You don't need the whole plan. You need the next step, and the courage to take it before you feel ready.
Go First with Jaime Taets is the leadership podcast for high-achievers who are done waiting for certainty before they move. This isn't another success podcast selling the highlight reel. It's the conversation about what it actually takes to act first, before the data's in, before the fear subsides, before anyone tells you it's safe. Because clarity comes after you move, not before.
Hosted by leadership expert and executive coach Jaime Taets, Go First sits down with founders, CEOs, former pro athletes, agency owners, and high-performing leaders who took the leap before they had proof it would work. Guests don't recite polished playbooks. They get real about the moment they moved anyway: careers rebuilt after a housing crisis, identity remade after a career-ending injury, businesses started with more fear than funding, trust broken and rebuilt from the inside out.
Why leaders keep hitting play: 1. It names the fear you're not supposed to admit. Waiting to feel ready is often just waiting. If you're a leader stuck at the edge of a decision, hoping for more certainty before you move, this show gives you permission and a push to go first anyway.
2. It's tactical, not just inspirational. Every episode delivers frameworks you can use immediately - how to separate the fear you should listen to from the fear that's just noise, how to make a decision without full information, how to build the kind of energy management that makes moving first sustainable instead of reckless.
3. The guests have actually gone first. This isn't theory from consultants who've never made the call under pressure. Listeners have heard from a crisis-communications founder who rebuilt her career and her family through her son's cancer diagnosis, a Super Bowl champion who had to find purpose beyond the game that defined him, and CEOs who scaled companies while unlearning the need to have all the answers before they acted.
4. It reframes hesitation as a leadership signal, not a character flaw. Instead of glorifying certainty, Go First treats the instinct to wait as data, a signal about what you're actually afraid of losing, and what needs to change so you can move anyway.
5. It's built for the leader standing at the edge of their next decision. Whether you're weighing a career pivot, a business bet, a hard conversation, or a change you already know you need to make, this show offers a way to move, not just a reason to keep thinking about it.
Who should listen to Go First: Executives, founders, entrepreneurs, coaches, and high-performing professionals who know what they should do next but are stuck waiting to feel ready. If you Google "how to make decisions without all the information," "overcoming fear of failure as a leader," "how to take action despite uncertainty," or "podcast for leaders who feel stuck," this is the show built for exactly that search.
What you'll actually learn: How to make high-stakes decisions before you have full information. How to tell the difference between the fear that protects you and the fear that stalls you. Practical energy management for leaders operating without a guarantee. Why the leaders who move first aren't fearless, they've just built a different relationship with fear. How clarity is a result of action, not a precondition for it.
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Redefining Success After the Title Is Gone: Dr. Linda Schubring on Identity, Control & Healing
Episode 112
Tuesday, September 8, 2026 • Duration 46:28
What happens when the mountain you finally climbed disappears beneath your feet? Dr. Linda Schubring faced that exact moment and learned that losing a job doesn't mean losing your purpose.
Dr. Linda Schubring joins Jaime Taets for an honest conversation about leadership, identity, resilience, and what it really takes to heal. Linda shares her journey from aspiring college president to reaching a leadership role at 29, losing that position, rebuilding her identity, becoming a mother and business owner, and navigating a breast cancer diagnosis. Along the way, she discovered that our hardest experiences can become sources of wisdom, connection, and contribution. Together, Linda and Jaime explore why leaders need to manage their hunger for control and importance, how to separate identity from work, and what it really means to heal.
If you're navigating transition, redefining success, or leading through uncertainty, this conversation will give you a different way to think about what's next.
Timestamped Chapters
0:00 Introduction to Dr. Linda Schubring 2:18 Linda's leadership journey: the mountaintop 4:04 You can have more than one mountain 6:15 Three lessons from reaching the top 11:42 When success doesn't protect you from setbacks 14:11 Separating your identity from your work 17:00 Turning difficult experiences into contribution 21:59 Learning to heal through adversity 28:23 What Linda had to unlearn 29:24 Redefining success 31:24 Managing your hungers for control and importance 34:20 Managing your energy as a leader 38:40 Hope, resilience, and leadership 42:46 Linda's book and leadership influences 44:10 Reflect, act, reflect
Guest Bio
Dr. Linda Schubring is a leadership coach, author, speaker, and co-founder of Leadership Vision Consulting. She helps leaders, teams, and organizations become healthier, more engaged, and better equipped to navigate uncertainty and change. She is also the national bestselling author of Unfolded: Lessons in Transformation from an Origami Crane.
