Her Daughter's Rare Diagnosis Changed Everything — So She Built a Platform to Change Healthcare

Her Daughter's Rare Diagnosis Changed Everything — So She Built a Platform to Change Healthcare

What do you do when your child is diagnosed with a condition so rare that only nine other kids in the world have it — and there's no playbook? Today's guest, Kasey Walsh, lived that reality. After her daughter Robbie was diagnosed with a rare form of hereditary spastic paraplegia at just two years old, Kasey refused to sit on the sidelines. She bought Neuroscience for Dummies, taught herself genetics, co-founded a nonprofit, and connected with researchers at Boston Children's Hospital — all while raising two kids. Now she's the Founder & CEO of Winsights, a groundbreaking patient-powered platform using AI to turn real family experiences into research-grade evidence for rare disease communities. In this episode, we talk about: -The moment that took her breath away — and how she found the strength to keep going -Why families often have to connect the dots that the medical system misses -How she found her voice in rooms full of experts -What she's building with Winsights and why it matters for every rare disease family -Her advice for anyone facing something unexpected: don't say "why me" — say "plot twist" Timestamps: 00:00 — Intro 00:30 — Meet Kasey Walsh 02:16 — The diagnosis that changed everything 04:43 — Navigating the early days as a special needs mom 05:32 — Starting a nonprofit & finding other families 09:16 — Buying Neuroscience for Dummies — the moment she took control 12:16 — What is Winsights? Turning anecdotes into evidence 14:59 — Finding her voice in rooms full of experts 16:28 — Advice for anyone afraid to advocate for themselves 19:36 — "Don't say why me — say plot twist" 20:09 — Where to connect with Kasey & learn about Winsights Connect with Kasey: Winsights: https://winsights.life Website: https://kaseywalsh.com Connect with Jennie: Podcast IG: @girlwhynotyou_ Website: https://girlwhynotyou.com Email: mailto:podcast@jennieblackwood.com [podcast@jennieblackwood.com] #raredisease #patientadvocacy #momentrepreneur #healthtech #winsights #kaseywalsh #hereditaryspasticparaplegia #caregiver #AIinhealthcare #rarediseaseresearch #womeninbusiness #girlwhynotyou #jennieblackwood #podcast #femalefounder

She Googled "What Is Marketing" — Then Built & Sold a Six-Figure Agency

You're posting. You're showing up. You're doing all the "right" things — so why does it still feel like you're running in place? Here's the truth nobody wants to hear: the thing holding you back probably isn't your strategy. It's you. In this episode, I sit down with Leanna de Bellevue — a single mom who was making $80/hour doing massage, got told her job was disappearing overnight, and said "OK, I'll figure it out." She taught herself marketing from a Google search, built a six-figure agency from scratch with zero budget, scaled it across 17 countries for 15 years, and then sold it for over asking in 10 days flat. Now she helps entrepreneurs uncover the blind spots they can't see on their own — and 85-90% of the time, the real problem isn't systems or marketing. It's mindset. We're talking about:  The "Whisper Theory" — why ignoring your gut always costs you more later  Why imposter syndrome gets LOUDER at every new level (yes, even after you "make it")  The one free thing you can do today to find your biggest blind spot  Why the promises you keep breaking are always the ones you make to yourself  How accountability — real, uncomfortable accountability — changes everything If you're stuck and you've tried everything, this one's going to hit different. Connect with Leanna: @debellevueconsulting | debellevueconsulting.com

She Went Solo — and It Changed Everything

What happens when you stop waiting for someone else and just go? In this episode, Jennie Blackwood sits down with Charlotte Lilly, founder of The Retreat Co, who turned a spontaneous solo yoga retreat in Cuba into a thriving business creating transformative travel experiences for women. Charlotte shares how that one trip gave her a confidence she didn't know she needed, why the scariest part is always saying yes, and what she sees happen when women finally stop waiting to feel ready. Whether you're dreaming about starting a business, booking a solo adventure, or just taking that first scary step — this episode is your sign. Just go. Guest: Charlotte Lily, Founder of The Retreat Co  Website: theretreat.company  Instagram: @_theretreatcompany

She Left a 60-Hour Corporate Career to Make Stickers. Now She's a Bestselling Author.

She was thriving in corporate — big teams, big projects, 60-hour weeks, addicted to the next promotion. Then her son was born five weeks early, and she almost didn't make it. In that hospital room, everything she thought she wanted stopped mattering. In this episode of Girl, Why Not You?, I sit down with Wendy Jensen — bestselling children's book author and founder of Scandinavian Hearts — about the moment she realized climbing the corporate ladder wasn't her path anymore. Not because she hated it. Because she loved something else more. Wendy shares how she went from corporate executive to freelance consultant to launching a heritage-inspired brand — starting with stickers — that turned into four bestselling children's books. No publishing deal. No writing degree. Just a woman who Googled "how to write a children's book" and went for it. We get into: * Why she almost died during childbirth and how it rewired everything * The difference between corporate success and the success that actually fills you up * How helping small business owners inspired her to become one * Turning family traditions into a bestselling book series * Why "test and learn, fail fast" isn't just corporate jargon — it's how she built her whole second chapter If you've ever felt stuck on a ladder that doesn't even lead where you want to go — this one's for you. Find Wendy at scandinavianhearts.com and on Instagram @scandinavianhearts.

She Grew a Company to $4.6 Billion — Then Her Body Shut Down

She went from accounting at one of the largest mining companies in the world to growing a financial firm from $500 million to $4.6 billion in four years — as a single mom. Then her body stopped letting her push through. In this episode of Girl, Why Not You?, I sit down with Jackie Yoder — executive consultant, leadership strategist, and growth advisor — for the conversation women in leadership aren’t having out loud. We’re talking about what happens when perimenopause collides with your biggest professional season. The brain fog. The anxiety out of nowhere. The moment you realize "just push harder" isn’t going to work this time. Jackie shares how burnout and premature menopause forced her to completely rethink how she led — and how letting go became the thing that actually made her team (and her business) stronger. We also get into: - What feminine leadership actually looks like in male-dominated industries - Why high-performing women hide what they’re going through - The delegation breakthrough that changed everything - Jackie’s new female executive roundtables in Scottsdale (and virtual options coming soon) If you’re a woman in leadership quietly wondering what’s happening to your brain, your energy, or your edge — this one’s for you. Find Jackie at jackieyoder.com and on Instagram @jackiemyoder.