Life Stories Podcast

What does it really take to build a strong blended family when everyone comes into the relationship with their own history, traditions, parenting styles, and challenges? Amy shares the honest story of blending her family with her husband Chris, including the trial and error of bringing their children together, learning how to parent as a team, and creating a home where every child felt like they b...

What do you need to know before you suddenly find yourself caring for an aging parent? Nicole Hilgenkamp, founder of Your Parents Keeper, shares practical advice for preparing before a crisis happens. We talk about the importance of getting important documents in order, understanding the different stages of caregiving, preventing falls, and building a caregiving team. Nicole also shares some of th...

What if the young adult you think is stuck or unmotivated is actually dealing with anxiety, overwhelm, or a lack of the right support? Returning guests Blake Baumann and Pickens Calhoun join me to talk about the evolution of their work at Ideal Minds, where they help neurodivergent young adults build independence, confidence, executive-function skills, and direction. We also talk about their expan...

What if you’re not too old to start something new? After 35 years in Human Resources, Kirk McCarley became a career and life coach, helping people consider new possibilities and take steps toward what they want to do. We also talk about his work with ESPN, teaching Spinning, and the lessons he has learned from pursuing such different interests. Kirk also shares about his book, Thoughts for My Kids...

In this solo episode, Shara shares a few personal and podcast updates, including the book she’s reading that is challenging her as a mom of an adult son with autism. She also talks about the changes she’s making to her podcast booking process, a new autism-related project she’s working on, and upcoming milestones: four years of podcasting and her 300th episode. Shara also reflects on learning to t...

What if being a good dog owner starts with learning to see the world through your dog’s eyes? Darin O. Saw-Bellisario, Ph. D., creator of the Good Owners Guide to Dogs, joins me to talk about why he left a successful career in science and management consulting to help dog parents find reliable information. We also talk about the information chaos online, understanding individual dogs and why he cr...

What happens when two people love each other but come from very different cultural and family backgrounds? What happens when two people love each other but come from very different cultural and family backgrounds? In this episode, Pesa and Whitney Shayo share their experience of building a marriage across cultures: Pesa is from Kenya and Whitney is from Kansas. After 22 years of marriage and raisi...

:::In this episode we discuss the dangers of human trafficking and there is mention of sexual abuse. If you are someone you know feels they are in a possible trafficking situation, please contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 and https://humantraffickinghotline.org/en::: In today's episode, Lea Marie shares her powerful story of surviving human trafficking and explai...

In this episode, I’m talking with Michael Flannery, a musician, sound designer, professor, and author whose career has taken him from a college dorm-room recording studio to a major-label record deal and opening for Outkast on their Stankonia tour. Michael shares what happened when a song he recorded in his dorm room unexpectedly became a hit, what it was like performing for thousands of people, a...

In this episode, I talk with Mike Wysocki about career readiness and helping students make informed decisions about their future. Mike shares what he learned after spending 30 years in tech sales, why he believes students shouldn’t simply choose a career based on money or someone else’s advice, and practical ways they can explore different careers before committing. We also talk about networking,...

In this episode, I talk with Forrest McSweeney, founder of The Uplift Project, a nonprofit working with small business owners and families in remote communities in Guyana. Forrest’s connection to South America began when he was just three years old, traveling with his father and experiencing communities and cultures far beyond the typical tourist destinations. Those early experiences gave him a la...

Today I’m talking with Chef Steff about food, music, community, and the courage to take a chance on yourself. From her childhood as her mom’s “sous chef” to creating private culinary experiences and her “Good News is on the Menu” project, Steff shares how cooking became a way to connect with people and bring more joy into their lives. We also talk about stepping outside your comfort zone, finding...

In this episode, I talk with Marcus Walker, CEO of Daily Bread Ministries in San Antonio, about what it really means to help people who are experiencing poverty and food insecurity. Daily Bread rescues food that would otherwise go to waste and provides it to churches and community organizations, but Marcus explains that the ministry is about much more than putting food on someone's table. Food...