Quotes from the Episode
"You can lose your job, but that doesn't mean you lose your purpose."
"Healing is different from moving on."
"Reflect, act, reflect, act, reflect, act."
Leadership Insights
Q: What does it mean to manage your hunger as a leader?
A: Managing your hunger means recognizing and regulating the internal drives that can influence how you lead. Drawing from the adaptive leadership work of Ron Heifetz and Marty Linsky, Dr. Linda Schubring explains that leaders need to manage their hunger for control and their hunger for importance rather than allowing those desires to control their behavior. When leaders don't manage what drives them, they can become rigid, defensive, or disconnected from the people they lead.
Q: Why is separating identity from work important for leaders?
A: Separating identity from work allows leaders to recognize that losing a role, title, or position does not mean losing their purpose or worth. Linda's experience of having her leadership position eliminated forced her to reconsider who she was beyond her career. That separation ultimately opened the door to new forms of leadership, family, business, and contribution. When you know who you are beyond your title, you lead with more freedom and less fear.
If this conversation gave you a new perspective on leadership, identity, or navigating a difficult season, share it with another leader who may need to hear it.
Subscribe to Go First with Jaime Taets for more conversations about leadership, growth, and taking that next step forward.
Go First is the show where we talk about what it takes to move forward first, fast, and with purpose.
Everything you want is on the other side of the next unknown step. Let's Go First together.
Jaime Taets
Leadership Burnout: The Real Cause and What Leaders Get Wrong with Jaime Taets
Episode 111
Tuesday, August 18, 2026 • Duration 10:24
Leadership burnout isn't always caused by working too many hours. Sometimes it comes from carrying responsibilities that were never yours to carry.
What happens when you're a high-performing leader who loves the work, but you're exhausted in a way that a vacation won't fix? Jaime Taets gets honest about her own journey with burnout and what she's learned about the weight of responsibility.
Jaime shares why burnout is one of the most overused words in leadership, and why it's often misunderstood. It's not about hating your job. It's about caring so much that you take on everything: every problem, every outcome, everyone's emotions. That sense of responsibility is what makes you successful, but it can also quietly become the thing that drains you.
She explores the difference between rest and recovery, why letting go of control is harder than it sounds, and how a thousand small shifts can create more space than one dramatic change. She also challenges leaders to ask themselves one question: What are you carrying today that might not be yours to carry?
If you've ever said "I'm busy" when asked how you are, or felt like you can't set anything down, this episode is for you.
Timestamped Chapters
00:00 Welcome to View From The Top 01:30 Why burnout is overused and misunderstood 02:15 Working hard vs. carrying too much responsibility 03:45 The fatigue of believing nothing can be set down 05:30 Why success increases the weight you carry 06:45 Letting go of what used to be yours 08:00 Rest vs. recovery 09:15 What are you carrying that isn't yours to carry?
Quotes from the Episode
"Burnout isn't always caused by working too many hours. It comes from carrying too much responsibility for too long."
"The better you perform, the more successful you are, the more responsibility you carry."
"It's not one dramatic decision that fixes burnout. It's a thousand small ones."
From Problem Solver to Coach: Matt Ropchak on Redefining Leadership Success
Episode 110
Friday, August 7, 2026 • Duration 39:45
Leadership development doesn't happen where you're comfortable. Matt Ropchak shares why the biggest breakthroughs begin the moment you stop keeping both feet in the familiar.
Leadership development isn't about collecting promotions. It's about growing through uncertainty, embracing discomfort, and developing people instead of simply solving problems.
Matt Ropchak shares the experiences that reshaped his leadership, from overcoming imposter syndrome to surviving a life-changing heart attack that redefined his perspective on success. Together, Matt and Jaime explore why leaders should embrace change, coach instead of always providing the answers, and build a legacy by developing others.
Whether you're leading through uncertainty or redefining success, this episode offers practical leadership insights.
