Diagnosed with Cancer on Her 40th Birthday | Reinventing at 56 | Becoming You Ep.88

Diagnosed with Cancer on Her 40th Birthday | Reinventing at 56 | Becoming You Ep.88

What do you do when life hands you cancer, divorce, and bankruptcy — and then hands you a cleared-out attic and a $5,000 bonus? If you’re Nancy Ramondo, you sign up for ballroom dancing lessons and compete at 71. Nancy’s story spans late-stage ovarian cancer at 40, closing a 30-year business, reinventing herself mid-divorce, and arriving at the happiest chapter of her life through faith, small daily decisions, and the radical act of asking herself: what does Nancy want? What You’ll Learn: How Nancy survived late-stage ovarian cancer — twice — by taking control of her own health Why reinventing yourself at 56 is not only possible but can lead to your best chapter yet The small daily decisions that compound into a life you’re actually proud of Why “the most expensive thing you can have is a closed mind” What it looks like to finally stop putting yourself at the bottom of your own list Key Focus Areas: Resilience Through Adversity – Cancer, divorce, and bankruptcy — and choosing to keep dancing anyway Reinvention at Any Age – Closing a 30-year business and building something new in her mid-50s Faith & Surrender – Trading the to-do list for an open heart and letting the day unfold Look Good, Feel Good – Why taking care of how you present yourself is an act of self-love Living on Purpose – Small daily choices, Godwinks, and designing a life around what brings you joy Nancy’s Approach: Survived two bouts of late-stage ovarian cancer through faith, dietary change, and lifestyle transformation Built and closed a 30-year pottery and party studio business, then reinvented as a personal stylist and later health consultant Turned her engagement ring into a right-hand statement ring — and cut her wedding band into earrings Speaks at Women’s Cancer Week events on the power of looking good and feeling good Currently competing in ballroom dance at 71 Perfect If You’re: Facing a health scare and wondering how to take back control Feeling like it’s too late to start over or try something completely new A woman who has spent years putting everyone else’s needs before your own Anyone sitting on a hobby or dream that keeps getting pushed to “someday” Looking for proof that the best chapter of your life can still be ahead of you Nancy’s Philosophy: “The greatest investment you can make in your life is in yourself.” “The most expensive thing you can have is a closed mind.” “Do what you love and the money will follow.” “Those small daily decisions are what allow you to show up fully as yourself.” “I don’t wake up saying I have to go to work. I wake up asking: who am I going to help today?” ABOUT BECOMING YOU: Deep conversations exploring the significant moments that shape who we become. Originally started as “Winning Wednesday” during COVID-19 as a remote networking tool and mid-week inspiration. Now evolved into “Becoming You” – stories of transformation available to binge at your convenience. Created and hosted by Katrina Fuhrman, The ConnectorQueen. Find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connectorqueen/ #ConnectorQueen #BecomingYou #Reinvention #WomenOver50 #OvarianCancerSurvivor #NeverTooLate #WomensHealth #FaithAndResilience #Ballroom #SelfLove #WomenEmpowerment #LifeAfterDivorce #SmallSteps #LiveOnPurpose

Laid Off After 17 Years at Verizon | From Camera to Content Studio | Becoming You Ep.87

What do you do when the company you gave 17 years to lets you go overnight? Ludwig Araujo didn’t spiral — he leveraged the photography side hustle he’d been quietly building, became the manager of a 3-million-follower fitness influencer, traveled the world on brand deals, and eventually co-founded Youngry, a seven-figure content agency with its own podcast studio in New Jersey. His story is the blueprint for what happens when you stop treating corporate loyalty as a two-way street — and start betting on yourself. What You’ll Learn: How Ludwig turned baby photos of his daughter into a full fitness photography career — and then an agency Why getting laid off after 17 years was the push he didn’t know he needed What working with a 3-million-follower influencer taught him about personal brand and presence The biggest content blind spot brands are still ignoring in 2026 Why the nine-to-five is not the two-way loyalty relationship most people think it is Key Focus Areas: Betting on Yourself – What happens when you develop a skill set outside your corporate job and it becomes your real career Portable Skills – Why Ludwig could “drop in Nebraska with a camera and make it” — and what that freedom actually feels like Content Creation – The brands still leaving massive opportunity on the table by not creating contentThe Influencer Space – What managing Paige Hathaway at the peak of the Instagram boom looked like from the insideDocumentary Storytelling – Where Youngry is headed and why brands need to start thinking like filmmakers Ludwig’s Approach: Verizon veteran turned fitness photographer, influencer manager, and content agency co-founder Co-founder of Youngry (Young & Hungry) — a seven-figure creative agency launched in 2023 Builder of FlexWork Studios — a podcast and content production studio in Springfield, NJ Currently pitching a reality show to Hulu and Netflix centered on the peptide and GLP-1 space Gen X in age, young and hungry in mindset — and intentional about staying that way Perfect If You’re: Sitting in a nine-to-five wondering if the company values you as much as you value it A business owner who knows you need to create content but doesn’t know where to start Someone who has a creative side hustle and isn’t sure if it could ever become your main thing A brand leader who keeps pushing content creation down the priority list Anyone who’s been laid off — or is afraid of being laid off — and wants to hear what’s possible on the other side Ludwig’s Philosophy: “I’m just a number — and knowing that was the most liberating thing that ever happened to me.” “Drop me in Nebraska with my camera and I can make it. I couldn’t say that about my corporate job.” “The nine-to-five is not a two-way loyalty relationship. It never was.” “Don’t do it alone — seek mentorship and reach out.” “You don’t have to be young to stay young and hungry.” CONNECT WITH LUDWIG: Youngry: youngry.com FlexWork Studios: https://flexworkstudios.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stayyoungry/ ABOUT BECOMING YOU: Deep conversations exploring the significant moments that shape who we become. Originally started as “Winning Wednesday” during COVID-19 as a remote networking tool and mid-week inspiration. Now evolved into “Becoming You” – stories of transformation available to binge at your convenience. Created and hosted by Katrina Fuhrman, The ConnectorQueen. Find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connectorqueen/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/connectorqueen/] #ConnectorQueen #BecomingYou #Entrepreneurship #ContentCreation #YoungAndHungry #BetOnYourself #PodcastStudio #InfluencerMarketing #NineTo Five #CreativeAgency #PersonalBrand #PhotographyBusiness #GenX #CareerPivot #Youngry

