Female Founder Unplugged

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2326429/open_sms] If you’ve ever avoided a hard conversation until everything was on fire— hi, me too. No one hands us a playbook for how to speak up with courage...but over the years, I’ve learned that if I want to grow a business with integrity, I can’t keep tiptoeing around the truth. In this episode, I’m sharing the exact mindset shift and 5-step framework I use to lead difficult conversations—whether it’s with a team member, a client, or someone I love. Episode Highlights: 🧨 Why conflict avoidance used to cost me time, energy, and trust—and what finally changed. (0:37)  😬 The 3 saboteurs that kept me stuck: the Pleaser, the Perfectionist, and the Martyr. Sound familiar? (2:20)  📋 My CLEAR Framework for hard conversations—center yourself, lead with curiosity, express the impact, ask for what you need, and reinforce the relationship. (6:43)  🌱 What actually shifts in your business when you start leading like a grown-up instead of people-pleasing through it. (13:50) If you’ve been putting off a conversation that’s weighing on you—this is your permission slip to stop avoiding and start leading. You don’t need to be fearless. You just need to be clear. 📅 Special Masterclass: Difficult Conversations in Difficult Times — happening July 24 at 9am MT. I’ll be coaching you through this live. (16:05)  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2326429/support] Our mission for Female Founder Unplugged is to impact 1000 female entrepreneurs every season, and we need your help to do that. Please subscribe to the show, and share your favorite episodes with anyone you feel could benefit. We are growing a powerful community here, and everyone is welcome. Together, we can pave a path to giving more women a seat at the table, and providing opportunities for financial independence.

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2326429/open_sms] Let’s get real: You didn’t build your business to be the overworked taskmaster, the fill-in-the-gaps manager, or the fire-putter-outer. But if you’re stuck in that role, chances are your team isn’t set up to thrive—and that’s holding you back from the very things you crave:  ✔ More freedom  ✔ Bigger impact  ✔ Real, sustainable scale Episode Highlights:  🔥 Your people add ALL the value in your business. Not some. Not a little. All of it. (1:40) 🔥 Is the “self-made” badge blocking your growth? (2:47) 🔥 Why your team is the product—even in a service business. (3:29) This episode gives you the mindset, tools, and people strategy to shift from overwhelmed operator to empowered CEO. BONUS CONTENT: The 5 Shifts to Scale Your Leadership (and Your Business) Once you've had a chance to listen to the show, take a few moments to do your own reflecting. Here's my tips to start shifting you leadership right now. 1. Shift Your Mindset – You’re a CEO, Not a Chief Everything Officer * 🧠 Reflection: What tasks are you still doing that someone else could own? * 💡 Action: Make a list of 3 things to delegate this week. 2. Audit for ROI – Your Team Should Be Driving Results, Not Just Taking Up Space * 🔍 Reflection: Who’s delivering? Who’s underutilized? Who’s on the fence? * 💡 Action: Do a quick team audit using a simple “Keep, Coach, Cut” framework. 3. Design for Ownership – Roles that Empower, Not Confuse * 📋 Reflection: Are your roles designed for clarity and accountability? * 💡 Action: Draft or revisit 1 role description. Include KPIs and what success looks like. 4. Invest in Development – Starting With Your Own * 🔥 Reflection: Are you modeling the leadership you want from your team? * 💡 Action: Choose one leadership development habit to build this month. 5. Celebrate & Connect – Recognition is Retention Fuel * 🎉 Reflection: Do your people know why their work matters? * 💡 Action: Send 1 meaningful recognition message this week (use their "love language"). 💬 Bonus Prompt at the End: Want help implementing these? These 5 shifts are exactly what we cover in the LPC Accelerator — a high-touch, high-impact program that helps you scale your team and your leadership. If you're nodding your head while reading this, hit reply or DM me “HIGH IMPACT” and let’s talk. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2326429/support] Our mission for Female Founder Unplugged is to impact 1000 female entrepreneurs every season, and we need your help to do that. Please subscribe to the show, and share your favorite episodes with anyone you feel could benefit. We are growing a powerful community here, and everyone is welcome. Together, we can pave a path to giving more women a seat at the table, and providing opportunities for financial independence.

