Accidental CEO Podcast

This isn’t just a celebration - it’s a blueprint. In this milestone 100th episode, Nata Salvatori shares 100 micro-lessons that have shaped her coaching, her leadership, and the Accidental CEO community. If you're tired of feeling like the glue in your business and ready to lead with clarity, this episode is a reset. It's everything she wishes founders knew—about structure, standards, an...

What happens to your business if you're suddenly unavailable - tomorrow, next month, or forever? This week, Nata Salvatori gets real with Julie Fried, the upbeat genius behind the Entrepreneur’s Death Folder. They talk about the uncomfortable but necessary truth: you are the bottleneck in your business. Whether it’s death, disability, or a surprise sabbatical, your clients, team, and family d...

In this raw and real episode, Nata Salvatori is joined by trauma-informed coach and photographer Renee Bowen for a conversation that cuts through the surface. They unpack what’s hiding beneath your to-do list: nervous system dysregulation, unconscious money stories, and the invisible weight so many high-achieving women carry. Renee shares her journey from a small-town Louisiana girl with a psych d...

Women are launching businesses in record numbers — 49% of new businesses in 2024 were started by women. But here’s the kicker: we’re still getting a fraction of the funding, visibility, and recognition that male founders get. And the worst part? A lot of the gap comes from our own behavior. In this powerful solo episode, Nata Salvatori breaks down the real reasons women are playing small in busine...

This one’s going to hit home for the high-functioning, self-led, overachieving CEOs who are secretly exhausted. In this episode, Nata Salvatori welcomes trauma psychologist and founder of The Method, Farya Barla, for a deep conversation about the silent patterns running your business into the ground. They talk about how trauma isn’t always loud or obvious. Sometimes it’s the reason you won’t ask f...

What if you could make smarter marketing decisions in 90 minutes a month? In this high-impact episode, Nata Salvatori brings on marketing strategist and Enji founder Tayler Cusick Hollman to break down the exact metrics founders should be tracking to stop guessing and start growing. Tayler shares the real story behind why marketing feels so murky in 2025, how consumer behavior has shifted (spoiler...

This one’s for the founder who’s done all the “right” things—built the business, hit the revenue goals—but still feels stuck doing too much, too often, with too little joy. Holly Haynes, host of Crush the Rush , joins me for a conversation about what it really takes to grow a life-first business that lasts . A former corporate strategist, Holly started her business with zero intentions to scale—an...

Ever wish you could eavesdrop on a candid conversation among seasoned podcasters? I recently participated in a roundtable discussion at Mic Check Retreat with an incredible group of podcasters. We jumped into the real stories behind our shows—the triumphs, the hurdles, and the unexpected lessons that come with the territory. In this honest, heartwarming, and somewhat entertaining conversation abou...

Feeling overextended, stretched thin, or just ready for a smarter way to scale? This week, I'm opening my Black Friday Vault with a twist: one offer per day. For 24 hours only. Inside this bonus episode, I’m walking you through each offer—who it’s for, what it fixes, and why it’s designed to help you grow faster without drowning in more to-dos. If you’re already overspending on time and feel...

If you’ve been treating legal stuff like an annoying afterthought in your business, this episode will change your mind (and maybe your bottom line). Nata Salvatori sits down with powerhouse attorney and serial entrepreneur Paige Hulse to unpack why intellectual property is not just for tech bros and patent trolls—it’s for every creative founder who wants to actually own what they build. Paige brea...

What happens when a burnt-out nonprofit employee borrows her sister's camera and starts photographing snow globes? You get Praise Santos, founder of ComePlum, brand strategist, photographer, and accidental CEO. In this episode, Nata sits down with Praise to talk about the very real, very messy path from survival-mode hustling to building a brand studio that empowers over 10,000 women. From se...

This episode isn’t just inspiring—it’s a game plan for getting your financial house in order. Nata sits down with money mentor Penelope Jane Smith, who went from being nearly financially free to losing everything in the 2008 crash—and rebuilt herself into a multi-millionaire and thought leader in women’s wealth. They talk about what the financial world gets wrong about women, how to calculate your...

