Becoming Unshakable With Heather R. Younger

What does it actually take to spot the leadership gaps that matter, especially when life and work keep speeding up? In this episode of Becoming Unshakable, I sit down with Erik Dodier, an entrepreneur who describes his career as a "30-year overnight success." Erik takes us from his early love of business and entrepreneurship to building a company through decades of pivots, pressure, growth, and ch...

What happens when the identity I hold most proudly becomes the very thing that limits connection? In this solo episode of Becoming Unshakable, I share a moment of reflection that surfaced for me during a retreat I attended in Canada at the end of the year. I went there to speak, but also to listen, learn, and be present as a participant. In the middle of all the meaningful conversations and connec...

What does it take to lead with heart in one of the most demanding, misunderstood public service sectors? In this episode of the Leadership With Heart Podcast, I spoke with Billie Jo McCarley, Deputy Director of Operations at the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department.  From the moment I saw her speak on a panel, I was drawn to her clarity, purpose, and grounded approach to leading in a system that...

In this episode of the Becoming Unshakable podcast, I sit down with Neri Karra Sillaman, and this conversation stayed with me long after we stopped recording. I first met Neri at the Thinkers50 event in London, where she was recognized as a Radar Award winner. The moment she spoke about her work and her life, I knew I had to learn more. This episode is the result of that instinct. Neri shares her...

What are the signals your team is receiving from you every single day, even when you think you are not sending any at all? In this episode of Becoming Unshakable, I reflect on my recent work facilitating deep listening sessions inside organizations and what those moments quietly communicate to employees. Again and again, I hear the same response. Something feels different. Something feels like it...

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to talk about resilience as if it is a single gear we should keep turning forever? That question has been sitting with me for a while. I have spent years teaching leaders how to build resilience and how to stay steady when life shakes the ground under their feet. I believe in that work with my whole heart. But lately something has shifted in me. I have been ret...

Have you ever met someone in a fleeting moment and instantly sensed there was a deeper conversation waiting to happen? That is precisely what happened when I met Grantley Morgan at Thinkers50 in London. It was my very first time in the city, and there he was, tucked away in the corner, trying to enjoy a quiet bite before the next wave of conversations. Of course, I walked right up to him, probably...

What happens when innovation is shaping your life in ways you never see? That is the question at the heart of this conversation with Portia Lane Child, Director of Innovation and Strategy Services at BAE Systems.  While most of us recognise the consumer brands that dominate our daily world, far fewer realise how deeply companies like BAE Systems influence the systems that keep us connected, protec...

Have you ever wondered how some people keep standing even when life seems determined to knock them flat? That question lingered with me as I spoke with Dave Munson, the founder and CEO of Saddleback Leather Co., whose journey is marked by sharp turns, risk-taking, loss, grit, faith, and a remarkable ability to get back up again. This conversation reminded me that the path to becoming unshakable is...

In this solo episode of Becoming Unshakable, I invite you to join me for a quiet reflection on how our past experiences can shape and strengthen who we are becoming. I talk about my love for fall, the sound of leaves crunching underfoot, and how those simple moments remind me of the beauty of change. Each fallen leaf tells a story of what was, and each season reminds us that growth often begins wi...

In this episode of Becoming Unshakable, I had the privilege of welcoming two inspiring guests, Mary Beth Sandin and Kristina Fusella. It was my first time hosting two people at once, and the conversation felt like sitting down with old friends who have walked similar roads of challenge, growth, and self-discovery. Together, we explored what it means to stay grounded when life feels uncertain and w...

When you've led people through war zones, you learn what unshakable leadership really means. In this episode of Becoming Unshakable, I sit down with retired Army officer, author, and speaker Clay Novak to explore what happens when compassion meets combat. With five tours of duty across Iraq and Afghanistan, Clay has lived the reality of leading under pressure, where calm, clarity, and connection c...

In this episode of Becoming Unshakable, Heather reflects on a moment that reminded her what true leadership looks like from the inside out. Fresh from speaking to 13,000 nurses at the Atlanta World Congress Center, she shares how an experience that looked glamorous on the surface, with makeup, stage lights, and a long line of people waiting for hugs, became a powerful reminder that self-leadership...

