stage
Growing, evolving, and staying true to who you are
👤 About Marques Ogden:
Marques Ogden is a former NFL player, inspirational keynote speaker, founder and CEO of Ogden Ventures LLC, five-time best-selling author, business coach, and host of Get Authentic with Marques Ogden.
After facing a career-ending setback and losing nearly $3 million in a failed business venture, Marques rebuilt his life from the ground up—using his experiences to inspire leaders and teams worldwide.
He has delivered keynotes for over 90 Fortune 500 companies, including Amazon, Goldman Sachs, Intel, JPMorgan Chase, and Home Depot, and his story has been featured in USA Today, Forbes, Cheddar News, and Authority Magazine.
Marques empowers audiences to embrace challenges, grow through adversity, and turn setbacks into opportunities for success.
🎧 Timestamps:
00:02 – Welcome + introducing Marques Ogden03:00 – The Success Cycle: ambition, drive, and hard work07:45 – From NFL career to losing everything13:00 – Rock bottom and the wake-up call18:30 – Starting over and building a speaking career24:30 – Authenticity, failure, and self-belief30:30 – Mentorship, growth, and breaking through33:00 – What Marques would tell his 20-something self
287. After the Moment — What Stayed With Me: Confidence, Connection & Love (Part 3)
Season 1 · Episode 287
Wednesday, April 29, 2026 • Duration 15:42
What happens after the moment you’ve been preparing for?
In this deeply personal solo episode, I’m reflecting on what stayed with me after my daughter’s wedding—and how the experience brought together a lifetime of growth, healing, and self-discovery.
What I didn’t expect was just how present I could be… not managing, not controlling… but truly in it.
This episode is about what remains when everything settles— and how those insights can shape how we move forward.
🎧 The Series: At the Threshold
If you’re just joining, this is part of a 3-part series created during this meaningful life moment:
Episode 285: The Good Daughter — Where It Begins👉 https://youtu.be/WtQ20qsLf04
Episode 286: The Quiet Grief We Carry👉 https://youtu.be/sXDRydYO_-w
Episode 287: After the Moment — What Stayed With Me (this episode)
(All episodes are also available wherever you catch your podcasts.)
💛 In This Episode:
A redefinition of confidence as self-trust—not control
How connection shows up in small, present moments
A new understanding of love as allowing, not managing
The deeper realization that our life experiences prepare us for these moments
Letting go of what went wrong—and reconnecting with what went right
✨ 3 Takeaways
👉 Confidence is self-trust. Not about being in charge—but about knowing you can handle what comes.
286. The Quiet Grief We Carry: Identity, Loss & Letting Go - At the Threshold Series (Part 2)
Season 1 · Episode 286
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 • Duration 15:34
Welcome back to Girl, Take the Lead!—where we explore leadership not just in our work, but in the moments that shape who we are.
This episode is part of my 3-part series, At the Threshold, created during a deeply personal time as I prepare for my daughter’s wedding.
And what I didn’t expect to surface in this moment… was grief.
Not just grief as loss—but grief as change. As identity. As what we carry forward.
💛 Why This Episode Matters
Weddings are often seen as purely joyful occasions.
But what I’m discovering is that they can also bring forward something quieter… more layered.
Reflections on who we’ve been
Awareness of what’s shifting
Emotions we may not have fully named
So for this episode, I’ve curated moments from past conversations—each one offering insight into grief, healing, identity, and letting go.
Think of this as an episode to keep nearby—especially when you find yourself in a moment that feels emotionally charged or unexpectedly vulnerable.
🎧 In This Episode, We Explore:
Why grief can show up alongside joy
The concept of ancestral grief and what we inherit
How to name and reframe emotional patterns
The connection between grief and identity
Letting go of control and releasing what isn’t ours to carry
✨ 3 Takeaways
👉 Grief doesn’t only show up in loss—it shows up in change. In shifting roles, evolving identities, and meaningful life transitions.
✨ Great mentors guide with questions rather than answers.
✨ Young people thrive when given ownership, responsibility, and support.
✨ The next generation is already learning how to lead—and that gives us reason for hope.
What Sheryl Would Tell Her 20-Something Self
"Stay open and flexible. Life's going to take you different places than you plan. That's where the growth happens."
About Sheryl Robinson
Sheryl Robinson is an author, podcaster, coach, and speaker helping teens and young adults discover their unique gifts, talents, and abilities so they can create a plan to achieve their dreams.
She holds a Master of Arts in Servant Leadership from Viterbo University and has been involved with Girl Scouts for more than 25 years. Her passion for supporting high school Girl Scouts pursuing their Gold Award inspired the creation of the Hearts of Gold podcast, YouTube channel, and book series showcasing young women from across the country who have earned Girl Scouting's highest award.
Resources for youth and adults supporting young leaders
Hearts of Gold Book Series
The Hearts of Gold series shares real stories and leadership lessons inspired by Girl Scout Gold Award recipients. Through themes such as Inclusion, Advocacy, STEM, Health, Community, Creative Voice, and Earth Guardians, readers learn how to identify problems, uncover root causes, and create meaningful change.
Thank you for joining me for this first Sound Bite.
These shorter reflections are designed for moments when you want insight but don't have time for a full conversation.
Until next time—
Listen inward. Lead outward.
