Steve Strauss: “I Had to Reinvent Myself Again” — Even After 20+ Years of Success

Why You Can’t Focus Anymore and the Simple Fix You’re Missing

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, distracted, or stuck lately… this episode is going to hit home. Because what if the problem isn’t that you don’t have clarity… what if it’s that your life has become too complicated to see it? In this conversation, Lisa sits down with Alen Yen, President and Creative Director of iFactory, who has spent over 30 years helping organizations simplify complex ideas into clear, meaningful experiences. But what makes this episode powerful isn’t just his professional expertise—it’s how deeply personal this conversation becomes. Alen shares what it actually feels like to live with a constantly busy, overloaded mind, and why so many of us struggle to take even the smallest steps forward. He opens up about ADHD, mental clutter, and the reality that sometimes the hardest tasks… are the simplest ones. Together, Lisa and Alen unpack: Why modern life is designed to overwhelm you—and how to push back The “golden moment” in your morning that can change everything How clarity is not something you find, but something you build Why empathy (especially for yourself) is the starting point for change A simple, science-backed way to reset your mind when you feel stuck And maybe most importantly… Alen shares a powerful reminder that clarity doesn’t come from doing more. It comes from removing what no longer belongs. If you’ve been carrying too much, thinking too much, or trying to do everything at once… this episode will help you breathe, reset, and take one step forward. 🔗 CONNECT WITH ALEN YEN: Digital Services for Mission-Driven Organizations | iFactory [https://www.ifactory.com/services/] 📘 FEATURED: 50 Ways to F Up a Marathon – A raw, honest, and surprisingly relatable look at failure, growth, and endurance Get Alen's book here: 50 Ways to Fuck Up a Marathon! [https://amzn.to/4ml0Rdq] 💬 LET’S CONNECT: If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who needs it. And if you’re navigating a messy season, you don’t have to do it alone. 👉 Book a 30-minute Messiness Mentor conversation at TheSockDrawerPodcast.com [http://TheSockDrawerPodcast.com]

Steve Strauss: “I Had to Reinvent Myself Again” — Even After 20+ Years of Success

What happens when someone who has spent decades teaching entrepreneurs how to grow, adapt, and succeed finds himself navigating a pivot of his own? In this episode of The Sock Drawer Podcast, Lisa Begley sits down with Steve Strauss — bestselling author, entrepreneur, speaker, longtime small business columnist, and one of the most respected voices in small business in America. Steve has written 18 books, advised major brands, and spent more than 20 years helping entrepreneurs understand what it really takes to build something meaningful. But this conversation goes deeper than business strategy. Steve opens up about reinvention, unexpected pivots, staying relevant in a changing world, and the reality that even seasoned experts still face messy middle moments. Together, Lisa and Steve talk about what happens when what once worked stops working, how to recognize your next move, and why success in this season of life may look very different than it once did. If you are building something, rebuilding something, or simply trying to figure out what comes next, this episode will encourage you to keep going with more clarity, courage, and perspective. Connect with Steve Strauss Website: MrAllBiz.com [http://MrAllBiz.com] Also mentioned: PlanetSmallBusiness.com [http://PlanetSmallBusiness.com] Steve Strauss Books Mentioned The Small Business Bible - The Small Business Bible: Everything You Need to Know to Succeed in Your Small Business [https://amzn.to/4rFMgdA] Your Small Business Boom - Your Small Business Boom: Explosive Ideas to Grow Your Business, Make More Money, and Thrive in a Volatile World [https://amzn.to/4lzQ3HP] If this conversation encouraged you, be sure to subscribe to The Sock Drawer Podcast YouTube channel, like this video, and share it with someone who may be navigating a pivot of their own. Your support helps us keep bringing meaningful conversations like this to the people who need them most. THESOCKDRAWERPODCAST #STEVESTRAUSS #ENTREPRENEURSHIP #SMALLBUSINESS #PIVOT #BUSINESSWISDOM #THEDRAWERMETHOD #MESSINESSMENTOR

You’re Not Stuck… You’re Avoiding This

What if you’re not actually stuck… What if you’re just avoiding the decision you already know you need to make? In this episode of The Sock Drawer Podcast, Lisa sits down with Ahonu and Aingeal Rose, founders of World of Empowerment, to explore the tension between intuition, spirituality, and real-life action. With over 20 years of experience guiding people through personal transformation, Akashic Record readings, and deep inner work, they’ve helped thousands uncover patterns, purpose, and direction. But this conversation goes deeper than insight. It challenges something most people don’t want to face: 👉 Are you truly growing… or just staying in search mode? Together, they unpack: • Why people feel stuck even when they’re “doing the work” • The difference between intuition and avoidance • How unresolved grief, fear, and past experiences shape your decisions • What it actually looks like to trust yourself again • A simple journaling practice that reveals what’s really holding you back This episode is not about more information. It’s about movement. If you’ve been searching for answers but still feel like you’re standing still… this conversation might be the wake-up call you didn’t know you needed. 🔗 CONNECT WITH AHONU & AINGEAL ROSE Website: Newcomers Info Page [https://worldofempowerment.com/] Explore their books, courses, and Akashic Record readings 🎯 READY FOR YOUR NEXT STEP? If this episode resonated with you, don’t sit on it. 👉 Book a 30-minute Messiness Mentor conversation 👉 Visit: TheSockDrawerPodcast.com [http://TheSockDrawerPodcast.com] 📢 SHARE THIS EPISODE Know someone who feels stuck but won’t admit it? Send them this episode. It might be the nudge they need.

