ZenFounder

Britt is the co-founder of Dow Janes, a financial education company that started in her living room and has since taught more than twenty thousand women. We get into the night in the bottom bunk when she was six, convinced the family was about to run out of money, and handed her dad her entire piggy bank. The shame cycle that keeps smart people stuck in debt, and why she insists you’re not bad wit...

At the top of his career, seven or eight companies in, seven figures, an Aston Martin with “Secret Agent Yanik Silver” stamped on the door sill, Yanik Silver asked his journal a plain question. Am I happy, and would I be happy doing this in ten years? The honest answer was no. Yanik is the founder of Maverick1000, a global collective of entrepreneurs, and the author of Evolved Enterprise and the C...

A note before you listen: this conversation is about suicide and the loss of a spouse. If you' or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available in the US by call or text at 988. When Kim Witczak's husband died, the official story didn't add up, and she refused to accept it. That refusal turned a grieving thirty-seven-year-old who had never thought her voice mat...

Derek Coburn thinks we're in a fun recession. His words: 99% of adults aren't having anywhere near the amount of fun they should be. Derek is the founder of Cadre, a community for entrepreneurs, and the author of Networking Is Not Working and Let's Retire Retirement. We get into the research that stopped him cold (the time we spend with friends collapses from about 150 minutes a day as teenagers t...

I've been married to Rob Walling for almost 24 years, so I went into this one already knowing the plot. Rob was raised to follow the rules, with a whole career mapped out as an executive at his family's electrical construction company. Then he got into the management training program, realized he was miserable, and walked away with no connections and no plan except that he liked writing code. Rob...

Mia Sundstrom is a CEO who swims in the middle of the workday, on purpose, and can tell you exactly why she gets that hour back. She runs the National Institute for Play, she's a lifelong gymnast, and she's on a mission to reach ten million people with play by 2030.We get into play as both a state (the thing you're doing) and a trait (the way you show up), the neuroscience that play lives in the o...

Jason Cohen has founded two unicorn companies, WP Engine and Smart Bear, and written at asmartbear.com for almost twenty years. His new book, Hidden Multipliers, opens with a founder lying awake at 4 a.m. feeling like a fraud — which tells you it isn't a normal growth-tactics book, and this isn't a normal growth-tactics conversation. We get into why the people who love your work often love it for...

After more than a decade and a few hundred episodes, ZenFounder is becoming Permission . I'm Dr. Sherry Walling — clinical psychologist, and the voice you've been listening to all along — and this is the next chapter of the show we've built together. Somewhere along the way, most of us started waiting for permission: to rest, to change our minds, to want a different life than the one we built. Per...

In this intimate conversation, Dr. Sherry Walling explores our relationship with fear and why it is not something to override or dismiss. Drawing from both psychology and her experience as a circus aerialist, Dr. Sherry explains how fear functions as a warning system in the body signaling potential danger, asking us to slow down, and inviting attention.  Rather than treating fear as a weakness or...

Entrepreneurs are great at leading teams, making decisions, and optimizing time. But what happens when those same skills show up at home—and start to hurt your closest relationships? In this episode, Dr. Walling shares the 4 entrepreneurial mindsets that often cause trouble at home —and what you can do differently. Self-importance around time – why treating family moments as “below you” creates di...

Entrepreneurs are keen to push themselves to grow and become the best version of themselves. As early adopters, they’re often open to immersive experiences that accelerate their personal and professional development. But when it comes to non-ordinary state experiences like psychedelics, deep retreats, even personal breakthroughs, too many skip the most essential part: integration. In this episode,...

Is Entrepreneurship a Creative Act? In this episode, Dr. Sherry Walling shares what producing a full-scale circus show taught her about the creative process of entrepreneurship. From the vulnerability of putting your work in public to the emotional risk of innovation, Sherry explores how the mindset of an artist can unlock better products, deeper audience connection, and long-term fulfillment as a...

Did you know that 27% of Americans are actively estranged from at least one family member? In a world where ideological division is high and screens are the most consistent recipient of our attention, our families are quietly fracturing. In this special episode, clinical psychologist Dr. Sherry Walling reflects on the beautiful, painful, complicated terrain of family life.  Inside this episode: –...