• How anger can reveal boundaries that need a voice
• Grief as a pathway back to belonging
• The hidden role shame plays in keeping us small
• Moving from shame to a deeper sense of worthiness
• Why creativity and leadership are deeply connected
• Trusting your intuition and creative process
• The difference between being impressive and being real
• Grace, authenticity, and living from your full aliveness
• A live excerpt from Marisa's song Seed and Star
"Stop trying to be impressive. Start trying to be real."
About Marisa Handler
Marisa Handler is an award-winning author, prize-winning poet, singer-songwriter, and creative coach whose work lives at the intersection of personal transformation and collective awakening.
A Fulbright Fellow and Iowa Writers' Workshop alumna, she has worked with thousands of people through her coaching practice, retreats, and teachings at Spirit Rock, Esalen, Stanford, and Gaia House, as well as through her signature program, Live Your Creative Genius.
If you're ready to stop playing small and step into the fullest, most luminous version of yourself, Marisa is your guide.
Live Your Creative Genius Learn more about Marisa's signature transformational coaching program: https://marisahandler.com/lycg/
Complimentary Unleash Your Creative Genius Breakthrough Session Apply for a free breakthrough session (valued at $300): https://forms.gle/sgsYXy2j6rhMEdor8
🌐 Website: dawnandrews.com💼 LinkedIn Community: AI for Founders📧 Email: dandrews@freerangethinking.com🎙️ Podcast: She's That Founder📱 Instagram: @freerangethinking | @shesthatfounder
Connect with Yo & Girl, Take the Lead!
🌐 Website: Girl, Take the Lead!🎁 Shop Heartfelt Cards & Gifts: Girl, Take the Lead! Shop📺 YouTube: Girl, Take the Lead! on YouTube👥 Facebook Group: Girl, Take the Lead! Facebook Group
🎧 Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome & introduction 01:30 What “Shattering the Mirror” means 03:00 Lena’s hope for readers and healing later in life 04:20 Achievement and perfectionism as protection 10:00 Reading her audiobook aloud and reclaiming her voice 15:30 The complicated relationship with her parents 20:00 The healing journey beyond writing 23:50 Singing, breath, and reclaiming her voice 27:00 Surrender and self-forgiveness 31:20 Why writing your story matters 35:30 What Lena would tell her 20-something self 37:45 “Blessing the moment instead of cursing the moment” 39:00 Lena’s butterfly card choice and brave wings metaphor
🦋 About Lena Fein: Lena Fein lives in San Francisco and is a retired high-tech executive, nonprofit founder, artist, singer, dancer, and writer. Her memoir, Shattering the Mirror, explores her journey through childhood trauma toward freedom, clarity, authentic self-expression, and love.
🎧 Listen on YouTube Music, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen or view your podcasts.
If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who may need this conversation today.
🌿 A few moments that stayed with me:
“Gratitude heals a broken heart.”
“Reinvention is a path.”
“I am the decider of my day.”
“We don’t have to sacrifice our lives to the expectations of others.”
👤 About Carmell Clark
Carmell Clark is the founder of the Center for Transformational Influence (CTI), a global organization focused on advancing leadership, sustainability, and gender equity across sectors.
With over 25 years of experience, Carmell has coached executives and professionals, launched women entrepreneurs, helped female-led businesses scale, and developed transformative leadership trainings for women across industries.
Through CTI, Carmell works globally with companies and entrepreneurs to create meaningful and sustainable change. She leads flagship programs, takes influencers on international adventures, and works directly with executives and entrepreneurs navigating pivotal life and leadership transitions.
Currently based in Salt Lake City, Carmell lives a life of exploration — rock climbing, running RAGNAR races, traveling internationally, and creating large-scale abstract oil paintings.
If you’re inspired by Marques’ journey and want to experience his work live:
Global Scrum Gathering 📍 Vancouver, BC | 📅 May 3–4, 2026 From Locker Room to Boardroom: Building Agile Teams That Win Together
Big I New York Conference 📍 Syracuse, NY | 📅 May 4–5, 2026 How To Make The CEO Mindset Shift to Achieve Maximum Success in Business
MassMutual Sales Summit 📍 Boston, MA | 📅 May 20–21, 2026 The Road to the Summit: Elevating Your Success in Sales
🌸 A Note from Me:
This conversation reminded me that becoming who we are isn’t something we do once—it’s something we return to again and again.
There are moments in life when everything we’ve built shifts… and we’re asked to begin again. Marques’s story is a powerful reminder that those moments aren’t the end—they’re an invitation.
To grow.To realign.To become even more of who we truly are.
🎧 Listen + Subscribe:
Listen wherever you catch your podcasts
💌 Join the Conversation:👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/272025931481748
👉 Connection comes from presence. Not from managing or performing—but from simply being there.
👉 Love is allowing. When we release control, we open ourselves to experiencing more of it.
🌿 A Deeper Reflection
This moment wasn’t just about one day…
It was about a lifetime of growth— healing family patterns, moving through loss, practicing forgiveness, and learning to let go.
And what stayed with me most was this:
A deep knowing that my daughters will be okay. That they are strong, supported, and surrounded by love.
And that everything I’ve worked through… made it possible for me to be fully present to witness it.
💭 For You
What has stayed with you… after a moment that mattered?
And what might shift if you focused not just on what went wrong… but on what went right?
🔜 Coming Next
Next week, I’ll be joined by Marques Ogden.
After a career-ending injury and losing nearly $3 million in a failed business venture, Marques rebuilt his life from the ground up. Today, he helps leaders grow through adversity and show up more authentically.
After everything we’ve explored in this series, his story offers a powerful next step—how we move forward with what we’ve learned.
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