Your Shadow Isn’t Your Enemy | Shadow Work Coach Rose Fontenello | Becoming You Ep.86

What if the darkest parts of you aren’t trying to destroy you — they’re trying to protect you? Rose Fontenello spent most of her life stuck in masculine survival mode, struggling to trust women, struggling to let love in, and pushing through everything alone. Then she found shadow work. Now she helps others meet the parts of themselves they’ve been hiding from — and she does it without the “love and light” spiritual bypassing that skips the hard stuff entirely. What You’ll Learn: What shadow work actually is — and why you can’t do the deep work from inside your head Why your shadow parts aren’t broken — they’re just stuck protecting a younger version of you The difference between “healing” and “expanding” — and why the language matters more than you think How repressed emotions show up as physical illness — and what dis-ease is really telling you Why female friendships felt impossible — and how a women’s retreat in Tulum changed everything Key Focus Areas: Shadow Work – Meeting the parts of yourself that have been running the show since childhood The Storyteller – Why the voice in your head protecting you is also keeping you stuck Feminine Energy – What happens when you’ve spent your whole life in masculine survival mode Walls in Relationships – Learning to surrender, feel safe, and let love in without losing yourself Expanding vs. Healing – Why Rose ditched the word “healing” and what she says instead Rose’s Approach: Certified shadow work coach working at the intersection of spirituality, somatics, and the subconscious Guides clients through grounding, body-based work, and psychodrama to access shadow parts directly Believes every trigger is a doorway — not a problem to fix, but a part asking to be seen Works with dark feminine archetypes and underworld goddesses as teachers of shadow integration Trained in inner child work, parts work, and somatic-based emotional release Perfect If You’re: Tired of talk therapy that keeps you in your head but never moves the needle Someone who exudes confidence on the outside but is quietly questioning everything on the inside A woman who has always found female friendships hard and can’t quite figure out why Dealing with physical symptoms — pain, fatigue, autoimmune issues — that doctors can’t fully explain Anyone who has tried the “love and light” path and knows something deeper is still waiting Rose’s Philosophy: “Our shadow parts are here to protect us — not to hurt us.” “You can’t do shadow work in your head. You do it in the body.” “If you’re telling me you’re healed, you need to do more work.” “I prefer growing and expanding — it’s lighter and more obtainable.” “Disease is dis-ease. The repressed emotions in your body will find an outlet.” CONNECT WITH ROSE: Instagram: @auri_the_arcanist ABOUT BECOMING YOU: Deep conversations exploring the significant moments that shape who we become. Originally started as “Winning Wednesday” during COVID-19 as a remote networking tool and mid-week inspiration. Now evolved into “Becoming You” – stories of transformation available to binge at your convenience. Created and hosted by Katrina Fuhrman, The ConnectorQueen. Find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connectorqueen/ #ConnectorQueen #ShadowWork #BecomingYou #InnerChildWork #FeminineEnergy #SomaticHealing #SpiritualGrowth #ShadowWorkCoach #WomensWellness #PartsWork #Authenticity #EmotionalHealing #WomenSupportingWomen #SelfDiscovery

What Happens When Women Build Community on Purpose | The Mosaic Collective | Becoming You Ep.85

