Elsplend Realities

What happens when the world changes faster than we're prepared to adapt? Artificial intelligence is transforming how we work, lead, and live—but beneath the technology is a deeper challenge: understanding the human behaviors, fears, habits, and motivations that shape how we respond to change. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore the human side of transformation with Ida Byrd-Hill, beh...

What if kindness wasn't simply a personal virtue, but a powerful force capable of shaping the way we build economies, communities, and society? Beneath markets, policies, and systems are human values—and the way we define success influences the world we create. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore the connection between economics, cooperation, community, environmental stewardship, and...

What parts of ourselves do we hide because we’re afraid they won’t be understood? Often, the things we struggle to talk about aren’t necessarily the things that need to be changed—they’re the parts of us that need to be met with curiosity, honesty, and compassion. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore identity, relationships, vulnerability, communication, boundaries, and the emotional...

What if the reason people aren’t noticing your work isn’t that you need to do more—but that you need to communicate more clearly? In a world where entrepreneurs are constantly pressured to create, post, and keep up with the latest trends, meaningful growth often begins with something much simpler: knowing what you stand for and communicating it authentically. In this episode of Elsplend Realities,...

How many promises have you made to yourself that keep getting pushed to “next week”? Sometimes the problem isn’t motivation—it’s trying to create lasting change while living within systems that leave little room for your own priorities. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore consistency, self-care, boundaries, perfectionism, and sustainable success with Alicia Dupree, a Consistency Coac...

What happens when progress becomes louder than purpose? In a world of constant innovation, AI, optimization, and pressure to keep moving forward, it can become surprisingly easy to lose sight of what actually matters. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore leadership, technology, ambition, personal growth, and the human side of change with Ryan Drumheller—IT leader, Fractional CIO, entr...

How much of who we present to the world is actually who we are—and how much is simply who we learned to be? Beneath the capable, agreeable, and accommodating versions of ourselves, there can be a quieter longing to reconnect with what feels true. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore authenticity, emotional freedom, self-awareness, healing, and inner guidance with Lynda Leonce, an auth...

What happens when conviction and compassion no longer feel like opposites? In a world increasingly shaped by division, outrage, and extreme certainty, staying human while navigating difficult realities can become its own form of courage. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore peace, identity, resilience, dialogue, and hope with Aryeh Green—author, strategist, speaker, renewable energy a...

What happens when nothing is necessarily wrong, yet something inside you no longer feels right? Sometimes the hardest seasons aren’t moments of crisis—they’re the quiet transitions where the identity, goals, and life we once built begin to change. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore the deeper realities of transition, identity, purpose, and finding clarity with author, speaker, and g...

What makes someone worth following when the title, position, and credentials are stripped away? And what happens when leadership is no longer about authority, but about the trust and influence we earn from the people around us? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore the deeper reality of leadership with global leadership advisor, author, and speaker Larry Robertson, whose three decades...

What happens when you know you’re capable, prepared, and intelligent—but still feel misunderstood, overlooked, or underestimated because of how you communicate? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore the deeper realities behind voice, identity, confidence, and the “Authority Gap” with executive leadership coach Jay Alexander Poulton, founder of The Accent Coach. Drawing from nearly a de...

What happens when survival has been your identity for so long that peace begins to feel unfamiliar? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Donna Donahue, psychotherapist and trauma recovery specialist, shares a deeply personal and professional perspective on healing after profound trauma. Drawing from decades of therapeutic work and her own journey of healing from childhood trauma, Donna explores...

What if burnout isn’t always about doing too much—but about living too far from what feels true to you? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Kristy Giarratano—a nurse, senior nursing leader, certified coach, single mother, and host of the Raising Hope Podcast—opens up about her journey through emotional exhaustion, motherhood, major life transitions, and what she calls a “slow-burn reinvention.”...

What happens when the business you built becomes so dependent on you that success starts to feel like a trap? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Marty M. Fahncke—business growth strategist, seasoned marketer, and mergers and acquisitions expert with more than 30 years of experience—shares what he has learned from helping companies scale, evolve, and transition ownership. Having helped business...

What if the distance we feel in intimacy is sometimes a reflection of a deeper disconnection from ourselves? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Dr. Lori Davis, a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Certified Sex Counselor, explores the often-unspoken realities behind intimacy, desire, vulnerability, and connection. Drawing from her work with individuals and couples, she offers a comp...

What happens when the hardest part of a medical decision isn’t understanding the diagnosis, but carrying the responsibility of deciding what comes next? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Emily Boss, pediatric ENT surgeon, public health researcher, and Director of Pediatric Otolaryngology at Johns Hopkins University, brings a deeply human perspective to healthcare and medical decision-making....

What if the goal of finding your voice isn’t simply to be heard, but to be truly understood? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Rose Davidson—podcast coach, strategist, and creator of the OPAL System©️ and SHINE Formula©️—explores what it really takes to communicate with clarity, intention, and impact. Drawing from more than 660 interviews with global business leaders, as well as her work with...

What if leadership has less to do with the title you hold and more to do with the person you are becoming? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Limor Bergman Gross—a former Director of Engineering, leadership coach, speaker, and host of From a Woman to a Leader—shares lessons from more than two decades of leading engineering organizations across continents. We explore the internal shift from tec...

What if the things we build are not only meant to create success, but to create meaning? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Steven Dolan, Founder and CEO of Travelle, shares his perspective on entrepreneurship, innovation, and the deeper purpose behind building a business. From creating an AI-powered travel platform to using business as a vehicle for meaningful experiences and social impact, S...

What happens when life changes so completely that you have to rediscover not only how to live, but who you are? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Jennifer White shares her extraordinary journey as a retired nurse, brain tumor surgery survivor, and writer. After waking from a coma in 2024 and having to relearn how to walk, think, and speak, Jennifer faced the challenge of rebuilding her life p...

What happens when your life changes in ways that others cannot see—and there is no clear timeline for when things will return to normal? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore the hidden realities of chronic pain, invisible disability, identity, and resilience with Davis K Bain—author, chronic condition advocate, neurofeedback specialist, and counseling student whose life changed after...

How do we make difficult decisions for the people we love when emotions, family dynamics, and responsibility all collide? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore the human side of aging, caregiving, and senior living with Amy Friesen, whose work helps families navigate some of life’s most complicated transitions with greater clarity and compassion. Drawing from her professional experienc...

What happens when everything looks right on paper, but something inside you knows it isn’t? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore the deeper meaning of alignment with Joe Arnao, an alignment strategist whose own journey through career success, relocation, a cancer diagnosis, and starting over led him to rethink identity, purpose, and what it truly means to move forward. Through his 4W...

What happens when a real human tragedy becomes a story we consume for entertainment? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore the fascinating space between reality and narrative with Paul Drexler, author of Murder to Movies and Notorious San Francisco: True Tales of Crime, Passion and Murder. A true crime columnist for The San Francisco Examiner and an award-winning contributor to San Fra...

What if the story you’ve been afraid to tell is the very story that could help you understand yourself more deeply? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we explore storytelling as more than creative expression—with Nicolette Halladay, author, publishing guide, and founder of Inspired Hearts Publishing. Through her work helping entrepreneurs, creatives, and change-makers transform lived experienc...