Spark Me

If you're not prepared… everything changes. In this Spark Short , Liz and Michele unpack one of the most practical and overlooked skills behind confident communication: preparation . Inspired by their conversation with Professor Jamie Leddin, they explore why so many of us struggle in negotiations—and how it often comes down to w Michele shares her personal experience with emotional reactions...

What if leadership isn’t something you wait to be given—but something you choose to step into? This week on Spark Me, Liz and Michele sit down with Dr. Jamie Leddin, professor of practice at Vanderbilt University, leadership expert, executive coach, and negotiation specialist, for a conversation about the everyday moments that shape how we lead. From speaking up in a meeting to asking for flexibil...

What if the symptoms you’ve been brushing off as “just stress” are actually your body asking for help? This week’s Spark Short is a real, honest check-in between Liz and Michele as they reflect on their conversation with menopause expert Adrienne Cotton — and the wake-up calls that followed. From realizing that OBGYN care doesn’t always cover this next phase of life, to uncovering how perimenopaus...

What if menopause wasn’t something to “get through,” but a phase of life you could understand, support, and actually feel stronger in? This week on Spark Me , Liz and Michele sit down with wellness educator and Master Menopause Now creator Adrien Cotton for a conversation every woman should hear. Together, they unpack the confusion surrounding perimenopause and menopause — from anxiety and sleep d...

What if the biggest myth about intimacy is that it’s supposed to stay the same forever? In this Spark Me conversation, Liz and Michele unpack their powerful episode with Dr. Erin Murphy Ross — and dive even deeper into the layers of intimacy, desire, hormones, stress, sleep, and evolving expectations in the second act of life. They explore the surprising idea that many of us are still measuring ou...

What if your relationship isn’t broken — it’s just overloaded? In this candid and compassionate episode of Spark Me, Liz and Michele sit down with Dr. Erin Murphy Ross — marriage and family therapist and sex therapist — to talk about the conversation so many couples are quietly having… or avoiding. Intimacy and desire in long-term relationships can feel confusing, lonely, and even shame-filled. Is...

What if addiction isn’t the problem — but the solution to something deeper? In this Spark Short, Liz and Michele revisit their powerful conversation with Brenda Zane of the Hope Stream community and unpack one of the most eye-opening reframes of the episode: substance use isn’t usually the root issue — it’s often a coping mechanism for underlying mental health struggles. They explore the “tip of t...

There are conversations parents whisper about or avoidaltogether because the fear and judgment feel unbearable. This is one of them.   In this deeply personal and powerful episode of Spark Me,Michele and Liz sit down with Brenda Zane, parent advocate, certified coach, and founder of HopeStream Community — a nonprofit created to support parents navigating a child’s substance use and mental health c...

What does it really take to turn a spark of an idea into something tangible, impactful, and lasting? In this episode of Spark Me , Liz and Michele dig into the power of execution — how following through on a vision can change communities, careers, and even the reputation of an entire city. Liz shares the origin stories of Circle 200 and Women Business Leaders in Healthcare , two peer-to-peer netwo...

What if the most powerful thing you could do this week took just ten seconds? This Spark Me episode is a reflective conversation inspired by last week’s powerful discussion with Stacey Fritz — and by a week that, as Michele puts it, “was a week.” Liz and Michele unpack the idea that life’s challenges come in waves, and while we can’t stop them from coming, we can choose how we meet them. At the ce...

Why so many women stay stuck in fight-or-flight and how to learn to pause and exhale Many women are managing careers, families, aging parents, partnerships, and their own expectations, often in a constant state of inhale (fight or flight), never taking a pause or remembering to exhale. In this episode of Spark Me, we sit down with Stacy Fritz, speaker, wellness strategist, and inventor, to talk ab...

What if the thing we reach for to relax is actually exhausting us—and quietly reshaping our kids’ brains along the way? Social media is woven into nearly every part of modern life, but in this candid Spark Me conversation, Liz Graham and Michele Dempsey take a hard look at the unintended consequences of constant scrolling—for adults and kids. From dopamine hits and “bed rotting” to comparison cult...