Jodi O. Brown has lived the kind of story most of us hope we never face. What began as a picture-perfect life shifted overnight when she learned the symptoms she had been ignoring were signs of a brain tumor wrapped around her brainstem. One surgery became three. Five days in hospital became thirty-five in neurocritical care. The journey would grow to twenty-six surgeries, with complications that...

In this episode of Becoming Unshakeable, I sit down with Jim Matuga, Founder of InnerAction Media, to explore a side of leadership that often goes unspoken: followership.  Jim brings a refreshing perspective that challenges the assumption that leadership is the only role worth aspiring to. Instead, he makes a compelling case for the power of humility, steadfastness, and the influence that comes fr...

In today's episode of Becoming Unshakeable, I'm doing something a little different. This is one of my solo shows where I answer questions that listeners have sent directly to me. It's my way of making sure your voice is part of this conversation, because even though I cannot see you when you listen, I want to stay connected to what matters most to you. In this episode, I respond to three powerful...

Welcome to this episode of Becoming Unshakeable! If you've been a follower and fan of Leadership with Heart, you're in exactly the right place. From here on out, Becoming Unshakeable will be the new name of my show—and I can't wait to bring you invaluable insights on what it means to lead with clarity, compassion and courage. Ed Rahill's story begins with a grandmother's steady voice and a childho...

Welcome to this episode of Becoming Unshakeable! If you've been a follower and fan of Leadership with Heart, you're in exactly the right place. From here on out, Becoming Unshakeable will be the new name of my show—and I can't wait to bring you invaluable insights on what it means to lead with clarity, compassion and courage. In this conversation, I sat down with my friend and powerhouse leader, S...

In this episode, I open up about what it truly means to become unshakeable. Not perfect. Not untouchable. But rooted in a steady strength that grounds you and steadies the people around you. I share why this evolution from Leadership with Heart to Becoming Unshakeable is not just about the world's needs, but also about my own. Like many of you, I needed more clarity, more calm, more centeredness....

Welcome to one of the first guest episodes of Becoming Unshakeable! If you've been a follower and fan of Leadership with Heart, you're in exactly the right place. From here on out, Becoming Unshakeable will be the new name of my show—and I can't wait to bring you invaluable insights on what it means to lead with clarity, compassion and courage. What does it really take to live bravely and lead wit...

Welcome to the second episode of Becoming Unshakeable! If you've been a follower and fan of Leadership with Heart, you're in exactly the right place. From here on out, Becoming Unshakeable will be the new name of my show—and I can't wait to bring you invaluable insights on what it means to lead with clarity, compassion, and courage. When I began planning the very first guest episode of Becoming Un...

Welcome to the very first episode of Becoming Unshakeable! If you've been a follower and fan of Leadership with Heart, you're in exactly the right place. From here on out, Becoming Unshakeable will be the new name of my show, and I can't wait to bring you invaluable insights on what it means to lead with clarity, compassion, and courage. In this opening episode, I share the personal wake-up call t...

After six amazing years, this is the final episode of the Leadership with Heart podcast. If you've been with me since the beginning, thank you. Truly. This journey has been one of the most meaningful parts of my career and my life. When I started this podcast in 2018, I felt the world needed more conversations about compassion in leadership. I believed that caring and connection were missing from...

In this episode of the Leadership with Heart podcast, I sit down with Lorii Rabinowitz, the CEO of Denver Scholarship Foundation, for a heartfelt and eye-opening conversation about what it means to lead with empathy, clarity, and purpose. Lorii was referred to me by someone I deeply respect, and it quickly became clear why. Her approach to leadership is both profoundly human and boldly practical....

On this week's episode of the Leadership with Heart podcast, I sit down with Kurtis Strauel, Senior Director of Human Resources at Mark-Taylor Residential, to discuss the power of leading from the heart in a field that is often misunderstood. With over 30 years of experience in HR and more than two decades in leadership, Kurtis brings a deeply reflective, people-first perspective that cuts through...