Lonely at the Top – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

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Lonely at the Top

Rachel Alexandria

Business

Health & Fitness

Frequency: 1 episode/7d. Total Eps: 19

The podcast for high-level leaders carrying the invisible weight of the world. If you’re a founder, executive, or high-ranking leader, you already know this truth: the higher you rise, the fewer people you can safely talk to.  Lonely at the Top is a sanctuary in the storm—a space where the emotional cost of leadership is named, and where relief, clarity, and grounded support are always on the table. Hosted by Soul Medic and former psychotherapist Rachel Alexandria, this podcast dives into the unspoken realities of high-level decision-making: the pressure, the isolation, the doubt, and the fatigue. Each episode offers insight, emotional tools, and conversations with seasoned leaders who’ve learned to navigate the weight of responsibility without losing themselves.

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Recent rankings

Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.

Apple Podcasts

🇨🇦 Canada - management
18/12/2025
#70
🇺🇸 USA - management
09/09/2025
#90
🇺🇸 USA - management
08/09/2025
#78
🇺🇸 USA - management
07/09/2025
#63
🇺🇸 USA - management
06/09/2025
#62
🇺🇸 USA - management
05/09/2025
#51

Spotify

No recent rankings available

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

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https://ko-fi.com/rachelalexandria
19 shares
https://www.megangluth.com/
2 shares
https://www.susanaperczekstyling.com/
2 shares

https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieyquach/
2 shares
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alinadoran/
2 shares
https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-fordham-5226869/
1 share

RSS feed quality and score

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RSS feed quality

Good

Score global : 79%

Publication history

Monthly episode publishing history over the past years.

Year

Latest published episodes

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Building Billion-Dollar Change Without Losing Connection with John Valencia

Episode 4

Thursday, September 4, 2025 • Duration 56:48

In this episode of Lonely at the Top, Rachel sits down with John Valencia, President and CEO of the Good for Others Foundation. John has raised nearly $1 billion for education and community initiatives, but behind his impressive resume is a leader who understands both the thrill and the isolation of being a visionary.

From childhood entrepreneurship to leading multimillion-dollar nonprofits, John has always carried the weight of responsibility. He shares candidly about the loneliness of being “the idea guy,” how charisma and storytelling help bridge gaps when others can’t see the vision, and why trust and authentic relationships are at the center of his leadership.

This conversation shines a light on the private ledger of a leader who has spent decades innovating, creating, and caring deeply for his teams — while finding out how to stay authentically true to himself.

✨ Episode Highlights:

John shares how leadership has been part of his DNA since childhood — from selling lollipops at age eight to running multiple nonprofits and education institutions.
His natural drive for accomplishment is balanced by a love for meaningful, soul-feeding work that often keeps him going beyond the typical nine-to-five.
John describes himself as a “maverick” and visionary — someone who thrives on bold, creative ideas but relies on strong achievers on his team to bring them to completion.
He opens up about the isolation of being a leader with unconventional ideas, and how charisma and storytelling have been both coping tools and leadership strengths.
We explore how he hires people he trusts — often friends — and what that means for balancing deep care with organizational needs.
John reflects on the importance of having even one person at work who truly “gets you” as an antidote to the loneliness of leadership.

Connect with John's work at GoodForOthers.org

“All my jobs have been relationship-based, and the success has come from those authentic connections. You spend so much time with people you work with — you should love them.” - John Valencia

★ Support this podcast ★

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Lonely at the Top trailer

Episode 1

Tuesday, September 2, 2025 • Duration 01:06

Trailer for Lonely at the Top

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The Partner Behind the Power with Temi Ayodeji

Episode 3

Wednesday, July 30, 2025 • Duration 54:05

What happens when you’re married to a powerful, high-stakes leader—and your own emotional labor is quietly consuming you?

In this episode, Temi Ayodeji, stress-reduction artist, author, and wellness coach, joins Rachel to share the truth about being the partner behind the leader. From homeschooling a son with special needs while being offered a director role… to quietly donating a kidney to save her husband’s life… to discovering a scientifically grounded form of healing through fractal-infused art—Temi’s journey is one of grit, grace, and a relentless commitment to peace.

Together, they explore the emotional weight of supporting high-level leadership while carrying invisible burdens, and the power of creating calm—without needing to retreat from life.

