Elsplend Realities

What happens when loving your children becomes so intertwined with your identity that their choices begin to feel like a reflection of your worth? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Gigi Baxter opens up about her journey as a mother and “recovering fixer,” exploring the emotional weight parents can carry long after their children become adults. Gigi shares powerful insights on letting go of co...

What if the cities of the future could function more like living ecosystems? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Joshua Harrison explores the intersection of ecology, innovation, design, and systems thinking—and challenges us to rethink how we build and live in our communities. Joshua shares how green infrastructure, urban retrofitting, and nature-based solutions can help cities respond to extr...

What happens when life's biggest questions challenge the beliefs we've always held? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Peter Zacharoff shares a journey shaped by military service, education, biblical scholarship, and a deeply personal experience that transformed his understanding of faith, grace, and eternity. Peter explores why people often hesitate to ask difficult questions about God and Sc...

What happens when faith becomes less about appearing strong and more about being honest? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Jeff Dalton shares his journey through faith, rejection, mental health challenges, divorce, disappointment, and the healing he found by embracing vulnerability and a genuine relationship with Jesus. Through his story, writing, and poetry, Jeff explores the difference betw...

In a world overflowing with information, how do we learn to think critically without becoming trapped by noise, ideology, or certainty? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Mohamed Nabil explores curiosity, intellectual humility, artificial intelligence, and the importance of questioning the ideas we believe to be true. Through his work with AIDOP and his philosophy of Enlightened Populism, Moha...

What if productivity isn't about doing more, but creating more space for what truly matters? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Dan Kurtz explores the intersection of AI, automation, productivity, and human potential—and how technology can help us work smarter without losing sight of what makes us human. Dan shares practical insights on moving beyond busywork, embracing AI without fear, stayin...

What happens when life takes you through experiences you never imagined you could survive? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Jay Setchell shares a powerful story of perseverance, faith, responsibility, and resilience shaped by military service, entrepreneurship, near-death experiences, paralysis, surgeries, and profound personal loss. Through his guiding philosophy, “If it is to be, it is up...

What if some of the beliefs we carry were never truly chosen by us—but simply inherited? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Lee Knapp explores the powerful intersection of history, identity, faith, education, family, and personal growth through the lens of his memoir and decades as a history educator. Lee shares how returning to his former high school transformed his understanding of America,...

What happens when we choose to see a person beyond a diagnosis? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Jennifer Kaufman shares her deeply personal journey of understanding autism from both sides of the desk—as an educator supporting families and as a grandmother navigating her grandson’s diagnosis. Jennifer explores the importance of empathy, communication, family support, caregiver wellbeing, and...

What happens when the life you've built around being dependable, successful, and needed slowly disconnects you from yourself? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Madeleine Eames explores burnout, identity, nervous system healing, and the invisible “good girl codes” that can keep us living according to expectations rather than authenticity. Drawing from her personal experience with burnout and h...

What if you don't have to choose just one version of yourself? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Jo Madnani explores identity, reinvention, belonging, and the transformative space between who we once were and who we're becoming. Drawing from a diverse career and multicultural journey, Jo shares how transitions, uncertainty, and the different parts of our identity can become sources of strengt...

What happens when the freedom of entrepreneurship starts to feel like another form of pressure? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Drew Dorenfest explores the emotional realities of building a business—from the constant need for visibility and validation to the exhaustion of trying to do everything yourself. Through his journey from the entertainment industry into entrepreneurship, Drew shares...

What happens when success no longer feels meaningful without alignment? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Monique Montoya explores the courage to question what we've accepted, choose integrity over convenience, and build something that reflects our deepest values. Through her journey in the beauty industry and the creation of an ethical skincare company, Monique shares why transparency, curio...

What happens when the future you've spent years building toward suddenly disappears? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Jack Oujo shares his powerful journey from pursuing a career in Major League Baseball umpiring to rebuilding his life and creating a successful business after that dream came to an unexpected end. This conversation explores resilience, reinvention, preparation, trust, and the...

What if exhaustion isn't a sign that you're not doing enough—but a signal that you're spending your energy in places that are quietly draining you? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Dr. Vanessa LaBode-Richman explores resilience, grief, burnout, emotional wellbeing, and the hidden cost of chronic stress through her powerful concept of “Brain Dollars.” Drawing from both professional expertise...

What if the chapters of your life that you once wanted to hide are actually the ones that hold your greatest strength? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Julie Fairhurst shares her powerful journey of resilience, reinvention, and finding the courage to own her story. From becoming a mother at fourteen to rebuilding her education, confidence, career, and identity, Julie reveals how our lived ex...

What happens when the pursuit of success leaves you feeling disconnected from yourself? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Shante Alexander explores the emotional cost of constant striving, the pressure of always being “the strong one,” and the danger of tying our identity to productivity and achievement. This conversation invites us to look beyond titles, responsibilities, and external valida...

What happens when the need to be accepted becomes more important than being yourself? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Kori Strobl explores the deeper roots of people-pleasing, relational anxiety, self-abandonment, and the courage it takes to set—and hold—boundaries. This conversation is a powerful reminder that healing isn't about caring less; it's about learning to care for yourself withou...

As technology and artificial intelligence continue to transform the way we work, one thing remains timeless: people want to feel heard, valued, and understood. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Cody Sturgess explores how leaders and entrepreneurs can embrace AI, build smarter systems, and improve sales without sacrificing authenticity or human connection. From discipline and consistency to tr...

What happens when you achieve the success you thought you wanted, yet still feel like something is missing? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Chad C. Betz, author of An Authentic Success, to explore reinvention, identity, burnout, and the courage to redefine success when the life we've built no longer feels aligned with who we've become. Chad shares insights from his own turn...

Pressure doesn't always break us all at once. Sometimes, it slowly changes the way we think, lead, relate, and live—until we barely recognize ourselves. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with John K. Buthorn, former NYPD Sergeant, U.S. Marine veteran, licensed social worker, performance coach, and founder of Center Fidelis, to explore the hidden effects of prolonged pressure. John...

Technology is moving faster than ever—but are we becoming clearer about where we're going? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Michael Earls, author, technology strategist, and thought leader, to explore leadership, purpose, AI, and the human side of technological transformation. We discuss what happens when speed outpaces wisdom, how AI is exposing deeper challenges within org...

We spend so much of our lives at work, but success can become complicated when achievement comes at the expense of our wellbeing. In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Dr. Jennifer Wisdom, clinical and organizational psychologist, leadership consultant, executive coach, author, and military veteran, to explore the human side of work. We talk about difficult managers, workplace cu...

What if getting help didn't begin with knowing all the answers, but simply with finding someone who understands? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, we sit down with Stephanie McAlister, counsellor, researcher, entrepreneur, and founder of Virtual Connect Counselling Clinic, to explore the realities of seeking mental health support. We discuss therapy, trauma, anxiety, relationships, addiction,...

What happens when a dream arrives unexpectedly—and refuses to be ignored? In this episode of Elsplend Realities, Brigid Kennedy shares the remarkable story behind her journey from violin teacher and mother to award-winning debut author. Inspired by a dream about her grandmother and the extraordinary true story of her Irish great-grandfather, Brigid transformed family history into a story of advent...