You’re sitting on a goldmine—and it’s not your lead magnet. It’s your reviews. In this episode of the Accidental CEO Podcast, Nata chats with Danielle Bornowski—a marketing strategist and certified StoryBrand Guide—about the secret weapon in your business you’re probably ignoring: customer reviews. Most entrepreneurs think of testimonials as nice-to-haves. Danielle flips that idea on its head. She...

What do theology, wedding photography, and email list-building have in common? Davey Jones. This week, Nata sits down with Davey Jones — CEO of Badao, the powerful lead generation tool formerly known as Sumo. They get into the nitty gritty of pop-ups (yes, the ones people love to hate) and why they’re actually your best friend if you use them right. Davey shares what he’s learned running multiple...

This episode is a must-listen for any creative founder who’s hit a growth ceiling and knows it’s not about doing more —it’s about unlearning what’s no longer working. Inspired by a client interview and a powerful live panel, Nata walks you through 10 beliefs that keep entrepreneurs stuck in operator mode instead of leading like a CEO. Inside, you’ll hear how pricing from your own wallet is sabotag...

Nicole Richards thought she had it all figured out. A booming bridal makeup business, her name in glossy magazines, and a studio full of artists. But beneath the gloss, something else was stirring. In this conversation, Nicole shares how a quiet whisper—followed by a literal crash—led her to shut down a thriving career and embrace a completely new path as a whole-life coach. Her story is a masterc...

Ever stare at your bank statement and feel personally victimized by tax season? You’re not alone—but you could be more prepared. In this episode, Nata Salvatori brings on wedding photographer and tax educator Heather Leicy, who went from architecture student to creative CEO with a tax-savvy twist. They talk about everything from saving for the slow season to how to talk to your CPA like a boss (ye...

When Brittany Webb got laid off, it wasn’t the end. It was the spark. In this candid episode, licensed therapist and founder of Better Minds Counseling Services reveals how being unheard at work pushed her to build the practice she never had. She walks us through the fears, freedom, and false starts of launching a virtual private practice while still employed. We talk real numbers (spoiler: it&apo...

Jessica Bishop didn’t mean to start a business—she just wanted to get married without going broke. In this episode, she shares how her personal wedding blog turned into The Budget Savvy Bride , one of the most trusted wedding resources on the internet. Jessica gets real about what it means to serve two totally different audiences (engaged couples and wedding vendors), why transparency around prici...

What happens when a stay-at-home mom turns a babysitting gap into a thriving, multi-brand business? Beth Heyer is the founder and CEO of Babysitting Connection, a Texas-based service with over 300 vetted sitters and 700 monthly subscribers. She’s also the creator of Pet Sitting Connection and the nonprofit BC Gives Back—all while solo parenting and scaling her team across the state. In this episod...

What if the thing keeping you stuck isn’t lack of time—but your inability to let go? In this episode of the Accidental CEO podcast, I sit down with the brilliant (and very real) Tressa Beheim , founder of Simplify Now. She’s the strategic brain and online business manager behind countless creative entrepreneurs—helping them stop drowning in the daily chaos and finally run their business with clari...

Time management is not about squeezing more into your day — it’s about doing the right things at the right time. In this episode, Nata Salvatori reveals her personal system for running multiple businesses without living in overwhelm. You’ll hear why delegation is the first step in her process, how she keeps track of every recurring task, and the exact method she uses to match her daily to-do list...

In a world that’s constantly online, are we losing what it means to truly connect?  This week, Nata sits down with Sam and Elliot Archuleta, hosts of Something More Human and creators of the Return to Real Life event series—a growing movement that invites people to put down their phones and rediscover authentic human interaction. In this conversation, we cover: Why phone-free spaces create the bes...

How do you go from burnout in a corporate healthcare job to becoming an in-demand visibility marketing coach? Today’s guest, Michelle Kuei , shares the bold story of how a life-changing trip to Machu Picchu set her on a new path—and how she turned that journey into a thriving coaching business. In this episode, we unpack:  ✔ How Michelle used storytelling to build trust and attract clients  ✔ Why...

If you’ve ever sat on a train, in your office, or even in the shower and thought, Is this it? —you’re not alone. Today’s guest, Lisann Valentin, knows what it’s like to hit that wall. She went from Wall Street lawyer to actress on shows like Manifest and The Blacklist , and then pivoted again to become a certified spiritual coach. In this raw and empowering conversation, Lisann and Nata dig into w...