78. My Summer of 100 No's

78. My Summer of 100 No's

What if the key to growth this summer was intentionally chasing no's? That's exactly what I've been doing — and it's changing how I approach risk, rejection, and going after what I want in business and life. After working with a coach last fall on vocational dreams, I was introduced to a goal that stopped me in my tracks: collect 100 no's. The idea is simple but powerful — the more asks you put out there, the more opportunities you create. This episode unpacks that concept, explores why "no" is actually clear and kind, and walks through how I've gamified rejection for myself this summer using a tracking spreadsheet. Highlights * Rejection doesn't mean you're not good enough — it means "not right now" or "not for me," and those are two very different things * A "maybe" is actually worse than a "no" — a no is clear, and clear is kind * Reframing "no" as a doorway to an eventual yes from somewhere else shifts everything * The Summer of 100 No's has two goals: get comfortable taking risks, and get okay with rejection * Collecting 100 no's means you'll likely find 10 yeses — and those yeses move your business forward * The mistake in my first business wasn't the branding or the website — it was avoiding the ask out of fear of rejection * When I started The Thread, I did it differently: I ran a focus group before building anything and made the ask to everyone I met * Marketing pulls people to you; going out and asking brings people in — and that's the skill worth developing Chapters 0:00 – Summer of 100 No's 1:45 – Gamify Rejection 2:10 – No Is Clear & Kind 3:18 – Spreadsheet and Asks 4:22 – Two-Part Goal 6:59 – Expect Yeses Too 7:34 – First Business Lesson 10:55 – Building The Thread 12:21 – Challenge and Wrap Up Resources Mentioned * Summer of 100 No's Spreadsheet [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rZHQElcJkLB9l-lAR476n4vp1hVpCNjWTCYzpaolxaY/edit?usp=sharing] * Connect with Audra on LinkedIn — @AudraDinell [https://www.linkedin.com/in/audradinell] Want to learn more? The Thread [https://www.thethreadwlc.com/] Be sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedIn This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network [https://www.ictpod.net]. Disclaimer: we may receive a small commission on any products purchased through the links used in this episode. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and find valuable.

77. Monday Morning Pep Talk: Do The Thing

What's the difference between a dream that changes your life and one that just lives forever in your Notes app? That gap might be smaller than you think — and it starts with one risky step. We're at the midpoint of 2026, and it's time to stop waiting for the "right" time. This week's short pep talk is a challenge to every woman who knows what she wants but keeps pushing her timeline out. Whether you're sitting on a business idea, a creative project, or a life change you've been planning "for someday" — this one's for you. HIGHLIGHTS * The most dangerous place for a dream to live is in your Canva account or your journal — not because it's safe there, but because it can be perfect there * Keeping a dream in the "no-risk zone" means it never has to face the messy, criticized, real world — which also means it never gets to be real * You don't need the whole plan. You just need one bold, stomach-flipping action step * Long timelines feel realistic but they're often just fear wearing sensible shoes — shorten it * If you don't have clarity yet, that's okay: keep moving, keep experimenting, and release the timeline until the vision becomes clear * Once you do have clarity, taking risky action isn't optional — it's your responsibility * The #1 regret of the dying isn't failure. It's not trying. * CHAPTERS 0:00 – Midsummer Pep Talk 1:03 – Dreams Stuck on Hold 2:31 – Danger Zone Perfection 3:35 – Take One Risky Step 4:05 – Shorten the Timeline 5:35 – When Clarity Is Missing 6:11 – Messy Middle Momentum 7:29 – Regret and Courage 8:20 – Do the Thing Today RESOURCES MENTIONED The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware https://www.amazon.com/Top-Five-Regrets-Dying-Transformed/dp/140194065X [https://www.amazon.com/Top-Five-Regrets-Dying-Transformed/dp/140194065X] Want to learn more? The Thread [https://www.thethreadwlc.com/] Be sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedIn This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network [https://www.ictpod.net]. Disclaimer: we may receive a small commission on any products purchased through the links used in this episode. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and find valuable.