Timestamped Chapters
00:00 Welcome and why growth starts outside your comfort zone 02:11 Meet Matt Ropchak 03:44 Don't keep both of your feet in the familiar 08: 57 From imposter syndrome to confident leadership 11: 13 Coaching instead of providing all the answers 15:13 Leadership, priorities, and making difficult decisions 22:50 The life-changing health event that shifted everything 30:11 Redefining success and building a lasting legacy 39:05 Leadership habits, mindset, and final reflections
Guest Bio
Matt Ropchak is an executive leader with nearly three decades of experience leading engineering, operations, and supply chain organizations. He helps organizations build high-performing teams through authentic leadership and resilience.
Quotes from the Episode
"Don't keep both of your feet in the familiar."
"Coach more. Solve less."
"Your legacy is measured by the leaders you help grow."
Leadership Insights
What Got You Here Won't Get You There with Andrea Sullivan
Episode 108
Monday, August 3, 2026 • Duration 35:22
Personal growth can require letting go of the identity that made you successful. Andrea Sullivan shares why your next chapter may begin when you give yourself permission to dream again.
Andrea Sullivan, CEO and Co-founder of vYve and former Chief Marketing Officer of VaynerX and Interbrand, joins Jaime Taets for a candid conversation about personal growth, identity, success, and the courage to become someone new.
Andrea shares her journey from the Midwest to New York City, through nearly two decades in corporate leadership and into entrepreneurship. Along the way, she discovered that titles, achievements, and external validation can become so closely tied to our identity that they eventually keep us from seeing what could come next.
Together, Andrea and Jaime explore identity shifts, imposter syndrome, community, resilience, intuition, and why what got you here may not be what gets you where you're going next. They also talk about finding the right rooms, creating space for reflection, and becoming more human in an increasingly AI-driven world.
Timestamped Chapters
00:00 Meet Andrea Sullivan and the power of identity shifts 06:04 From corporate leadership to building vYve 07:30 When success looks right but doesn't feel right 10:39 You have the right to dream and change 13:50 Why the rooms you're in shape your growth 14:47 Letting go of titles, achievement, and external validation 17:09 Discovering who you are beyond serving others 19:44 Redefining success and releasing the CMO identity 22:15 Why what got you here won't get you there 25:29 Finding grounding through running and active meditatio 28:16 You don't have to navigate your next chapter alone 32:06 Trusting your intuition 33:26 Andrea's message for leaders
Guest Bio
Andrea Sullivan is the CEO and Co-founder of vYve, a company focused on helping entrepreneurs and C-suite leaders become their best and happiest selves. She previously served as Chief Marketing Officer at VaynerX and Interbrand, building a career around branding, leadership, and helping organizations and leaders grow.
There’s No One Right Way: Lindsay Holden on Building Odele and Leading with Intuition
Episode 109
Monday, August 3, 2026 • Duration 36:17
You don't need to have everything figured out before taking the next step. Lindsay Holden shares why trusting your instincts, embracing progress over perfection, and believing in your vision can lead to extraordinary growth.
Building a successful business isn't about having all the answers. It's about staying curious, making decisions with confidence, and continuing to move forward even when the path isn't clear.
In this episode, Lindsay Holden, Co-Founder of Odele Beauty, shares her journey from leading merchandising at Target to building one of the fastest-growing hair care brands in mass retail. She and Jaime discuss trusting your intuition, navigating the shift from founder to leader, balancing growth with personal priorities, and why there is no single formula for success.
Whether you're building a business, leading a team, or preparing for your next big leap, this conversation offers practical leadership insights grounded in real experience.
Timestamped Chapters
0:00 Introduction to Lindsay Holden 2:15 Leaving Corporate Life to Build Odele 8:42 Building a Brand with Purpose and Accessibility 15:10 Progress Over Perfection in Entrepreneurship 22:18 Transitioning from Founder to Leader 30:40 Protecting Creativity, Energy, and Relationships 33:40 Bonus Round
Guest Bio
Lindsay Holden is the Co-Founder of Odele Beauty, a fast-growing hair care brand redefining premium products at accessible prices. After spending eight years as a merchant at Target, she co-founded Odele in 2020, growing the company to more than 15,000 retail locations nationwide. She is passionate about entrepreneurship, authentic leadership, and building brands that combine purpose, performance, and accessibility.
