The Courage Effect

#34 | 12.13.2023: When is it time to pursue a new job, or stay where you are? Lora Poepping and Suzanne talk about taking the time to discern what’s best for you, and the courage involved in either saying “yes” to a new opportunity, or settling in to appreciate the value you’re realizing in your current role. Lora Poepping is the founder and president of Plum Coaching & HR Consulting , a firm...

#33 | 12.6.2023: Elsa shares her story of becoming a successful sports photographer, which started when she shot a football game in high school and has led to covering some of the most preeminent events including the Olympics, World Series, Super Bowl, NBA Finals, US Open, and FIFA Men’s and Women’s World Cup. She talks with Suzanne about learning to bet on herself, the courage it takes to work in...

#32 | 11.29.2023: Now we’re in the holiday season, there’s a good chance we’ll be having hard or awkward conversations with family, friends, or colleagues. Our host Suzanne Weller talks through some ways to prepare for what she calls a “courageous conversation” so we can transform these dreaded discussions into empowering, mutually beneficial exchanges. More information about Weller Collaboration:...

#31 | 11.22.2023: Suzanne talks with Alisha Fernandez Miranda about her book My What If Year – where she details her adventure of pausing her career for a year to explore the “what if” jobs of her dreams, which took her from internships at a Broadway theater, a London art gallery, a Scottish luxury hotel, and a virtual fitness studio (Zumba, anyone?!). It’s a joyous conversation about taking risks...

#30 | 11.15.2023: Melissa Kirsch , deputy editor of Culture and Lifestyle at The New York Times , talks with Suzanne about two essential ingredients in the writing process: vulnerability and courage. More information about Weller Collaboration: wellercollaboration.com Sign up for Suzanne’s Reimagine Growth newsletter here

#29 | 11.8.2023: Sarah shares the story of waking up to what truly made her happy and the journey of creating positive change in her life through ditching the hustle and grind mentality and achieving success differently.  Sarah O'Brien Hammond is a community creator, life and career coach and recruiter. She creates safe and judgment-free containers for women to gather and talk about the things tha...

#28 | 10.25.2023: Amy – who’s living in her “why not?” moment – talks about how powerful the act of storytelling can be, and how vital it is for us to not only share narratives broadly but bring others along to do the same.     Amy Kugler is a media executive, writer, and founder of BEAM - a venture that illuminates the unseen corners of motherhood with human-scale storytelling. She is the host of...

#27 | 10.18.2023: Justin talks through the turns of his professional career in the advertising industry, and the importance of knowing who you are to not only thrive but survive in work environments. Justin Reed is a seasoned advertising, marketing, public relations, and communications professional based in the New York area. More information about Weller Collaboration: wellercollaboration.com Sig...

#26 | 10.11.2023: Laura talks about how the seven tenets of mindfulness aren’t only guideposts in her life and work, but how’ve they helped her be courageous. She and Suzanne also discuss the challenges of being an entrepreneur, including necessary pivots, compromises, and not being “too much in love with your own cooking.” Laura Sage is the Founder & CEO of CHILL , whose mission is to support...

#25 | 10.4.2023: Maureen shares a story where she had the courage to move on after something failed, her decision to study neuroscience, and how empowering it is to have a better understanding of our brains. Maureen Chiana is the CEO and founder of The Mindsight Academy and host of the Lead To Excel podcast. She enhances leaders and teams to perform at their optimum in her work as a Neuroleadershi...

#24 | 9.27.2023: Michael Melcher talks with Suzanne about creating change in our lives by moving beyond the need for permission, the importance of relationships in career success, and the courage to cultivate your “invisible network.” Michael Melcher is an internationally known executive coach, leadership expert, keynote speaker and author of three books, including his most recent: Your Invisible...

#23 | 9.20.2023: Our host Suzanne Weller talks about a moment where her father disrupted her thinking as she was growing up, and she encourages us to welcome new challenges to rethink our deep-seated beliefs. More information about Weller Collaboration: wellercollaboration.com Sign up for Suzanne’s Reimagine Growth newsletter here

#22 | 9.13.2023: Traca shares the story of her path to the TEDX stage (which she originally turned down) and how the experience took her from being behind the curtain supporting others to taking the stage herself. She and Suzanne delve into the power of enlisting thinking partners, why we shy away from the things that ultimately make us human, and how Traca supports others to jump into the deep en...