Do you ever ask yourself what you really want? Not what’s profitable. Not what’s a good business decision. Not what’s righteous, or best for your team. Just… what you want. In this episode, clinical psychologist Dr. Sherry Walling invites you into a deeply personal—and radically freeing—conversation about desire . As a founder or leader, you’ve been trained to prioritize discipline, service, and s...

Ever find yourself saying things you regret in the heat of the moment? Or spiraling after a client complaint, a bad email, or your kid melting down in public? In this episode, clinical psychologist Dr. Sherry Walling breaks down how high performers lose control of big emotions —and how to get it back. Inside this episode: – What’s actually happening in your body when you get triggered – How to cat...

Do you ever feel like you’re at war with yourself? One part of you wants to hustle, scale, dominate the market. Another part wants to sell the business, move to the woods, and sleep 10 hours a night. And then there’s the voice panicking about churn, cash flow, and that very unhappy customer email you can’t stop thinking about. You're not broken. You're not alone. You're just... human. In this epis...

Entrepreneurship is lonely—but it doesn’t have to be. In this video, Dr. Sherry Walling dives into one of the most overlooked challenges in the entrepreneurial journey: finding your people. Starting, growing, and even exiting a business can be incredibly isolating. That loneliness can quietly erode both your mental health and your ability to lead. In this episode, you'll learn:   The difference be...

Is Traditional Therapy Failing Entrepreneurs? Therapy is an invaluable tool—but is it always the best fit for high performers, founders, and creatives? In this episode, Dr. Sherry Walling shares her honest critique of traditional psychotherapy, highlighting five key concerns: The Pathology Trap – Why therapy often focuses on diagnosing problems instead of amplifying strengths. It Takes Too Long –...

Entrepreneurs thrive on independence, resilience, and figuring things out on their own. But when it comes to launching a book, a product, or a business—going solo can actually hold you back.   Asking for help isn’t a weakness—it’s a growth strategy.   In this episode, Dr. Sherry Walling breaks down why founders struggle to ask for help, how to do it effectively, and why the success of your work de...

You’ve built something incredible. But when it’s time to sell, are you unknowingly making your exit harder than it needs to be? Most founders focus on the financial side of an exit—negotiating terms, securing the best deal, maximizing their payout. But what about the psychological side ? If you’re not prepared, selling your business can feel like losing a piece of yourself —leading to bad deals, s...

Dr. Sherry Walling has spent years balancing life as a psychologist, entrepreneur, and parent. She’s married to a tech founder, has been immersed in the startup world for decades, and has raised two kids who’ve never known a traditional 9-to-5 household. In this episode, she shares what she’s learned about raising resilient, adaptable kids in an entrepreneurial home—the good, the hard, and the une...

In this episode, Dr. Sherry Walling dives into how physically demanding hobbies can revolutionize the way you approach your business and life. Whether it’s aerial arts, rock climbing, kite surfing, or long-distance running, these activities offer more than just physical benefits—they reshape your mindset. Here’s what you’ll learn: How embodied learning fosters better intuitive decision-making. Why...

Are you stuck in the gap between where you are and where you want to be? You sense the next chapter of your life, business, or relationships calling to you—but the path forward feels unclear. Fear of disruption, lack of mastery, and the weight of commitments often hold us back from stepping into our fullest selves. In this episode, Dr. Sherry Walling shares how to navigate the space between where...

Do you ever feel like your work is pulling you away from your family? For entrepreneurs and high performers, busy seasons are inevitable—whether you’re scaling a business, traveling for work, or navigating a major life transition. But maintaining deep, meaningful connections with your family doesn’t have to fall by the wayside. In this episode, I share insights into: The power of micro-moments How...

What does it mean to be "selfish"? For many, the word carries a negative connotation—one of neglecting others for personal gain. But what if being "selfish" was seen as a necessary part of self-care, self-development, and living a deeply fulfilling life? In this episode, Dr. Sherry Walling, clinical psychologist and mental health advocate for entrepreneurs and high performers, explores the complex...