Quotes from the Episode
"Progress over perfection."
"There's no one right way to do anything."
Leadership Burnout: Alignment Is Not a Soft Skill with Erin Newkirk
Episode 100
Monday, August 3, 2026 • Duration 38:42
Leadership burnout isn't always about working too hard—it can be a signal that something is out of alignment. Erin Newkirk shares why leaders need to pause, ground themselves, manage their energy, and stop confusing performative work with productive leadership.
Erin Newkirk joins Jaime Taets for a conversation about career transitions, leadership, energy management, and the inner work that often gets ignored when success becomes the goal. From General Mills to entrepreneurship, healthcare, and Caribou Coffee, Erin's career has been less about climbing a straight ladder and more about building a body of work around her strengths, curiosity, creativity, and purpose.
Jaime and Erin explore why alignment is not a soft skill, how burnout can reveal deeper misalignment, and why leaders don't have to be "on" all the time. They discuss Erin's four-step process of grounding in reality, opening to possibilities, leading with love, and taking aligned action—and why becoming your own Chief Energy Officer may be one of the most important leadership skills you can develop.
Timestamped Chapters
0:00 Introduction to Erin Newkirk and Her Career Journey 4:05 Why Careers Aren’t Supposed to Be a Straight Line 6:19 The Hidden Cost of Misalignment and Burnout 9:04 Erin’s Four-Step Process for Getting Unstuck 15:06 Energy Management: Breathing, Meditation, and Daily Rituals 22:25 Redefining Success Around Fulfillment 23:51 Becoming Your Own Chief Energy Officer 26:26 What to Do When You’re Stuck: Ground in Reality
Guest Bio
Erin Newkirk is a brand-building and marketing leader whose career spans General Mills, entrepreneurship, consumer technology, healthcare, advisory work, and Caribou Coffee. She has worked on major brands including Cheerios, Old El Paso, and Pillsbury and later founded the consumer technology startup Breadstamp, growing it to a few million users before selling it to Taylor Corporation.
Erin went on to lead marketing and brand strategy at Caribou Coffee before beginning her next career chapter. Her leadership philosophy centers on alignment, inner work, curiosity, creativity, energy management, and building a career around strengths rather than simply chasing titles.
Filter the Voices Holding You Back with Giselle Ugarte
Episode 106
Monday, August 3, 2026 • Duration 37:43
You control more than you think. Giselle Ugarte shares why you're more powerful than you realize and how to stop giving your power away to other people's opinions.
Giselle Ugarte, performance coach, international speaker, and executive coach, joins Jaime Taets for a candid conversation about control, confidence, authenticity, and the pressure of other people's expectations.
After leaving college without a plan, Giselle reinvented herself multiple times before launching her own business during the pandemic. She opens up about difficult seasons involving mental health, illness, and identity — and how those experiences taught her to take responsibility for what she can control. She also shares a powerful mindset shift: "Respectfully, you are not my audience." Not everyone who loves you or has an opinion about your choices is qualified to advise you on where you're going next.
Jaime and Giselle discuss how to filter outside opinions, ask for the support you need, and build a circle that helps you grow. They explore why authentic connection requires someone to go first, how vulnerability creates a ripple effect, and why success is ultimately about using what you've been given to make a positive impact on others.
Timestamped Chapters
0:00 Introduction to Giselle Ugarte 3:05 From TV Host to Entrepreneur: Reinventing Yourself 7:00 The Importance of Being Seen and Sharing Your Story 9:00 Health Struggles and Showing Up Authentically 13:23 Changing Your Identity and Your Circle 16:00 How to Handle Criticism Without Becoming Defensive 19:12 Letting Go of Family Approval 22:58 "Respectfully, You Are Not My Audience" 25:22 Redefining Success and Creating a Ripple Effect 29:19 Protecting Your Energy and Building a Reflection Practice 34:31 Ask for the Support You Need
Guest Bio
Giselle Ugarte is a performance coach, international speaker, executive coach, and professional speaker. Her career has included television hosting, multiple career reinventions, and launching her own business during the pandemic. Her work centers on confidence, trusting yourself, authenticity, purpose, and helping people recognize their full potential.
