From Corporate Burnout to Agency CEO: How Kelly Goode Built a Business on Her Terms

From Corporate Burnout to Agency CEO: How Kelly Goode Built a Business on Her Terms

What happens when you stop climbing someone else's ladder and start building your own path? In this episode of Cool People Doing Cool Things, Sarah sits down with entrepreneur and CEO of The Goode Path Group, Kelly Goode, to talk about her journey from corporate finance burnout to building a thriving accounting, bookkeeping, tax, and CFO advisory firm. Kelly shares the realities of leaving a stable corporate career, navigating the fear of entrepreneurship, and creating a business that aligns with her values instead of recreating the toxic environments she left behind. Together, Sarah and Kelly explore what it means to build a business that supports your life—not one that consumes it. In This Episode, Sarah and Kelly Discuss: * Why Kelly ultimately walked away from corporate finance * The mindset shifts that helped her take the leap into entrepreneurship * Building confidence before the results arrive * Letting go of perfectionism and corporate conditioning * Creating a company culture that prioritizes people over burnout * Why urgency is often a recipe for exhaustion * The challenges of hiring and leading a growing team * How Kelly scaled from one client to a thriving agency model * The difference between bookkeeping and CFO advisory services * Why so many business owners need support beyond the numbers * The emotional side of money, spending, and business decisions * Breaking free from shame-based financial advice * Building a business around your life instead of building your life around work * What Kelly wishes more entrepreneurs understood about growth, hiring, and scaling Memorable Moments "Nothing we do is an emergency. We're not surgeons. We're not the ER." "Stop listening to the so-called experts and start taking the steps you already know you need to take." "I don't have to work my life around the work. It's actually okay." "We can literally create the business we want instead of recreating the systems that burned us out." About Kelly: Kelly Goode is the founder and CEO of The Goode Path Group, a modern accounting and advisory firm helping business owners gain clarity, confidence, and control over their finances. Through bookkeeping, tax support, payroll services, and CFO advisory, Kelly helps entrepreneurs understand the story behind their numbers so they can make better decisions, grow sustainably, and build businesses that support the lives they actually want. Connect with Kelly: Website: https://thegoodepathgroup.com [https://thegoodepathgroup.com/] Instagram: @thegoodepathgroup [http://instagram.com/goodepathgroup] Linktree: https://linktr.ee/goodepathgroup [https://linktr.ee/goodepathgroup] If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow entrepreneur who needs the reminder that success doesn't have to come at the expense of your life.

The Teacher Wellness Revolution with Stephanie Bellville

In this episode of Cool People Doing Cool Things, Sarah sits down with educator, wellness advocate, and founder of Happy While Teaching, Stephanie Belleville, for an honest conversation about teacher burnout, self-care, purpose, and what it really means to stay connected to yourself while serving others. Stephanie shares her journey from social work into education, what inspired her to create the Happy While Teaching movement, and the powerful wake-up call that changed the way she approached wellness forever. Together, Sarah and Stephanie explore the hidden emotional weight teachers carry, how the education system has changed post-COVID, and why self-care is not selfish — it’s essential. In this episode, Sarah and Stephanie discuss: * The reality of teacher burnout and why it has reached epidemic levels * How COVID changed classrooms, student behavior, and educator stress * Why caring professionals are especially vulnerable to burnout * The connection between teacher wellness and student success * The importance of reflection, awareness, and intentional self-care * Moving from “reacting” to “creating” in your life * Why self-care is a necessity, not a luxury * Small daily wellness rituals that make a massive impact * Perfectionism, pressure, and redefining what “good enough” looks like * How yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and boundaries support emotional resilience * Building a healthier future for education from the inside out Stephanie also shares details about: * The Happy While Teaching Podcast * Her Happy While Teaching Workbook * Her upcoming teacher wellness courses and support community launching Fall 2026 Connect with Stephanie Belleville: Instagram: instagram.com/happywhileteaching [instagram.com/happywhileteaching]Website: happywhileteaching.com [http://happywhileteaching.com]The Happy While Teaching Podcast: open.spotify.com/show/3BnXVh0SpDgrQWjBaobh0C [open.spotify.com/show/3BnXVh0SpDgrQWjBaobh0C] If this episode resonated with you, be sure to subscribe, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Because taking care of yourself doesn’t just change your life — it changes every life you touch.