76. When Parenthood Rewrites the Dream with Alex Kuhn

What if the thing standing between you and the life you actually want isn't your circumstances — it's still thinking in terms of “or” instead of “and”? Alex Kuhn, founder of Born Leaders (now rebranding to All In Worldwide), joins me for a conversation about ambition, identity, and what it really means to go all in — on your career and your family, your dreams and your present moment. Alex was the guy who left home at 12 to chase Olympic swimming dreams, became one of the fastest-rising college swim coaches in the country, then lost it all — the job, the relationship, and his sense of self — in the span of a few months. What came out of that rock bottom was a total identity resurrection that has shaped everything he does today. Whether you're a dad navigating how to be fully present at home while still building something meaningful, a parent wondering if going after your dreams is selfish, or someone stuck in binary thinking about what you can and can't have — this one is for you. And yes, this episode is releasing Father's Day week, but the message is for everyone. Highlights * Why Alex chose a $20,000/year swim coaching job in Iowa over a Nike management training offer — and what that decision taught him * The "or to and" shift: how identifying yourself by your title keeps you stuck in binary thinking * Getting fired, losing the relationship, and eating bananas and popsicles on his sister's couch — Alex's rock bottom story * Why the first step out of rock bottom isn't belief — it's action * What self-trust actually means (hint: it's not about having all the answers) * The "selfish vision" framework Alex uses with his whole family — including his 7- and 4-year-olds * Why parenthood doesn't have to be all sacrifice, and the powerful modeling that happens when kids watch you chase your own dreams * Redefining "juggling it all" — and giving yourself permission to drop a ball * Boundaries as subtraction, not addition: stop adding to your life and start dumping what doesn't serve you * Shutting the business down four weeks a year — and why it works * The story Alex's dad told him at a swim meet that became his life's mantra: fight for yourself Chapters 1:03 — Meet Alex Kuhn 2:51 — Fatherhood and second acts 3:52 — Early ambition and swimming 5:58 — Chasing legacy and empire 8:29 — From "or" to "and" 11:04 — Getting fired and the identity collapse 13:37 — Climbing out of rock bottom 16:22 — Self-trust and the messy middle 19:04 — Redefining ambition today 20:29 — The family vision weekly ritual 21:18 — Family vision sync 22:17 — Team family mindset 23:50 — Kids follow actions, not words 25:51 — The selfish parenting reframe 28:21 — Juggling without perfection 30:09 — Boundaries and seasons 33:35 — Seasonal business shutdowns 35:35 — Fight for yourself 37:57 — Where to find Alex Resources * Alex Kuhn's websites: :https://bornleaders.com/ [https://bornleaders.com/] and  allinwithalex.com [http://allinwithalex.com/] Want to learn more? The Thread [https://www.thethreadwlc.com/] Be sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedIn This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network [https://www.ictpod.net]. Disclaimer: we may receive a small commission on any products purchased through the links used in this episode. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and find valuable.