The Fear You Choose: Resilience Lessons with Kristi Piehl
Episode 107
Monday, August 3, 2026 • Duration 30:09
Resilience isn't built only when life gets hard. Kristi Piehl explains why choosing difficult things when you can may prepare you for the fear you can't choose.
Kristi Piehl, Founder and CEO of Media Minefield, joins Jaime Taets for a vulnerable conversation about resilience, fear, leadership, identity, and the moments that force us to rethink what matters most.
After losing her television news career during the 2008 economic crisis, Kristi spent nearly two years figuring out what came next before founding Media Minefield. Years later, her son's cancer diagnosis created another life-changing moment that reshaped her perspective on family, work, success, and what truly matters. Through both experiences, Kristi learned to control what she could control, lean on community, and choose the hard things when they were still a choice.
Jaime and Kristi discuss how difficult experiences can clarify your values rather than completely change who you are. They explore why leaders need to know who they are, why you cannot go through hard times alone, how relationships can change during adversity, and why success can ultimately mean having the freedom to make meaningful choices and help others.
Timestamped Chapters
0:00 From Job Loss to Finding a New Path 2:35 From TV News Reporter to Entrepreneur 7:51 Control What You Can Control 9:26 Choose Hard Before Life Chooses It for You 11:23 When Adversity Reveals What Really Matters 12:59 Success = Freedom 16:32 Know Who You Are Before You Lead Others 21:22 Take the Next Right Step 23:28 The Fear You Choose vs. The Fear That Chooses You 28:26 Be Yourself, Lean Into It, and Leave a Trail
Guest Bio
Kristi Piehl is the Founder and CEO of Media Minefield, a national award-winning public relations firm specializing in media relations, executive social media, reputation management, crisis communication, and training.
Before launching Media Minefield in 2010, Kristi spent 12 years as an Emmy Award-winning television news reporter. She is also the author of , host of the podcast, an experienced keynote speaker, and a Forbes Councils contributor.
Trust With Yourself Before You Chase More Success with Ashley Hawks
Episode 101
Monday, August 3, 2026 • Duration 49:46
Trust with yourself is the foundation of sustainable success. Ashley Hawks shares what happened when the success she built no longer made her happy and how she rebuilt her life, leadership, and purpose from the inside out.
Ashley Hawks, serial entrepreneur and owner of SOAR Leadership Groups, joins Jaime Taets for an honest conversation about what happens behind the highlight reel. From building and selling Forever Bride to David's Bridal, navigating corporate leadership, health challenges, burnout, and nearly losing connection with her marriage, Ashley explains why reaching the top is not always the finish line.
Jaime and Ashley explore self-trust, sustainable success, leadership burnout, radical accountability, energy management, and redefining what success actually means. Ashley shares practical ways to create momentum through small actions, protect your energy, and stop letting perfectionism dictate your decisions.
Timestamped Chapters
0:00 Introduction to Ashley Hawks
2:04 From Bridal Shop Roots to Entrepreneurship
7:25 When Success Doesn't Feel Successful
8:42 Childhood Experiences, Identity, and Community
12:39 The Hidden Cost of the Girl Boss Mentality
17:10 When Business Success Hides Relationship Problems
24:18 Radical Accountability and Owning Your Choices
27:51 Redefining What Success Actually Means
29:38 Why Meaningful Friendships Matter
34:46 Ready, Fire, Aim: Stop Waiting for Perfect
37:00 How to Get Unstuck Through Small Movements
38:41 Building Trust with Yourself
39:00 The People Around You Shape Your Life
44:04 Finding the Right Rooms and Communities
The Point Is Not to Have All the Answers with Hillary Spreizer
Episode 102
Monday, August 3, 2026 • Duration 44:21
The point is not to have all the answers. Hillary Spreizer shares why leadership success is not about being the smartest person in the room.
Hillary Spreizer, CEO and owner of Latitude Group, joins Jaime Taets for a brutally honest conversation about what leadership really looks like when the wins are happening but you are falling apart behind the scenes. She shares how buying a company, navigating post-COVID growth, and constantly chasing the next milestone forced her to rethink burnout, resilience, success, and what it actually means to lead.