Sometimes the bravest thing you can do in your second act is walk away from a life you thought you were “supposed” to live. This week on  Spark Me , Liz and Michele sit down with  Rachel Olszewski Conrad , founder of  Fear Less Publicity , for a deeply honest conversation about reinvention, resilience, and trusting yourself when life takes an unexpected turn. Rachel shares her journey from growing...

What happens when a story refuses to be forgotten? In this Spark Short, we talk about a book that took decades to become real — not because it was being written, but because it was being lived . What started as cassette tapes mailed back and forth between a father and daughter slowly became a memoir spanning war, reinvention, service, and legacy. From fighter pilot missions in Vietnam to starting...

What if grief wasn’t something to “get over,” but something we learn how to carry — together? This week on  Spark Me , Liz and Michele open up about a chapter of life many of us enter quietly and unprepared: losing our parents. Over the past year, both have navigated profound loss while continuing to show up for work, family, friendships, and this very podcast. They talk honestly about what grief...

What if the “future of AI” wasn’t just about technology, but about what kind of humans we become while we build it? This week on  Spark Me , Liz and Michele sit down for a Spark Short that’s… not actually all that short. They dive into the wild, complicated, and very real ways artificial intelligence is already reshaping our energy use, our jobs, our politics, and even how we show up for our kids’...

What if life feels fuller when we notice just how much there is to be grateful for in every part of it? In this heartfelt Spark Short, Liz and Michele share how this holiday season is bringing surprising joy, deeper connection, and fresh starts—even in the middle of big life changes. From a relaxed, sun‑soaked Thanksgiving at a North Carolina beach house to a bustling family gathering back home wi...

What happens when you keep choosing the unconventional path because that’s what feels true to you? This week on “Spark Me,” Liz turns the mic inward and interviews her co-host, Michele Dempsey—architect, mom, community advocate, and lifelong challenger of the status quo. In this intimate origin story, Michele shares how she built a life that followed her own blueprint. From forging her way as a bu...

What if the greatest heartbreak in your life could become the turning point for the most courageous chapter yet? This week on Spark Me , Liz and Michele sit down with Angela Buchter to explore an extraordinary journey through loss, resilience, and unexpected renewal. Angela built a thriving career in science, rising from the night shift to Director at a major vaccine facility. But in 2019, her wor...

What if the key to a longer, happier life isn’t what you eat or how much you exercise, but who you call your friend? This week on  Spark Me Shorts , Liz and Michele explore the power of friendship in the second act of life and why meaningful connection may be the ultimate secret to happiness and longevity. Drawing on Aristotle’s timeless philosophy and decades of modern research, they unpack how d...

What if life's unexpected pivots were actually leading to your purpose? This week on  Spark Me , Liz and Michele sit down with  Katrina Bowers , founder of  Guided Giving , to explore how a life of pivots — from early marriage and career changes to personal loss — led her to a powerful second act centered on generosity and purpose. Katrina shares how she built a 30-year career in philanthropy,...

Ever fallen head-over-boots for a voice that feels like home? Meet Laurel Wright, one half of Nashville duo The Young Fables, whose crystal-clear vocals and soul-first songwriting chart a path through grief, grit, and gorgeous melody. From singing in East Tennessee churches at age three to American Idol and USA’s Real Country, Laurel opens up about loss, mental health, thick skin in a male-dominat...

Ever had that moment when logic says one thing, but your gut says another? In this Spark Short, hosts Michele Dempsey and Liz Graham dive into the art (and challenge) of trusting your gut. Michele shares a raw, real-life story about a moment when her intuition told her to pause even though logic said, “Go.” It’s a story about slowing down, listening to your inner wisdom, and realizing that sometim...

Ever feel like you’re supposed to “stay in your lane?” Tara Mugford Wilson never got the memo.  From corporate consulting to running a unionized mechanical business in a male-dominated industry, to buying (and rebranding) a women’s fashion and home store just before the pandemic — Tara proves that your second act (and third!) can be as bold as you dare to make it. In this conversation, Tara shares...

What if the key to getting more out of life isn’t doing more — it’s slowing down? In this inspiring episode of  Spark Me , Michele and Liz sit down with  Kris Holmes , a woman whose life has been defined by love, resilience, and gratitude. From becoming a mom at 18 to building a thriving career and rediscovering herself through yoga and sound healing, Kris shares what happens when you stop saying...