Becoming Your Best Version

A Conversation with Ally Shaw, Author of “Chasing Tigers in the Dark, Life Lessons of a Fierce Survivor”

Ally Shaw is a fierce survivor who has reinvented herself multiple times after devastating loss. Ally is a proud cancer survivor who became an opera singer. She also is an award-winning entrepreneur who became an author. Ally and her husband Kevin recently retired as business owners of a multi-state Domino's franchise, after achieving eight Gold Franny awards (top 2% of franchisees worldwide). Ally launched a new career as a speaker in 2016, presenting to audiences of 100 - 10,000. Her passion for writing had always played understudy but the quietness of the pandemic provided time for inspiration to grow. Ally became a first-time author of the narrative non-fiction book Chasing Tigers in the Dark, Life Lessons of a Fierce Survivor (Library Tales Publishing/Simon & Schuster) in 2022/2026. She won an International Impact Book Award for her memoir in 2026. Ally recently signed a two-book contract for a new fiction project with Wicked Ink Publishing in Canada. The novels (Tiger Eye and Daisy Chain) will shine a spotlight on the global human trafficking crisis and are slated to launch in 2026 and 2027. The title of her book and accompanying book tour speech (“I Caught the Tiger, Now What?”) are metaphors for facing the fears that attempt to stunt our productivity and prevent us from achieving our ultimate success. This topic feeds her evolving purpose of building awareness around mental health struggles (affecting more than 50% of the population) and providing resources for healing complex trauma (affecting more than 70% of the population.)  Ally earned a bachelor's degree from Elon University and a master's degree from Loyola University New Orleans. Ally is also a graduate of Leadership NRV, a prestigious leadership program facilitated in southwest Virginia. Proceeds from Ally's books support cancer, domestic abuse, hurricane relief and human trafficking recovery charities. Ally's "fierce tiger lady" brand is characterized by positivity, vulnerability, and embracing the art of reinvention. She is a proud wife and mother of seven children and lives in Sunset Beach, NC. Learn more and follow Ally: www.fiercetigerlady.com [http://www.fiercetigerlady.com/] https://www.tiktok.com/@allyshawauthor?_t=ZP-8tHeKsDAWFy&_r=1 [https://www.tiktok.com/@allyshawauthor?_t=ZP-8tHeKsDAWFy&_r=1] https://www.facebook.com/allyshawfiercetigerlady? [https://www.facebook.com/allyshawfiercetigerlady?]       https://www.instagram.com/allyshawauthor?igsh=MTFjM3M2NTYybWFwaw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr [https://www.instagram.com/allyshawauthor?igsh=MTFjM3M2NTYybWFwaw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr]

A Conversation with Katie Asmus, Somatic and Nature-Based Therapist, International Teacher/Speaker, Ceremonialist and Rites of Passage Guide

With several decades of experience in outdoor education, therapy, teaching, mentoring and rites of passage guiding, Katie Asmus, MA, BMP, LPC, incorporates present-moment awareness, relationship to the natural world, body-mind connection and ceremonial practices to support people in more deeply and compassionately connecting to themselves, others and the earth. She believes strongly in the power of spending time in nature as a way to deeply listen inward, and has a long history of creating, practicing and facilitating personally meaningful, culturally relevant ceremonies and rites of passage.  Katie also has had a 30-plus-year career working with therapy and coaching clients and over 20 years teaching wilderness therapy, adventure therapy, ecotherapy and somatic therapy at a graduate level. Currently, Katie directs and facilitates rites of passage trainings and experiences, sees therapy and coaching clients, guest teaches and trains therapists and healers through The Somatic Nature Therapy Institute in Colorado, though she also has online offerings. She is known for saying that “Inner work is world peace work.” https://www.somaticnaturetherapy.com/ [https://www.somaticnaturetherapy.com/] https://www.linkedin.com/company/somatic-nature-therapy-institute [https://www.linkedin.com/company/somatic-nature-therapy-institute]  https://www.instagram.com/somaticnaturetherapy/ [https://www.instagram.com/somaticnaturetherapy/] https://www.facebook.com/somaticnaturetherapy [https://www.facebook.com/somaticnaturetherapy] https://www.youtube.com/@infosomaticnaturetherapy [https://www.youtube.com/@infosomaticnaturetherapy]  https://www.tiktok.com/@snti_boulder [https://www.tiktok.com/@snti_boulder] https://www.pinterest.com/somaticnaturetherapyinstitute/nature-therapy/ [https://www.pinterest.com/somaticnaturetherapyinstitute/nature-therapy/]