Jaime and Hillary explore why burnout can be a signal of misalignment, not just a capacity problem. They discuss how leaders can build resilience through practice, why anxiety is a flag and not proof that you are broken, and why the point is not to have all the answers.
Timestamped Chapters
0:00 Introduction to Hillary Spreizer 2:53 From Recruiter to CEO and Business Owner 4:49 Creating Resilience and Movement During Chaos 8:13 The Unremarkable Story Behind Success 11:01 Buying a Company and Confronting Imposter Syndrome 12:49 When Success and Burnout Happen at the Same Time 14:47 The Wake-Up Call: This Is a Problem 16:22 Redefining Success Beyond Milestones 18:44 Unlearning Scarcity and Choosing Abundance 20:55 Anxiety as a Flag, Not Proof That You're Broken 27:07 Why the Point Is Not to Have All the Answers
Guest Bio
Hillary Spreizer is the CEO and owner of Latitude Group, where she has built her career from recruiter to manager, salesperson, sales leader, and ultimately business owner. After purchasing the company from its founder, Hillary navigated the realities of ownership, post-COVID growth, burnout, and the pressure of leading an organization through uncertainty.
Her leadership philosophy centers on abundance, resilience, intentional movement, and bringing the right people into the room rather than trying to personally have every answer.
Quotes from the Episode
Leadership Insights
What is leadership burnout?
Leadership burnout is a state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion caused by prolonged responsibility, decision fatigue, and the pressure to hold everything together. Unlike general tiredness, burnout often affects leaders who love their work and care deeply, but have taken on more than they can sustainably carry.
Why do leaders struggle to let go of responsibility?
Leaders often tie their identity and value to their ability to solve problems and make decisions. Letting go can feel like losing usefulness. But holding onto tasks that others can do limits growth—for both the leader and their team. Learning to release responsibility is a sign of maturity, not weakness.
If this episode shifted how you think about burnout, share it with a fellow leader who needs to hear it.
Subscribe to View From The Top with Jaime Taets for more real talk on leadership, resilience, and building something that matters.
Will see you at the top, and beyond.
Jaime Taets
What is leadership development?
Leadership development is the ongoing process of building the mindset, skills, and behaviors needed to lead people effectively. It includes self-awareness, coaching others, sound decision-making, and continuous growth through new challenges.
Why is stepping outside your comfort zone important for leaders?
Leaders grow by intentionally taking on unfamiliar challenges. Stepping beyond what's comfortable builds confidence, adaptability, and stronger decision-making while preparing leaders to navigate change.
If this episode challenged the way you think about leadership development, share it with another leader who could benefit from these insights.
Subscribe to View From The Top with Jaime Taets for more conversations about leadership, executive growth, and building organizations where people and performance thrive.
Will see you at the top, and beyond.
Jaime Taets
Through vYve, Andrea helps high-performing leaders explore where they may be stuck, identify what is holding them back, and design their next chapter with greater clarity and authenticity.
Quotes from the Episode
"You have the right to dream and to realize those dreams."
"What got us here is definitely not going to be getting us to wherever it is that we're going."
"We're not in this alone."
Leadership Insights
What is personal growth?
Personal growth is the ongoing process of becoming more self-aware, resilient, and intentional about who you are and what you want next. Andrea's story shows that growth can mean letting go of an identity built around titles, achievements, and external expectations so you can make room for a more authentic version of yourself.
Why can identity hold successful leaders back?
When titles, achievements, reputation, and external validation become part of how leaders define themselves, letting go of them can feel like losing part of who they are. Andrea's experience shows that releasing an old identity can create space to dream again, trust your intuition, and step into a new chapter.
Resources
Learn more about vYve and its community for entrepreneurs and leaders.
Learn more about Jaime Taets and her leadership work.
If this conversation challenged the way you think about personal growth, identity, or success, share it with another leader who could benefit from these insights.
Subscribe to View From The Top with Jaime Taets for more conversations about leadership, personal growth, resilience, and becoming the person you're meant to be.
Will see you at the top, and beyond.
Jaime Taets
"Trust your intuition."
Leadership Insights
Why is trusting your intuition important in leadership?