🔑 Highlights:

[03:45] The moment Temi turned down a leadership promotion to care for her son
[11:10] Donating a kidney to her husband—and the emotional toll of keeping it private
[21:30] The double silence: what happens when both partners operate in isolation
[31:50] “Peace of mind is not a luxury. It’s a leadership requirement.”
[39:00] How fractal-based artwork rewired her family’s nervous system
[48:25] The private ledger: peace lost, faith gained, sleep reclaimed
[56:10] The truth most leaders won’t say out loud—but deeply need to
[01:01:40] Art as a healing tool for high-stress homes and leadership environments

🧭 Connect with Temi:

Learn more about Temi’s healing artwork: TemiFineArts.com
Join her newsletter and stories on Substack: temiayodeji.substack.com

★ Support this podcast ★

Executive Fashion as Armor, Ritual, and Identity with Susana Perczek

Episode 2

Wednesday, July 30, 2025 • Duration 50:23

In this episode of Lonely At the Top, host Rachel Alexandria sits down with Susana Perczek, a corporate stylist and former advertising executive, whose mission is to armor women leaders with both strength and style. Susana shares how she rose through the ranks in a demanding industry, only to face the emotional and relational costs of leadership, especially after starting a family.

Through heartfelt stories and rich metaphors (including Dungeons & Dragons references!), this conversation unpacks how clothing can be more than just fabric—it can be a shield, a strategy, a ritual, and a revelation of identity. Together, Rachel and Susana explore what it means to bring your full, feminine self to powerful spaces, and how style can be a gateway to alignment with purpose, confidence, and joy.

This episode is a must-listen for any woman in leadership who’s tired of blending in and ready to stand out—unapologetically.

✨ Interview Highlights

Susana shares how the birth of her daughter forced a reckoning—she chose to walk away from a powerful executive role to prioritize presence over productivity.
She opens up about the emotional and relational cost of leadership, especially in a high-demand advertising culture where “5 PM was basically lunch.”
We talk about feminine presence in masculine-dominated rooms—and how clothing can be used to express, protect, and empower.
Susana describes how accessories can become modern-day amulets, helping women feel grounded and radiant during high-stakes moments.
She reflects on dreaming bigger as an asset she didn’t fully realize she had—and how now she’s building a business, envisioning a book, and even eyeing a TED Talk.

🔗 Connect with Susana

Website: https://www.susanaperczekstyling.com/
Style as Strategy on Substack - https://susanaperczek.substack.com/

The Lonely Leap Into Leadership with Angela Quach

Episode 1

Wednesday, July 30, 2025 • Duration 48:40

Angela Quach, founder of Destiny Lab, gets real about what it took to leave corporate comfort and launch a multi-million dollar, purpose-driven marketing agency. In this candid conversation, Angela shares the invisible costs of leadership — from imposter syndrome to identity shifts — and the resilience it takes to build something bigger than ego. She and Rachel explore what it means to lead with both purpose and pressure, and why creating a relationship-first life has made all the difference.

If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to own your vision, this episode will leave you seen and stirred.

🌟 Highlight Moments

Angela shares how growing up with working-class immigrant parents shaped her hunger for success.
She describes her leap from corporate to building a multi-million dollar marketing agency during the pandemic.
Angela opens up about how lonely and vulnerable it was to hold a vision that no one else could see yet.
She reflects on the ego sacrifice required to lead and how delegation changed her identity as a leader.
Angela discusses shifting from profit-driven work to purpose-driven leadership that centers DEI and authenticity.
She reveals her private struggles with imposter syndrome and how she learned to become her own biggest cheerleader.
Angela and Rachel discuss the hard truth that leadership means taking full responsibility — and how isolating that can be.
The episode closes with Angela’s message to her younger self: “You don’t need someone’s permission to be great.”

🔗 Connect with Angela

Website: www.thedestinylab.co
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieyquach/

★ Support this podcast ★

Owning Your Voice in Systems Not Built for You with Michelle Markwart Deveaux

Episode 17

Friday, December 12, 2025 • Duration 52:09

In this episode, Michelle Markwart Deveaux—author, singer, facilitator, coach, and founder of multiple mission-driven businesses— shares her journey from theology and the arts into business ownership, and the often unseen emotional labor of building something meaningful in systems that weren’t designed to sustain creatives. She speaks candidly about self-doubt at high levels of leadership, the difference between being nice and being clear, and why direct communication, while necessary, can deepen isolation at the top.

Together, Rachel and Michelle unpack how leaders learn to keep moving forward even while privately questioning their worth, impact, or belonging. Michelle reflects on her desire to be impactful rather than “important,” and why self-examination is not indulgent but essential for ethical, sustainable leadership.

Episode Highlights

A candid exploration of how self-doubt often increases—not decreases—at higher levels of leadership, especially for women and femme founders.
Michelle unpacks the difference between being nice and being kind, and why leaders eventually have to choose clarity over likability.
A nuanced conversation about how direct communication creates effectiveness while simultaneously increasing isolation at the top.
Insight into how many creatives and consultants unintentionally undervalue their work due to inherited narratives about money, art, and service.
A powerful reframing of leadership success: impact over importance, and why visibility without integrity leads to burnout.
Discussion of how leaders often miss or minimize opportunities because they’ve learned to downplay their own significance, particularly in female-socialized leaders.
An honest look at how leadership requires holding consent, agency, and boundaries in environments that reward over-giving.