#21 | 8.30.2023: Suzanne talks with her friend and business consulting partner Lenora Edwards about the role courage plays in starting and maintaining a successful business.  They discuss using creativity to turn mistakes into opportunities, how vital it is to have a thought partner to challenge your thinking, and the power of one simple question “what might this be?” Lenora Edwards is a business...

#20 | 8.23.2023: Suzanne speaks with diversity thought leader Fawn Sanchez , who is Shoshone Bannock from Fort Hall, Idaho. They talk about her journey from growing up on a reservation, joining the US Army, to working at Amazon where she’s currently the sole Native American person at her level in the organization.  Fawn Sanchez is currently a Senior Learning Business Partner in AWS ,. She has broa...

#19 | 8.16.2023: Dave, Stacy, and Suzanne anchor their conversation on the importance of embracing the unknown in their lives, and being open to experimentation and do-over’s. As professionals who’ve created their share of “swivel” moments, they share stories about what it looks like to trust your gut – even when you’re hearing doubt from others – and not being too rigid when it comes to creating...

#18 | 8.9.2023: Vanessa and Suzanne delve into the meaning of courage, the equations we go through in our minds to calculate if something is worth it (“vale la pena?”), and how these surface in the lifespan navigation work Vanessa and her team do to support and bring grace to individuals and families in need. Vanessa Laughlin is the Principal and Founder of Banister Advisors , a 3x founder, consci...

#16 | 7.26.2023: Suzanne has a fun and inspiring conversation with Bridget Quigg, who shares stories about doing comedy, improvisational theater, and the importance of trusting your gut to unleash your creative genius. The world needs your special brand of brilliance. Let it out!  Bridget Quigg is a long time marketing director, improviser, and comedian who believes that improvisational theater pr...

#15 | 7.19.2023: Nicole and Suzanne dive into how courage shows up differently throughout the various phases of our lives, with Nicole speaking to a number of challenges she’s navigated over the past few years (including battling cancer, ending a relationship, and relocating – all during the pandemic). Nicole Christie is the founder and CEO of Tulla Productions—a storytelling studio connecting bra...

#14 | 7.12.2023: Suzanne and fellow coach Jeff Jacobson anchor their conversation on the human tendency to defend ourselves. Touching on a range of topics including gun control, hard conversations, and reproductive rights, they discuss our greater need for safety and how we might better understand what’s worth protecting. Jeff Jacobson is a professional coach and facilitator who works with clients...

#13 | 6.28.2023: How can courage liberate you from stress and overwhelm? Suzanne talks with Christine about living in a culture built for burnout and how we wake up and shift to making choices that are right for ourselves. They discuss recognizing when you’re overwhelmed, the “overgiving imprints” we tend to fall into, and Christine shares her theory of harmonic defiance (a powerful process of per...

#12 | 6.21.2023: Providing insight into why she started The Courage Effect, Suzanne shares some personal stories about why courage is a recurring theme throughout her life – which she’s reminded of every day in the form of a scar. She talks about courage as a practice, what we gain by focusing on what we can control, and learning through the lens of regret. More information about Weller Collaborat...

#11 | 6.14.2023: Keren and Suzanne delve into their love of photography and the power of visual storytelling. They discuss working in an industry fueled by passion, the joy (and power) of creating community, and supporting underrepresented professionals. Keren shares the challenges of being a female founder and the courage it took to build her own business from the ground up (at 5 months pregnant!...

#10 | 6.7.2023: Wayne Kimball, Jr. specializes in business strategy and enterprise transformation as an investor, startup advisor, and an independent board director who currently serves as Principal for Google Cloud 's Go-to-Market Strategy and Mergers & Acquisitions business. He is also the founder and global leader of Google’s TechAMPLIFY: an initiative to accelerate the growth and sustainab...

#9 | 5.31.2023: Iliana shares her story about facing a challenging medical diagnosis and she found courage in naming her fear, visualizing a positive result, and a dose of humor to stay the course and successfully recover. Iliana Quinonez is a powerhouse Latina Trailblazer in the High Tech Industry, who builds and scales high performing teams in addition to developing the next generation of people...