Strong leaders gather advice, but they don't ignore their own experience. Trusting your instincts allows you to make confident decisions while staying true to your values, especially during periods of growth and uncertainty.
What does progress over perfection mean?
Waiting for perfect conditions often slows growth. Leaders who embrace progress over perfection learn from mistakes, adapt quickly, and keep moving forward instead of becoming stuck by fear or unrealistic expectations.
If this episode encouraged you to dream bigger and trust your own leadership journey, share it with someone who needs the reminder.
Subscribe to View From The Top with Jaime Taets for more conversations about leadership, growth, and building organizations where people and performance thrive.
Will see you at the top, and beyond.
Jaime Taets
Quotes from the Episode
"Alignment is not a soft skill."
"The who is even more important than the what."
"Don't compromise who you are and what you believe in."
Leadership Insights
What is leadership burnout?
Leadership burnout can happen when the way a leader is operating becomes disconnected from their values, energy, purpose, or the environment around them. Erin describes the importance of recognizing the "slow burn" of cognitive dissonance and misalignment rather than waiting for a major crisis to force a change.
What does alignment mean in leadership?
Alignment means creating greater consistency between who you are, what you value, the work you're doing, the people you're working with, and the purpose you're pursuing. Erin explains that when purpose, people, process, and platforms aren't working together, leaders can experience dissonance, lack of growth, and burnout.
How can leaders become their own Chief Energy Officer?
Being your own Chief Energy Officer means taking responsibility for understanding and managing your energy rather than constantly saying yes or trying to remain "on." Erin emphasizes practices such as deep breathing, meditation, reflection, journaling, stillness, curiosity, and being intentional about what you put on your plate.
If you've ever felt stuck, burned out, or unsure why success no longer feels the way you expected it to, this conversation is a reminder to pause before pushing harder. Your discomfort may not mean something is wrong—it may be telling you that something needs to change.
Subscribe to View From the Top with Jaime Taets for more conversations about leadership, resilience, personal growth, and the journey from success to significance.
Will see you at the top, and beyond.
Jaime Taets
Giselle is also the creator of Action-Forward Coaching, a confidence and communication boot camp designed to help you be seen and heard.
Quotes from the Episode
"Respectfully, you are not my audience."
"You are in more control than you think."
"Ask for what you need."
Leadership Insights
What does "control more than you think" mean?
"You control more than you think" means recognizing the areas of your life where you can take responsibility instead of giving all of your power to circumstances, other people, or outside opinions. Giselle encourages listeners to focus on what they can influence, ask for the support they need, and take ownership of the choices available to them.
How do you know whose advice to listen to?
Not everyone who gives you advice is qualified to guide your next move. Giselle's framework is to ask whether the person is your audience or a mentor: have they done what you're trying to do, or are they someone you actually want to serve? If not, their opinion may not deserve the weight you're giving it.
Why is it important to ask for support?
Many people expect others to read their minds and then feel disappointed when support doesn't come. Giselle explains that asking for help is part of taking responsibility. If you need encouragement, accountability, or a cheerleader, you have to name it and ask for it.
Resources
Connect with Giselle Ugarte: giselleugarte.com | Hub for performance coaching, speaking, and her newsletter.
If you have been waiting for permission to stop letting other people's opinions define your path, this is your sign. Share this episode with someone who needs to hear that they are in more control than they think.
Subscribe to View From The Top with Jaime Taets for more conversations about control, confidence, and the journey from success to significance.
Will see you at the top, and beyond.
Jaime Taets
Flip Your Script: Own Your Story & Unlock the Positive Power of Social Media
Flip Your Script
Kristi has been recognized with multiple PRNEWS awards and named one of Minnesota's 500 Most Powerful Business Leaders. She earned her Master of Science in Management and Leadership from Pepperdine University's Graziadio Business School.
Quotes from the Episode
"Choose hard when it's a choice."
"Success equals freedom."
"If you choose fear when you can, you are more ready to be available for the fear that chooses you."
Leadership Insights
What is resilience?
Resilience is the ability to adapt, recover, and continue moving forward when faced with difficult circumstances. Kristi's experience shows that resilience can be strengthened before a crisis by intentionally choosing challenges, building supportive relationships, and learning how to focus energy on what you can control.