Today I’m talking with Allan Glanfield, a Canadian entrepreneur, husband, and dad who decided that waiting for “someday” wasn’t good enough. Allan and his family packed up their lives, rented out their home, and began traveling the world with their two young children. From Greece and Italy to France, England, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, their family has embraced a lifestyle centered aroun...

Today I’m talking with Jobert E. Abueva about burnout, life transitions, and what it means to pause long enough to really ask ourselves what matters. Jobert shares how his successful career running Clairol Herbal Essences eventually led him to a point of burnout where he realized he had been ignoring his own wellbeing. That experience became the turning point that inspired The Janus Plan, a six-st...

Today I’m talking with Kim Rogers, better known as the viral “Worm Queen.” Kim spent more than 20 years working in Western medicine before her own long battle with chronic illness, endometriosis, Lyme disease, mold, and parasites led her on a very different healing journey. After feeling dismissed and without answers, Kim decided to become her own patient advocate, and that decision eventually cha...

In this episode, I’m talking with Dr. David Teitelbaum, an osteopathic physician, functional medicine practitioner, author, and someone who has spent more than 40 years helping people improve their health by looking beyond their symptoms. But his journey into human medicine started in an unexpected place: as a veterinarian. Dr. Teitelbaum shares the “God moment” that led him to leave veterinary me...

In this solo episode of Life Stories, I take a break from my usual guest conversations to share a little about my summer: the good, the difficult, and everything in between. From a relaxing vacation and time with my grandkids to celebrating my birthday, starting an exciting new project, losing a beloved cat, and facing some unexpected challenges, I open up about the ups and downs that are simply p...

After losing his five-year-old son Joey to Dravet syndrome, Michael Gomoll turned unimaginable grief into a mission of hope. He founded Joey's Song, a nonprofit that raises money for pediatric epilepsy research through incredible live music events featuring Rock & Roll Hall of Famers and Grammy-winning artists. In this heartfelt conversation, Michael shares Joey's story, explains epile...

We all know someone who seems to have everything together but what if they're quietly carrying the weight of everyone else's emotions? In this episode, I sit down with life coach Caroline Holke to talk about the hidden struggles so many high-achieving women face. From people-pleasing and perfectionism to overthinking and replaying conversations, Caroline explains why these patterns develop...

Laura Van Wormer has spent a lifetime telling stories. From working her way up at Doubleday Publishing to becoming a bestselling novelist, she has seen the publishing world from every angle. In this episode, she shares how a childhood love of storytelling, encouraged by her mother, led to a successful writing career and some unforgettable experiences with legendary authors and publishers. Laura al...

In this episode, I sit down with Bridget Truxillo, a former Deputy Sheriff, SWAT officer, undercover narcotics detective, and now employment attorney and founder of Lady Law Shield. Bridget shares her remarkable journey from serving on the front lines of law enforcement to advocating for first responders across the country. She opens up about the challenges she faced as the only woman on a SWAT te...

Teenage girls today are facing more pressure than ever to fit in, measure up, and find their place in a constantly changing world. This week, I'm joined by Margaret Humphrey, founder of Choose to Live Freely and Dream Freely, to talk about why identity matters and how one caring adult can change the course of a young person's life. Margaret shares how her own mentors inspired her passion f...

Sandy Rosenthal never imagined she would become the face of a movement that challenged one of the most powerful government agencies in the country. After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, she found herself asking hard questions, searching for answers, and ultimately founding Levees.org to uncover the truth about why the city flooded. What began with one determined woman and a simple websit...

What does it look like to follow a calling that begins with a simple desire to help others? In this episode, Simone shares how a heart for children and a mission trip to Uganda eventually led her to found Simone's Kids while she was still in college. What started as one small act of faith has grown into a thriving nonprofit that provides education, nutrition, and holistic care for hundreds of...