Dare to Dream Bigger with Ryann Gillen

In this episode of Cool People Doing Cool Things, Sarah sits down with business therapist, entrepreneur, and founder of The Uncensored Self, Ryann Gillen. Ryann shares her powerful journey from a 15-year corporate career to building a million-dollar business — and why success didn’t feel the way she thought it would. From burnout and misalignment to divorce, financial reset, and deep personal transformation, this conversation dives into what it really takes to rebuild your life and business from the inside out. Together, Sarah and Ryann explore identity, energy, intuition, and the truth about success — and why creating a life that feels good matters more than chasing outcomes. 🔥 What We Talk About * Ryann’s journey from corporate to entrepreneurship to seven figures * Why hitting big financial goals didn’t bring fulfillment * Rebuilding life after burnout, divorce, and financial challenges * The difference between chasing success vs. creating it * How most entrepreneurs unknowingly recreate corporate burnout * The shift from “getting clients” → becoming a magnet * Why content creation is art (not just marketing) * The concept of the “energy game” vs. the “mind game” * Letting go of timelines and trusting outcomes * Identity work, self-trust, and becoming your “uncensored self” * Why money should be the least interesting thing in your life * The truth about alignment, intuition, and creating a business that feels good 💡 Key Takeaways * You can achieve everything you thought you wanted… and still feel unfulfilled * Success doesn’t come from doing more — it comes from becoming more aligned * Your external reality is a reflection of your internal state * You don’t need to chase clients — you can create demand through energy and authenticity * The more you trust yourself, the simpler business becomes * Outcomes are inevitable — how you feel while creating them is what matters 🧠 Quotes from the Episode “Who are you when you're not being who the world taught you to be?” “It’s not about getting clients anymore — it’s about creating.” “Living my life makes me money.” “Money should be the least interesting thing on the list.” 🔗 Connect with Ryann Gillen TikTok: @ryanngillenofficial [https://www.tiktok.com/@ryanngillenofficial] Instagram: @ryanngillen [https://www.instagram.com/ryanngillen] Facebook: ryanngillen [https://www.facebook.com/ryanngillen] YouTube: @RyannGillenofficial [https://www.youtube.com/@RyannGillenofficial] 💬 Final Thought If you’ve ever felt like you “did everything right” but something still feels off… this episode is your permission slip to do it differently.

Reading Energy: Homes, Land & Raising Your Vibration with Kip Trout

Sarah sits down with her dear friend and intuitive, Kip Trout, for a conversation that will completely shift how you think about your home, your land, your belongings, and even your past relationships. Kip is an energetic assessor of homes and land, a restorer of mid-century modern houses, and someone who blends intuitive gifts with grounded, practical application. This one goes deep — in the best way. 🌾 Land, Ancestors & Stewardship Kip shares a powerful story about working with land that held a strong Osage presence — and what happens when we ignore the energy already there. This is about learning to co-exist, not control. 🧚 Elementals, Fairies & Nature Energy From glowing orbs to “sparkly commas,” Sarah and Kip share their personal experiences with elementals. If you’ve ever felt something in nature you couldn’t explain, this will click. 🏠 Your Home Is Alive Kip explains how he forms energetic agreements with homes — and how your home can communicate with you (yes, really). It starts with awareness and gratitude. ⚡ Energy in Objects & Clutter Everything holds energy. Kip breaks down why clutter feels heavy, how objects carry emotional residue, and how clearing energetic cords changes everything — especially with past relationships. 🔮 Raising Your Vibration (Fast) Kip’s go-to tools: * 528 Hz frequency * Fresh flowers * Incense * Crystals (cleansed properly) * Open windows + airflow * Epsom salt baths * Movement + shaking to reset your nervous system 🕯️ Clearing Energy + Mediumship From homes that won’t sell to spirits that haven’t moved on, Kip shares real stories from his work helping properties clear stuck energy. ✨ Intuition Is a Skill This isn’t just for “gifted” people. Intuition can be developed — and most of us are far more aware than we’ve been taught to recognize. “Time is a manmade construct. Everything is happening at once.” — Kip “You’re made to read energy. We’re just not taught how.” — Kip “I make a contract with the house. I tell the house I will be its caretaker.” — Kip “The minute you bring light into darkness, the dark can’t exist.” — Sarah * 528 Hz frequency (Spotify/YouTube) * Ashaka Incense * 4096 Hz tuning fork * Palo Santo + White Sage * The Telepathy Tapes podcast * Marie Kondo (home greeting practice) * Andrew Huberman (light + nervous system) Connect with Kip Here: 📧 Kt@dandiforri.com🌐 www.dandiforrigroup.com [http://www.dandiforrigroup.com]