What if the community you’ve been craving doesn’t exist yet — because you’re the one who’s supposed to build it? Katrina brings together five women from the Becoming You podcast universe for a collective check-in on the intentional community they’ve been building together: writing a book, showing up for each other monthly, and quietly creating a blueprint for what women-centered connection can look like when it’s chosen on purpose. Carly, Allison, Jill, and Rashmi each bring a piece of the mosaic. What You’ll Learn: How an organic group of women came together across geographies to co-author a book and build real community What somatic work actually means — and why it matters for healing trauma stored in the body Why your jaw, your thyroid, and your suppressed voice might all be saying the same thing How to quietly leave communities that no longer fit — and intentionally build ones that do What it looks like to become, not alone, but together Key Focus Areas: Intentional Community – How the Mosaic came together and why building community on purpose changes everything Somatic Healing – Dropping into the body, nervous system safety, and what we carry when we can’t speak Women Supporting Women – What it actually looks like when women show up for each other without transaction Becoming Together – How shared reflection accelerates individual growth Voice & Identity – From suppressed voices to throat chakras — what women lose and how to reclaim it The Mosaic’s Approach: Five women — a therapist, an organizational change strategist, a psychotherapist, a people leader, and The ConnectorQueen — writing a book together and meeting monthly to grow Built on unconditional positive regard, radical authenticity, and no obligation energy Proof that remote community across backgrounds and geographies is completely possible A living blueprint for anyone who wants to stop waiting for an invitation and start sending them Perfect If You’re: Craving community but not sure how to build it intentionally Feeling isolated in your current relationships and wondering if there’s something better A woman who has lost her voice — literally or figuratively — and wants to understand why Someone who has always wanted to write a book or create something with others but doesn’t know where to start Anyone on a becoming journey who wants to know they don’t have to do it alone The Mosaic’s Philosophy: “Becoming is not arriving at the perfect version of ourselves — it’s accepting the changing versions.” “You can’t know where you’re going until you know where you are.” “We’re not becoming alone. We’re becoming together.” “Stop waiting for the invite. Start sending them.” “Perfectionism is the enemy of confidence.” — Allison Wright MEET THE MOSAIC: Carly — Therapist, sound healer & founder of Waves of Change Coalition | @wavesofchangecoalition | voicesofchangecoalition.com Allison Wright — Organizational strategist & founder of E-School for Girls Jill Jonas — Psychotherapist & unconditional love advocate Rashmi Ketha — People leader, self-reflection champion & emerging author (not featured: Devon McCarroll) ABOUT BECOMING YOU: Deep conversations exploring the significant moments that shape who we become. Originally started as “Winning Wednesday” during COVID-19 as a remote networking tool and mid-week inspiration. Now evolved into “Becoming You” – stories of transformation available to binge at your convenience. Created and hosted by Katrina Fuhrman, The ConnectorQueen. Find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connectorqueen/ #ConnectorQueen #BecomingYou #IntentionalCommunity #WomenSupportingWomen #TheMosaic #SomaticHealing #CoAuthoring #WomensVoices #CommunityBuilding #Becoming #WomenWhoWrite #TransformationJourney

Horse Therapy Changed How Kids Communicate | Speech Therapist Finds Farm Magic | Becoming You Ep.84

What if the key to helping a child communicate wasn’t a therapy room — but a farm? Julie, a speech-language pathologist with a background in voice therapy and acute care, never expected to end up doing speech therapy on a horse farm. But when she brought her daughter to a birthday party at Sally’s farm and watched her transform, something clicked. What followed was a community she couldn’t have planned — and a reminder that the best things happen when you stop pushing and start listening. In this special outdoor episode, recorded live at the farm, Katrina is joined by Julie and a circle of moms raising neurodivergent children — all of whom found each other here. In this episode: How equine therapy helps kids learn to communicate through body language Raising children on the autism spectrum + ADHD — what school couldn’t give them “Farm magic” — why animals create breakthroughs that therapy rooms can’t What grief counseling taught a young speech therapist about every patient she’d ever see Why some moms pulled their kids from public school — and never looked back How a serious nerve injury and a doctor’s advice to meditate changed Julie’s entire life The lotus flower principle: there’s no becoming without the mud Teaser: a spinoff podcast series to support special needs families nationwide QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE: “I call it farm magic. There is a bit of forgetting yourself and just wanting to be with the animal.” — Julie “You don’t have to be neurotypical. You just have to find your people.” — Mom, community member “Life is full of mud. There’s no lotus without the mud.” — Mary “It’s no pushing, no reaching. It’s really just listening — and being myself.” — Julie ABOUT JULIE GERHARD: Speech-Language Pathologist | Voice Therapist | Equine-Assisted Communication Specialist | Founder of a farm-based speech and social skills program for neurodivergent children in the Orlando area CONNECT WITH JULIE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-gerhard-0113b1207/ Website: https://www.ivoryspeechtherapy.com CONNECT WITH KATRINA: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connectorqueen/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectorqueen/?hl=en Website: https://katrinafuhrman.com/connector-queen/ ABOUT BECOMING YOU: Deep conversations exploring the significant moments that shape who we become. Originally started as “Winning Wednesday” during COVID-19 as a remote networking tool and mid-week inspiration. Now evolved into “Becoming You” — stories of transformation available to binge at your convenience. Created and hosted by Katrina Fuhrman, The ConnectorQueen. #ConnectorQueen #BecomingYou #EquineTherapy #SpeechTherapy #NeurodivergentKids #AutismMom #SpecialNeedsParenting #Homeschooling #FarmTherapy #AnimalAssistedTherapy #MindfulParenting #ADHD #AutismAwareness #NeurodiversityAccepted #SpeechLanguagePathology #MomCommunity #FarmMagic #LotusFlower #ShowUpAnyway #WomenWhoLead