You Don’t Need Dating Advice After Divorce… You Need This

You don’t need more dating advice after divorce. You need something deeper. In this powerful and honest conversation, we unpack what really happens after heartbreak, especially when a long-term relationship ends and you’re left asking, Who am I now? Today’s episode dives into the part no one talks about… the identity loss that comes after divorce, betrayal, or major life change. Because the truth is, it’s not just about losing the relationship, it’s about losing yourself in the process. My guest, Eija Ananda, shares her personal story of rebuilding after a 23-year marriage ended unexpectedly, and what it actually took to move forward. Not perfectly. Not quickly. But intentionally. In this episode, we'll talk about: • Why dating after 50 isn’t really about dating • The biggest mistake people make after heartbreak • How to rebuild self-trust one small step at a time • What self-love actually looks like in real life • How to stop abandoning yourself in relationships This episode is for anyone in the messy middle… when life doesn’t look like it used to, and you’re not quite sure who you’re becoming next. 🎧 Connect with Eija Ananda Website: Way to Love Coaching | Love coach for men and women over 50 [https://www.waytolovecoaching.com/] Free resources and a complimentary 30-minute consultation are available to help you take your next step. 💛 Ready for YOUR next step? If this conversation hit something in you… don’t ignore it. This is exactly the work I do. If you’re navigating a life transition, feeling stuck, or trying to reconnect with who you are and where you’re headed next… 👉 Book a 30-minute Messiness Mentor conversation with me The Sock Drawer Podcast [https://thesockdrawerpodcast.com/] 👉 Grab my book: The Sock Drawer Philosophy 👉 Or just reach out and connect with me on LinkedIn, I’d love to hear what resonated with you 🎙️ About The Sock Drawer Podcast This is where we talk about the parts of life that don’t come with instructions— the messy middle, the identity shifts, the reinvention seasons. Because what you keep shapes you. And what you release… frees you.

She Walked Into Her Dad's Office. Walked Out as CEO the Next Day

What happens when leadership isn't handed to you in a polished succession plan, but dropped in your lap with one day's notice? In this episode of the Sock Drawer Podcast, Lisa sits down with Sabrina Parsons, CEO of Palo Alto Software and LivePlan, for a deeply honest conversation about what it actually looks like to grow into leadership from inside something that already exists. Sabrina shares the "elevator moment" from her Princeton-era internship that convinced her corporate life would crush her, the decision to jump into the 1996 dot-com wave, and the unexpected day her dad asked, "If you were CEO, what would you do?" that made her CEO the next morning. But this isn't just a founder's daughter story. Sabrina walks through the messy, practical realities that don't make it into LinkedIn posts: navigating a full Windows to SaaS business model transition, learning that "perfect resume" hires often fail hardest, discovering that mission and culture have to be articulated before they can be lived, and the moment she realized her team needed to change as much as her product did. What you’ll learn in this episode: * How to recognize when a role, team, or chapter no longer fits * Leading team transitions with clarity and dignity * Why “autonomy to be awesome” can outperform structure * The life-changing question that shifted Sabrina’s path * Why fear of failure keeps so many women stuck * A simple dare that could change how you show up tomorrow Whether you’re navigating leadership, a career pivot, or a new season of life, this conversation will challenge you to stop apologizing and start deciding. 🎧 Subscribe to the Sock Drawer Podcast on YouTube for more conversations about growth, change, and courage. * 👋 Connect with Lisa: Instagram: @thesockdrawerpodcast * TikTok: @thesockdrawerpodcast LinkedIn: Lisa Begley LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabegley/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Website: The Sock Drawer Podcast [https://thesockdrawerpodcast.com/] 🌟 Learn more about Sabrina’s work: Palo Alto Software [https://www.paloalto.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] https://www.liveplan.com [https://www.liveplan.com] 00:00 Intro 01:06 Sabrina’s life before it all — Princeton, 1995 02:04 The internship that changed everything 04:15 The elevator moment: “I never want to be one of these people” 05:59 Entering the dot-com boom 07:32 Meeting her husband, moving to London, and startup chaos 10:40 Launching the UK arm of Palo Alto Software 12:50 The ultimatum she gave her dad 13:27 “If you were CEO, what would you do?” 13:55 Becoming CEO overnight with no succession plan 14:50 The shift from Windows software to SaaS explained 18:57 The pressure and permission of leadership 21:13 What nobody tells you about leading people 24:14 When team members say they’re on board but aren’t 27:22 Where to start when you feel stuck in leadership 29:10 “Autonomy to be awesome” 34:03 What LivePlan does and who it helps 38:51 The three ways customers can use the platform 40:04 Building a mission-based business that lives its values 41:26 Drawer Dash rapid-fire questions 44:22 Tiny Dare: Stop apologizing 46:00 Closing