Helping Struggling Students Succeed: A Cool Convo with Jessica Bradley

Here's the updated show notes with her links added! What does it look like when a former classroom teacher takes everything she knows, follows her military family across the world, and builds something that no one else is doing quite like this? Meet Jessica Bradley, founder of The Learning Room — an online academic intervention program that has helped hundreds of struggling students make real, measurable growth. Jess didn't just build a tutoring business. She built a lifeline for families who had been told to wait and see, for kids who had hit a wall, and for parents who knew something was wrong but couldn't get anyone to listen. In this episode, Jess and Sarah dig into the real state of education in America right now, why so many kids are falling through the cracks, and what parents can actually do about it — starting today. If you have a kid in school, this one's for you. Guest: Jessica Bradley, Founder of The Learning Room 🌐 the-learning-room.com [https://the-learning-room.com]📸 Instagram: @the_learning_room [https://instagram.com/the_learning_room]👍 Facebook: @the_learning_room [https://facebook.com/the_learning_room] What We Cover: * How Jess went from classroom teacher → military spouse abroad → fully booked academic interventionist — all within a year * The eye-opening stats on where American students are right now (spoiler: 1 in 8 kids entering college need remedial math) * Why Jess refuses to play the blame game — and what she says is actually driving the education gap * The red flag most parents miss: the 8–12 month window between "I had a gut feeling" and "we have a real problem" * Why the school's assessment tells you where a kid is, but Jess's assessment tells you why — and why that changes everything * The IQ workaround: how smart kids can mask gaps for years until they hit a wall in 3rd–5th grade * What "mastery" actually means vs. just getting through the material * Why Jess built her program to be fully virtual — not because of COVID, but because her military families were moving and refused to lose their progress * How The Learning Room's approach is fundamentally different from franchise tutoring centers (hint: it's not worksheets and iPads in a group) * "Max's" story: a middle schooler at a 3rd grade math level who is now independently working through 6th grade curriculum — in 7 months * What's coming next: small group sessions designed to keep the customization without the cost * Free resources, state education grants, and how to find out if your child qualifies Free Resources Mentioned: * 📋 Free Reading & Math Checklists — [link] * 📞 Free Consultation Call with Jess — [link] * 🔍 How to find your state's sample end-of-year test: Google "[Your State] end of grade state testing sample test" Grants That May Cover Services:Florida Step Up Scholarship, South Carolina, Arkansas, West Virginia, Arizona — and Virginia coming soon. Check your state for current ESA or education grant availability. Connect with Jess & The Learning Room:🌐 the-learning-room.com [https://the-learning-room.com]📸 Instagram: @the_learning_room [https://instagram.com/the_learning_room]👍 Facebook: @the_learning_room [https://facebook.com/the_learning_room]⭐ Leave or Read Google Reviews [https://the-learning-room.com]