Tenacity with Sonia C. – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, I sit down with Jared Jennings, founder of Phantom Brands, to talk about what it takes to build a sustainable and successful business.

Jared’s journey from a corporate 9-to-5 job to running a thriving brand agency wasn’t a straight path—it was filled with challenges, pivots, and invaluable lessons.

Episode Sponsored by Konverge – A 31+ year leader in custom software development based in Canada.

What happens when success comes at the cost of your well-being? In this inspiring episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, we sit down with Miguel Ribeiro, a passionate entrepreneur who found himself on the brink of burnout after years of relentless hustle. Miguel opens up about the pivotal moment that forced him to re-evaluate everything—his business, health, and definition of success.

Together, we explore how he rebuilt a thriving business and a life rooted in purpose, resilience, and balance. From redefining his boundaries to creating systems that support sustainable growth, Miguel’s journey is a powerful reminder that building a business is possible without burning out.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, leader, or someone chasing a big dream, this episode is packed with insights on how to prioritize your well-being while still reaching for success.

Episode Sponsored by Konverge – A 31+ year leader in custom software development based in Canada.

Could quitting alcohol be the secret to unlocking your full potential? In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, Karolina Rzadkowolska, bestselling author of Euphoric: Ditch Alcohol and Gain a Happier, More Confident You, shares how going alcohol-free transformed her life and business.

We explore how alcohol impacts productivity, decision-making, and mental clarity, and why many entrepreneurs are choosing to ditch drinking to enhance their performance. Karolina breaks down the science behind alcohol’s effects on the brain, how it drains creativity and confidence, and the unexpected benefits of taking a break from booze.

If you’re a high-achiever looking to maximize your energy, focus, and success, this conversation is for you. Tune in to discover how quitting (or cutting back on) alcohol can help you thrive in business and life!

In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, host Sonia Couto sits down with David Snider, former COO & CFO of Compass and Founder & CEO of Harness, to uncover the entrepreneurial lessons behind scaling businesses to billion-dollar valuations and raising millions in funding.

David shares his journey of growing Compass from pre-launch to $350 million in revenue and securing $300 million in funding, ultimately valuing the company at $1.8 billion. He also discusses the inspiration behind his latest venture, Harness, which was born from costly tax advice that resulted in a seven-figure mistake. Today, Harness connects individuals and businesses with top-tier tax professionals and financial advisors, raising $36 million from prominent investors.

In this value-packed conversation, David reveals:

✅ Key strategies for scaling a company from $0 to $1.8B

✅ Insider tips on raising capital from marquee investors

✅ Lessons from navigating rapid operational growth

✅ How to attract and build relationships with high-profile investors

✅ The role of storytelling in entrepreneurship and fundraising success

Whether you’re a startup founder, aspiring entrepreneur, or business leader, this episode is packed with actionable advice, hard-earned lessons, and powerful insights to help you scale your business, secure funding, and avoid common pitfalls.

Tune in for an unfiltered look at what it takes to build and grow a billion-dollar company in today’s competitive market.

In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, career coach and workplace strategist Dan De Vries shares actionable insights on sustaining motivation, setting meaningful career goals, and establishing healthy boundaries in the workplace. With over two decades of experience in senior leadership roles, Dan brings a wealth of knowledge to help professionals thrive in their careers without sacrificing their well-being.

We dive deep into:

✅ How to sustain long-term motivation by aligning your work with passion and purpose.

✅ The difference between work-life balance and work-life integration — and why integration might be the key to reducing stress.

✅ Practical strategies for setting achievable career goals that align with personal and professional values.

✅ Why healthy boundaries are essential for long-term success and how to set them early.

✅ The importance of self-awareness and recognizing burnout signals before they escalate.

✅ How support systems and professional networks are critical in motivation and career growth.

Whether you’re an ambitious professional, an entrepreneur, or someone navigating a career transition, this episode offers tangible strategies to enhance your work-life experience and achieve sustainable success.

Tune in now to learn how to thrive professionally without burning out and build a career that aligns with your goals, values, and well-being.

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share this episode!

In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, host Sonia Couto sits down with Carole Stizza, an executive coach, leadership expert, and author, to uncover the secrets to meaningful feedback, effective communication, and workplace growth.

Carole shares her journey from overcoming life-changing challenges to transforming a frustrating performance review into a robust framework for personal and professional development. Through insightful stories and actionable strategies, Carole explains:

✅ How to ask better questions to get actionable feedback that drives growth.

✅ Common workplace misconceptions about success and how to overcome them.

✅ The power of self-awareness and understanding your strengths in building a successful career or business.

✅ How leaders can create clear communication frameworks to align teams and boost productivity

✅ Practical tools for entrepreneurs and founders to articulate their value to investors, customers, and partners

This episode offers real-world insights and research-backed strategies to help you manage your growth, enhance communication, and achieve lasting success in your career or entrepreneurial journey.

Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned founder, or someone navigating the corporate world, this conversation with Carole Stizza will inspire and equip you to thrive.

In this powerful episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., host Sonia Couto sits down with Brittany Greenfield, founder and CEO of Wabi, for an unfiltered conversation about entrepreneurship, cybersecurity, and what it truly means to build a business as a woman in tech.

Brittany’s path into cybersecurity wasn’t linear, and that’s precisely what makes her story so compelling. From enterprise software and cloud startups to founding a company in the male-dominated world of application security, she shares how curiosity, problem-solving, and resilience shaped her journey.

Together, Sonia and Brittany unpack:

• Why cybersecurity must be built into software, not bolted on after
• The real risks founders take when they ignore security early on
• What it’s like fundraising and scaling as a woman in cybersecurity
• Why bootstrapping can be both a constraint and a strategic advantage
• The hidden human vulnerabilities behind cyber breaches
• How AI is changing cybersecurity, for better and for worse
• Why every founder needs a personal board of advisors
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This episode transcends technical jargon and delves into the heart of leadership, decision-making, and trust, both in technology and within yourself as a founder.

Sonia guides the conversation with insight and candour, connecting Brittany’s technical expertise back to the founder experience: loneliness at the top, moments of self-doubt, and the courage it takes to ask for help when everything feels like it’s on the line.

If you’re a founder building a SaaS product, navigating risk, raising capital, or questioning how to scale responsibly, this episode will challenge how you think about growth, security, and resilience.

In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., host Sonia Couto sits down with Adina Kroll, a business and Human Design coach who helps entrepreneurs grow sustainably, without burning themselves out.

Adina shares her unconventional journey from a small village in Germany to building a coaching business in the UK, including the moment she realized she was never meant for corporate life. What follows is a powerful conversation about alignment, burnout, identity, and redefining success on your own terms.

Together, Sonia and Adina unpack:

• Why entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone, and why that’s okay
• How Human Design helps founders understand how they’re wired to make decisions
• The hidden burnout patterns entrepreneurs normalize (skipping meals, sleep, and boundaries)
• Why mindset, identity, and belief systems directly cap income and growth
• How NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) can rewire self-sabotage and imposter syndrome
• The difference between building a business that looks successful and one that feels sustainable

This episode is especially resonant for founders who:

• Feel overwhelmed, overworked, or quietly burned out
• Struggle with perfectionism, imposter syndrome, or “doing business the right way.”
• Wonder whether self-employment is actually aligned for them
• Want to scale without sacrificing health, relationships, or joy

Sonia guides the conversation with her signature clarity and grounded perspective, challenging the myth that entrepreneurship is the only path to fulfillment, while reinforcing the importance of self-awareness, values, and resilience.

If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re building your business for freedom or from pressure, this conversation will give you language and permission to choose differently.

In this candid episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., host Sonia Couto sits down with Gary LeBlanc, founder and CEO of 0dB, for an honest conversation about entrepreneurship, resilience, and the true cost of building something meaningful.

Gary shares his journey from a successful corporate career to founding a neuroscience-backed functional beverage brand, sparked by personal loss, a deep commitment to wellness, and a desire to build with integrity. What unfolds is not a glossy startup story, but a candid look at burnout, pivots, sunk costs, and the emotional toll of staying in the game when the odds aren’t in your favour.

Together, Sonia and Gary unpack what it’s really like to:

• Build a product rooted in science and integrity in a crowded wellness market
• Navigate brutal supply chain and regulatory challenges as a Canadian founder
• Question whether to keep going, or let go, after years of sacrifice
• Balance ambition, mental health, and family as an entrepreneur
• Recognize when passion turns into resentment, and what to do next

This episode is compelling for founders who are quietly asking themselves:

Sonia guides the conversation with empathy and clarity, creating space for founders to feel seen while extracting hard-earned lessons you won’t find in pitch decks or MBA textbooks.

If you’re building through uncertainty, facing a pivot, or redefining what success looks like in your next chapter, this conversation will stay with you.

In this empowering episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, host Sonia Couto welcomes master life coach, bestselling author, and motivational speaker Lucy Liu. Together, they dive deep into overcoming limiting beliefs, cultivating rock-solid confidence, and embracing intentional living to create a life of purpose and fulfillment. Lucy shares actionable strategies for managing daily stress, transforming obstacles into opportunities, and making decisive decisions that drive lasting change.

Listeners will gain insights into building unshakable self-belief, setting meaningful boundaries, and celebrating small wins to stay motivated. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a high-achieving professional, or someone seeking clarity and growth, this episode is packed with practical advice and inspiration.

Tune in to learn how to shatter your inner barriers, embrace your authentic self, and design a genuinely Confident & Epic life!

🎧 Listen now and start your transformation with actionable tools from Lucy Liu. https://soniacouto.com/podcast/