★ Support this podcast ★

Meeting Loneliness in the Chipotle Parking Lot with Zach Rehder

Episode 16

Friday, December 5, 2025 • Duration 41:38

In this deeply transformational episode, international teacher and healer Zach Rehder explores what happens on the other side of loneliness.

Zach shares how, despite years of seeking, studying, and gathering spiritual knowledge, he still suffered loneliness until an unexpected flood of despair in a Chipotle parking lot forced him into surrender. What he found on the other side wasn’t destruction, but liberation.

Zach reframes stress and anxiety as friends, signals that we’ve left presence. He explains how resistance to our feelings — not the emotion itself — is what creates suffering, and how embracing the fullness of human experience allows leaders to access deeper clarity, compassion, and inner spaciousness.

✨ Episode Highlights

• Stress and anxiety as allies
Zach explains why these sensations are not failures, but friends guiding us back to presence.

• The awakening in the Chipotle parking lot
A sudden wave of despair becomes the doorway to one of Zach’s most profound transformations from resisting emotions to finding their inherent beauty.

• The real cause of suffering
It’s never the sadness, loneliness, or anxiety that is the villain, it’s our resistance, judgment, and fear of the sensations themselves.

• Rachel shares her own awakening vision
During one of Zach’s breathwork workshops, Rachel saw herself joined by other light-bearers — a moment that dissolved the illusion of isolation in her path.

• The limits of knowledge
Zach describes spending decades devouring spiritual information, only to realize that understanding doesn’t create transformation, presence does.

• Why leaders overwork, overperform, and overrun their bodies
Rachel reflects on how high achievers use productivity as a socially acceptable form of emotional avoidance until the body can no longer sustain it.

The Real Story Behind Lonely at the Top

Episode 1

Tuesday, September 30, 2025 • Duration 11:15

In this solo episode, Rachel Alexandria shares the origin story of Lonely at the Top. She reflects on her two decades of work with high performers, the blend of therapeutic, coaching, and spiritual practices she brings to leaders, and the repeated moments that sparked the podcast’s creation. Rachel describes why she felt called to make space for honest conversations about the invisible burdens of leadership, the unique isolation that comes with power, and the need for a sanctuary where leaders can feel understood and less alone.

★ Support this podcast ★

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Every Employee Has to Matter with Louis Fordham

Episode 7

Thursday, September 25, 2025 • Duration 47:42

In this conversation with Louis Fordham, Vice President of Human Resources at Engineered Floors, we explore what leadership looks like from the perspective of someone who has spent 35 years guiding executives from inside. Louis shares what it’s like to witness CEOs carry the immense weight of responsibility, why he never aspired to the top job himself, and how isolation is often built into leadership structures by nature. He also opens up about the unique challenges of being an introverted leader, the importance of self-awareness in building strong teams, and the cultural barriers that keep many executives from seeking outside support. With honesty and clarity, Louis brings wisdom from decades in HR to show how leaders can balance responsibility, presence, and humanity without losing themselves.

Episode Highlights

Responsibility at the top: Why Louis believes the CEO and head of HR hold unique responsibility for every employee in an organization.
Structural isolation: How the design of executive roles creates inevitable loneliness, regardless of personality.
Introversion in leadership: Louis reflects on being an introvert at the leadership table and why self-awareness matters more than extroversion.
The “regal” factor: His insight that sometimes employees need their CEO to project steadiness and authority, even when it feels unnatural.
Boundaries in HR: A personal story of why he had to stop having a close work friendship to preserve trust and objectivity.

Connect with Louis on LinkedIn

★ Support this podcast ★

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Trusting Intuition in Uncertain Times with Sunni VonMutius

Episode 6

Friday, September 19, 2025 • Duration 47:36

Sunni VonMutius built her career in corporate tech, often “faith-it-till-you-make-it” in male-dominated spaces, before stepping into leadership coaching. In this conversation, she opens up about the hidden costs of always being the strong one, and the toll it takes when resilience slips into survival mode. Sunni also shares how learning to trust her intuition became vital for navigating uncharted seasons of leadership with honesty and humanity.

Episode Highlights

Sunni reflects on “faith-it-till-you-make-it” moments from her corporate technology career, stepping into roles without a clear roadmap but learning to trust herself along the way.
She describes her intuitive knowing—how she often sensed the right direction before she had the data or strategy to prove it.
Sunni shares the cost of always being the strong one: “Other things suffered… we cannot honor everything equally. Other things will suffer.”
She opens up about the emotional toll of leadership, noting how resilience can quietly morph into depletion and isolation.
Sunni challenges the myth of endless endurance, naming the relief she found in allowing herself to stop projects or step away when her whole body said no.

Connect with Sunni:

Website - WildflowerStrategy.com
Social connections - Social.WildflowerStrategy.com

★ Support this podcast ★

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Lonely at the Top – Details, episodes & analysis

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Lonely at the Top – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other12

LinkedIn3

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other12

LinkedIn3