How can leaders build resilience before a crisis?
Leaders can build resilience by doing difficult things while they still have a choice, trying unfamiliar experiences, strengthening their relationships, and developing a clear understanding of their values. Kristi argues that practicing hard things in ordinary moments can make you more prepared when circumstances become genuinely difficult.
How can difficult experiences change leadership?
Difficult experiences can clarify what matters most without requiring someone to become an entirely different person. For Kristi, adversity reinforced the importance of family, meaningful work, authentic leadership, and using her position to help others.
Resources
Learn more about Kristi Piehl and her work in leadership, media, and storytelling.
Explore Media Minefield, Kristi’s public relations and reputation management agency.
Listen to Flip Your Script, Kristi’s podcast about transformation, storytelling, and using social media for positive impact.
Learn more about Jaime Taets and her work in leadership development and organizational growth.
If this conversation challenged the way you think about resilience, fear, or the hard things in life, share it with another leader who could benefit from these insights.
Subscribe to View From The Top with Jaime Taets for more conversations about leadership, resilience, and the journey from success to significance.
Will see you at the top, and beyond.
Jaime Taets
46:43 You Are Worthy
Guest Bio
Ashley Hawks is a serial entrepreneur and owner of SOAR Leadership Groups, a community helping entrepreneurs and business leaders grow through connection and accountability. She previously built Forever Bride, which she sold to David's Bridal, before returning to her purpose of helping people build businesses while creating lives filled with health, relationships, and joy.
Quotes from the Episode
"Small actions create momentum and momentum creates trust with yourself."
"Self-discipline is the highest form of self-love."
"You are worthy."
Leadership Insights
What does it mean to trust with yourself?
Trusting yourself means consistently following through on the small commitments you make to yourself. Ashley explains that small actions, getting up when you said you would, moving your body, journaling, reaching out for help, or taking one uncomfortable step, create evidence that you can rely on yourself when bigger decisions arrive.
What is sustainable success?
Sustainable success is success that allows you to achieve meaningful professional goals without sacrificing your health, relationships, joy, or sense of purpose. For Ashley, success has shifted from titles and achievements to waking up genuinely excited about her day and building a life she actually enjoys.
Why is the voice in your head so powerful?
The negative voice in your head can grow louder over time, especially when you are trying to maintain a perfect outer shell and not asking for help. Ashley explains that you have to get control of that voice early on, because if you let it run rampant, it becomes harder and harder to quiet. The first step is recognizing that the voice is not telling you the truth.
If you have ever felt like you are succeeding on paper but falling apart inside, this conversation is your permission slip to stop pretending. Share it with a leader who needs to be reminded that they are worthy of building a life they actually enjoy.
Subscribe to View From The Top with Jaime Taets for more conversations about self-trust, sustainable success, and the journey from success to significance.
Will see you at the top, and beyond.
Jaime Taets
"The point is that I don't have the answers."
"I don't have all the answers. We're just gonna figure it out."
"It is illogical that you have peaked."
Leadership Insights
What is leadership burnout?
Leadership burnout is a state of exhaustion and disconnection that can occur when the way a leader is operating is no longer aligned with their capacity, values, or leadership system. In Hillary's experience, burnout was not simply about the company performing poorly. The company was doing well while she was struggling internally. Recognizing the signal and reassessing alignment can be an important starting point for change.
How can leaders build resilience?
Leaders can build resilience by practicing intentional movement through uncertainty instead of waiting until a crisis happens. That means repeatedly identifying what can be controlled, clarifying accountability and success, creating space for people when needed, and continuing to make thoughtful progress even when the final answer is not clear.
Why is it important to stop trying to have all the answers?
Leaders who believe they must have all the answers often become the bottleneck in their organizations. Hillary explains that the point is not to be the smartest person in the room. It is to bring the right people into the room and create an environment where movement and progress can happen, even in uncertainty.
If you have ever felt the weight of believing you need to have all the answers, this conversation is your permission slip to let that go. Share it with a leader who needs to be reminded that leadership is about building the room, not being the smartest person in it.
Subscribe to View From The Top with Jaime Taets for more conversations about resilience, leadership, and the journey from success to significance.
Will see you at the top, and beyond.
Jaime Taets
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