Savvy Leader Podcast

What if being ready to quit isn't always a sign that you should? Sometimes it might be. But sometimes, it may be a signal to pause, step back, and get curious about what's actually happening. In this solo episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, I'm about 30 days into a 90-day experiment designed to get me out of my own head and into the real world—to test, listen, gather information, and learn. And I...

What happens when the version of success you've been chasing no longer fits the life you actually want? For Angie Weber, the answer was reinvention. After years in marketing, Angie found herself married with twins and increasingly aware that the career she had built was taking her away from the kind of mother and person she wanted to be. Eventually, she made the difficult decision to leave her cor...

What happens when the life you planned disappears—and you're forced to discover a different way forward? Rachel Schneider shares what caregiving, widowhood, parenting through grief and addiction, faith, and rebuilding taught her about leadership, capacity, asking for help, and trusting that your story may unfold differently than you imagined. What does leadership look like when life doesn't go acc...

What if the path you've been dismissing because it feels too easy is actually the path that fits? As I step into a new season at 55, I've been thinking differently about success, failure, hard work, and the opportunities we sometimes walk away from because they don't look impressive enough. For years, I've measured progress by what I didn't accomplish—the million dollars I didn't make, the first p...

What happens when you stop trying to fit into systems that don't fit you—and start building a life and business that actually do? What if the next chapter of your life doesn't require you to become someone different—but to finally stop pretending to be someone you're not? In this episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast , I sit down with my friend Donna Hartley , owner of Hartley Resources, for a conve...

What if the life you worked so hard to build became the very thing keeping you trapped? In this episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast, I'm joined by Heather Simco, a life and transformation coach whose story takes us from childhood instability and entrepreneurship to major success, addiction, sobriety, loss, rebuilding, and a very different definition of what it means to live a successful life. Heat...

What happens when the way we work changes faster than the systems designed to measure us? In this episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast , I sit down with Tamara Laine, Founder and CEO of MPWR AI, for a wide-ranging conversation about artificial intelligence, financial identity, the changing workforce, ethical technology, and what it means to navigate a rapidly changing world. Tamara's journey is any...

What if sustainable success isn't about doing more—but becoming more intentional about what you carry? We spend a lot of time learning how to build the life we want. But once we've built something meaningful, another question emerges: How do we protect it? In this episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast , Kristin Gallatin explores the often-overlooked side of success: capacity, margin, reserve, and di...

Technology should simplify our lives—not complicate them. In this episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin sits down with Monica Swanson, founder of MonRoe Business Solutions, Fractional CIO, technology strategist, and author of the upcoming book The Family Phone Contract . After more than 30 years leading technology initiatives for global organizations including Cargill and Thomson R...

What happens when your heart tells you it's time for a completely different path? In this episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin sits down with entrepreneur, photographer, wellness coach, and sustainability advocate Sarah Filipi for an inspiring conversation about trusting yourself, embracing life's transitions, and creating a life that aligns with your values. Growing up in Minneso...

Have you ever felt guilty for saying "no"? For many of us, saying yes has become second nature. We say yes to opportunities, requests, obligations, and expectations—often at the expense of our own health, peace, and purpose. In this episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin explores why "No is the most freeing word in the English language." She shares personal stories of being a lifelo...

Are you successful on paper... but quietly wondering why your work no longer feels fulfilling? In this solo episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin explores one of the most overlooked causes of burnout: misalignment. Many professionals believe they need a new job, another promotion, or a fresh start. But often, what they're really searching for isn't a different career—it's a differe...

What does freedom really mean? For many of us, the answer changes over time. Freedom may begin as independence, success, or financial security. But after career transitions, caregiving, loss, burnout, or unexpected life changes, freedom often takes on a much deeper meaning. In this solo episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin shares personal experiences and practical insights about f...

Artificial intelligence is changing the marketing landscape faster than most business owners realize—but technology alone isn't the answer. In this episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin sits down with digital marketing strategist Autumn Gran, founder of Gray Matter Marketing, to discuss what is really happening in digital marketing, SEO, AI search, and online visibility. Autumn sha...

What happens when a company has all the right systems, meetings, and strategic plans in place—but execution still breaks down? In this episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin sits down with executive advisor and founder of True North Leadership, Kara Kuykendall, to explore what it really takes to build resilient organizations that thrive through growth, change, and uncertainty. Drawi...

Visibility Without the Spotlight: How Barb Monson Helps Women Stand Out Authentically One year after becoming the very first guest on The Savvy Leader Podcast, Barb Monson returns to share what has changed, what she has learned, and how her work has evolved into helping women increase their professional visibility. After a successful corporate career that took her from clerk to CFO, Barb discovere...

Life doesn't always follow the plan we created. In this solo episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin shares personal reflections on navigating major life transitions, caregiving, business reinvention, aging parents, identity shifts, and the lessons learned from rebuilding life after a catastrophic motorcycle accident changed everything. Through stories of uncertainty, resilience, fai...

EPISODE DESCRIPTION What happens when the promotion you've worked so hard for never comes? For Oie Dobier, that disappointing moment became the catalyst for a much bigger question: "If my job isn't who I am, then who am I?" In this episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin sits down with entrepreneur, business coach, and Bloomdocking co-founder Oie Dobier to discuss identity, purpose, entrepren...

What happens when your life falls apart and you're forced to rebuild from the ground up? In this episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin sits down with divorce and resilience coach Lauren Dittle to discuss healing after divorce, overcoming life's hardest transitions, rebuilding self-trust, and creating a future that feels aligned and meaningful. Lauren shares her own divorce journey, the less...

What if burnout is not simply about working too hard? What if the real issue is a growing "vitality gap" created by constant extraction from our time, energy, and attention? In this episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin sits down with Anne Potts, founder of The Fun Reset, for a powerful conversation on burnout, leadership, energy, self-care, and the role fun plays in building a sus...

Why do so many of us avoid difficult conversations — even when we know they matter? In this solo episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin shares a deeply personal conversation about fear, rejection, emotional conditioning, boundaries, and the courage it takes to communicate honestly. Drawing from her own experiences growing up in a difficult family dynamic, navigating adulthood as a people-ple...

What happens when life forces you to start over — more than once? In this deeply honest and empowering episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin sits down with reinvention mentor and "Next Chapter Architect" AnYes van Rhijn to explore what true transformation really looks like after 50. AnYes shares her personal journey through grief, divorce, toxic relationships, entrepreneurship, ide...

What's really holding you back from the life you want? In this episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin sits down with women's leadership coach Meghan DeFord to unpack why so many high-achieving women feel stuck—despite doing everything "right." From losing her identity after a divorce and career disruption to building a coaching business rooted in values and self-trust, Meghan shares what act...

In this powerful episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin sits down with Erech Gallatin—sales professional, business owner, and survivor of a life-altering motorcycle accident—to explore what it truly means to create value, build trust, and rebuild your life from the ground up. Erech shares his 25+ year journey as a one-call closer, breaking down the psychology behind sales, influence, and hum...

Most people don't have a motivation problem—they have an alignment problem. In this episode, I share why I walked away at the peak of my success… and what I discovered instead. For years, I built a successful career, led teams, and did everything "right" on paper. But behind the scenes… something felt off. In this solo episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, I'm sharing the real story behind: Walking...