75. Your Next Chapter Doesn’t Require a New Life with Monica Packer, Habits & Identity Coach

What if your second act isn't about changing your life — it's about finally showing up in the one you already have? Monica Packer, founder of the About Progress podcast and a certified habits and identity coach, joins me to talk about the version of personal growth nobody talks about: the quiet, internal kind. Monica spent years as a self-described aspiring perfectionist — achieving on the outside while disappearing from herself on the inside. What she discovered in her 30s (after two early midlife crises and a decade of recovery) is that sustainable growth doesn't come from hustle or apathy — it comes from progress. And it starts by asking: do I even know who I am? We talk about why perfectionism isn't just about striving — it's just as alive in the people who've stopped trying. We explore Monica's "Do Something List," the three Cs of change (curiosity, compassion, and courage), why habits built for men don't work for women, and what it means to stop waiting for arrival and start trusting the process. Highlights * Monica's "costume life" realization at 30 — loving the life she'd built but not recognizing herself in it * Why perfectionism lives on both sides of the spectrum: the overachiever AND the person who's given up trying * The connection between ADHD, all-or-nothing thinking, and the perfectionism spectrum * What the "Do Something List" is — and why never completing it is the whole point * Why there is no arrival, and the mantra that will help you stop waiting for one * The Three Cs of Change: curiosity, compassion, and courage * Why popular habit methods fail women — invisible labor, less time, less energy, less predictability * The inner comparison monster: comparing your current self to a past version of yourself * Identity isn't static — and that's actually freeing Chapters 1:03 — Introduction & episode premise 1:28 — Meet Monica Packer 2:55 — The "costume life" realization: living life on the sidelines 8:35 — Perfectionism as a spectrum — it's not just overachieving 12:40 — Starting the experiment: the internal and external work 14:06 — The Do Something List 18:46 — There is no arrival: the transformation lies in the process 22:30 — The Three Cs of Change: curiosity, compassion, and courage 26:34 — Sticky Habits: the book written for women, not men 31:08 — Comparison and the inner critic 33:52 — Where to connect with Monica 35:02 — Identity keeps evolving — and that's a good thing Resources * Sticky Habits: A Woman's Guide to Reclaim Happiness, Ditch Perfectionism, and Create Habits That Last by Monica Packer — pre-order at stickyhabitsbook.com [http://stickyhabitsbook.com/] * Do Something List free training: aboutprogress.com/dsl [http://aboutprogress.com/dsl] * About Progress podcast on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/about-progress/id1173416233] or Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0YRTp9ccKHuHZdQy5qUEm6] Want to learn more? The Thread [https://www.thethreadwlc.com/] Be sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedIn This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network [https://www.ictpod.net]. Disclaimer: we may receive a small commission on any products purchased through the links used in this episode. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and find valuable.

74. Starting Over on a New Continent with Carolina Freeman

What does it actually take to leave behind everything you've built — your career, your country, your circle — and start over from scratch? Carolina Freeman did exactly that when she moved from Argentina to Wichita, and what she found on the other side is a story about identity, resilience, and the courage to finally live life on your own terms. Carolina is the chef and owner of Argentina's Empanadas in Wichita, Kansas — and she is one of those rare people whose wisdom hits you soul deep. In this conversation, we talk about the grief of starting over, the surprising difficulty of making friends as an adult, and why the journey itself is the actual reward. HIGHLIGHTS * Why moving around as a child builds the kind of resilience that sticks with you into adulthood — and how to give kids that same gift without leaving the country * The emotional reality of immigrating as an adult: leaving behind a career, a neighborhood, a university identity, and friendships — and arriving somewhere no one knows your story * Why making friends past 35 is genuinely hard (and why it has nothing to do with you) * The two types of people you'll find after 40: those who are completely settled, and those who are just starting to discover who they really are * How Carolina left a career in HR to build a business that bridges her past and her present * Why the second act isn't about age — it's about waking up and taking agency over the life you actually want * The difference between chasing an end result and learning to find reward in the daily process * The emotional nakedness of entrepreneurship — and why feeling your emotions is not weakness, it's data * The concept of "emotional agility" from Harvard psychologist Susan David and how using emotions as information can guide better decisions * Why success, for Carolina, means freedom, harmony, and peace — not a yacht * How small, consistent action — a "grain of salt" every day — is what builds something big over time CHAPTERS * 0:00 — Welcome * 1:50 — Second Acts and Identity * 3:25 — Moving to Wichita * 4:35 — Culture Shock and Language * 5:35 — Resilience Through Change * 7:22 — Making Friends as Adults * 9:46 — Defining the Second Act * 10:57 — From HR to Empanadas * 13:02 — Authenticity and Acceptance * 14:15 — Loneliness and Starting Over * 16:22 — Community-Driven Business * 17:39 — Taking the Leap * 19:07 — Journey Over Outcome * 20:34 — Live How You Want * 22:26 — Show Up Daily * 24:05 — Support and Emotions * 27:32 — Emotional Agility Tools * 29:42 — Redefining Success * 31:17 — Freedom and Brand Legacy * 33:09 — What's Next and Where to Follow RESOURCES MENTIONED *  Argentina's Empanadas — Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/argentinas_empanadas_/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/EatEmpanadas/] | Location: Clifton Square, College Hill, Wichita, KS | Food truck at the Saturday Farmer's Market Want to learn more? The Thread [https://www.thethreadwlc.com/] Be sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedIn This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network [https://www.ictpod.net]. Disclaimer: we may receive a small commission on any products purchased through the links used in this episode. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and find valuable.