A Conversation with Lisa Skinner, Behavioral Expert in the Field of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias

Lisa Skinner has dedicated her career to teaching people the skills to effectively manage brain disease. She is a behavioral expert in the field of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. In her 20-year career as a community counselor and regional director of senior care facilities, she has helped thousands of families find the best care options for their loved ones. She spreads her important message as a trainer, adviser and public speaker. Lisa wrote the book, Not All Who Wander Need Be Lost, Stories of Hope for Families Facing Alzheimer’s and Dementia [https://amzn.to/2eBDiy5] for those who are coping with loved ones afflicted with a dementia-related illness, and crumbling with the anguish of helplessly standing by, watching their loved one decline, and not knowing how to make it better for all who are affected. She also co-wrote Truth, Lies & Alzheimer's: Its Secret Faces (including an accompanying workbook), which includes effective responses for dealing with loved ones with dementia. In this episode we talk about some things we can do to decrease our risk of having Alzheimer's (including what not to eat and certain activities) and ways to care for loved ones with dementia. Lisa joined us from Napa, California. Learn more at www.mindingdementia.com [http://www.allseniorssafeandsound.com/] https://www.facebook.com/notallwhowanderneedbelost

A Conversation with Kathleen Conner, Coach and Expert in Purposeful Living

Kathleen Conner is the woman everyone calls when they need something—ranch hand, stucco guy, chief bottle washer—you name it. Known as the unofficial “mayor” and “Angie’s List of People,” she built a life of service as a business owner, wife, mother, volunteer and humanitarian. At 53, she realized she had built a perfect life serving everyone else while becoming nothing to herself. This awakening launched her transformation from depletion to authenticity. Kathleen spent 16 years building the “perfect life” that was perfectly wrong for her. At 53, she hit rock bottom, losing herself to roles like The Good Employee, The Perfect Mother and The People Pleaser. That awakening led to her transformation: losing 47 pounds, getting sober, and reclaiming her identity. Today, Kathleen helps women stop performing their lives and start living them. With a mix of candor, humor, and empathy, she shares raw stories of being successful yet miserable, helpful yet depleted, and needed yet lost, while offering women a way to align head, heart and soul so they can finally live lives that feel as good as they look. Guided by her father’s wisdom about givers and takers, Kathleen now teaches women how to give with intention and receive without guilt. Her mission is to help women break free from the boxes they didn’t even know they were in—and build lives that feel as good as they look. In this episode, we discuss life transitions and wake-up calls, finding yourself under all the roles you play and more. Kathleen joined us from Colorado. Learn more: https://chasingpurpose.com/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564208863634 https://www.instagram.com/chasingpurpose_lifecoaching ***Please like, comment on and share my new TEDx Talk about my DNA test surprise and risks of taking these tests that are marketed as fun holiday gifts yet upend many people's lives! Here is a link: https://youtu.be/LDl3B-TKSgA Thank you!

A Conversation with Mel McSherry, International Business and Life Guide

As an international business and life guide, Mel McSherry helps inspired but overwhelmed entrepreneurs honor their lives and become the architects of their own success. Mel uses their spiritual gifts and their 15+ years of business-building experience to slash entrepreneurs’ stress and bring their success to life! By merging Human Design with traditional business development tools, Mel coaches others on how to connect with what they want and implement their strengths and strategies to be profitable every day -- mentally, emotionally, energetically and financially. Learn more and follow Mel: * Website- https://www.melmcsherry.com [https://www.melmcsherry.com/] * LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/melmcsherry [https://www.linkedin.com/in/melmcsherry] * Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/mel_mcsherry [https://www.instagram.com/mel_mcsherry] * Freebie- Complimentary 30 min Virtual Coffee Chat, https://www.virtualcoffeewithmel.com [https://www.virtualcoffeewithmel.com/] ***Please like, comment on and share my new TEDx Talk about my DNA test surprise and risks of taking these tests that are marketed as fun holiday gifts yet upend many people's lives! Here is a link: https://youtu.be/LDl3B-TKSgA Thank you!