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2326429/open_sms] This week on Female Founder Unplugged, we’re flipping the script on success. Meet Natalia Hooker — a former banker, one-time girl band member, now a boutique publisher and devoted mom who's quietly redefining what it means to build a business with heart. In this episode, we dive into what happens when you stop chasing someone else’s definition of success—and instead create a business that aligns with your life, your values, and your joy. From the stage in Italy to the world of publishing, Natalia’s journey is anything but conventional—and it’s exactly the kind of inspiration we need. Episode Highlights:  🎤 From pop star to purpose-driven publisher: how life’s pivots shape how we show up in business. [2:30]  📖 What it really means to be a hybrid publisher — and why it matters for first-time authors. [4:47] 🏡 Why working without overhead changed everything — for her business and her clients. [8:20] 🧩 How Natalia curates the perfect freelance team to bring each author’s vision to life. [9:05] 🎧 Natalia breaks down what hybrid publishing really is—and why she built her model around accessibility, not inflated fees. For her, it’s not about building wealth—it’s about building community, creating joy, and helping authors share stories that matter. This episode is for every founder ready to grow a business that reflects their values—where creativity, freedom, and purpose lead the way. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2326429/support] Our mission for Female Founder Unplugged is to impact 1000 female entrepreneurs every season, and we need your help to do that. Please subscribe to the show, and share your favorite episodes with anyone you feel could benefit. We are growing a powerful community here, and everyone is welcome. Together, we can pave a path to giving more women a seat at the table, and providing opportunities for financial independence.

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2326429/open_sms] This week on Female Founder Unplugged — we’re busting the biggest myth about company culture. Because perks don’t build culture — people do.  And when you get it right? Culture becomes your most powerful growth engine. In this episode, I’m spilling the tea on why top talent leaves, why engagement drops, and what it actually takes to build a culture people don’t want to leave. This episode is your mirror and your map. Coming up in this episode: 🔥 How cultural drift slowly erodes your team’s energy and trust — and what to do about it. [04:02] 🔥What to look for when your culture is off: the 3 red flags most leaders ignore. [05:20] 🔥 How scaling your business without scaling your culture will cost you top talent and Why you must model the behavior you want to see. [08:10] This episode will help you reconnect — and rebuild, intentionally. 🎧 Listen now:  https://pod.link/1554492119 [https://pod.link/1554492119] Want help creating rituals and systems that scale culture? Download my free Culture Pulse Check tool. [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GKqcx2FjVkDKTqMltu6Y2Q5Cas8nCpUj/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=115756478280623618958&rtpof=true&sd=true] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2326429/support] Our mission for Female Founder Unplugged is to impact 1000 female entrepreneurs every season, and we need your help to do that. Please subscribe to the show, and share your favorite episodes with anyone you feel could benefit. We are growing a powerful community here, and everyone is welcome. Together, we can pave a path to giving more women a seat at the table, and providing opportunities for financial independence.

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2326429/open_sms] This week on Female Founder Unplugged — we're getting honest about burnout. Because here’s the truth: you didn’t start your business to feel resentful, depleted, or joyless. But if you’re white-knuckling your way through the week, this episode is your wake-up call — and your recovery plan. In this episode, we get real about what burnout actually looks like — and how to take your power back before it breaks you. Episode Highlights: * ⚡Burnout doesn’t always look like total exhaustion — it might look like you, doing everything right, but feeling completely drained. [01:45] * ⚡If your team looks great on paper but you’re running on empty, it’s time to stop redlining your business. [03:17] * ⚡Ask yourself: What are your core values? Are you building a business that reflects them — or betrays them? [04:45] * ⚡We burn out when our work is no longer aligned with our purpose. That’s not a personal failure. It’s a sign to re-align. [06:24] This episode isn’t about adding more to your plate — it’s about making space for recovery, reconnection, and realignment. 🎁 Access the Burnout Bounce-Back Framework Here [https://go.highvoltageleadership.ca/burnout-bounceback]! Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2326429/support] Our mission for Female Founder Unplugged is to impact 1000 female entrepreneurs every season, and we need your help to do that. Please subscribe to the show, and share your favorite episodes with anyone you feel could benefit. We are growing a powerful community here, and everyone is welcome. Together, we can pave a path to giving more women a seat at the table, and providing opportunities for financial independence.