Gratitude Geek

In episode 331 of Gratitude Geek Podcast, Kandas Rodarte shares why the show is heading into a 12-week momentum series and what that means for the future of the podcast. She also talks about the recent Marketing Podcast Network Awards finalist news, the growth of the Gratitude Geek Lab, and why collaboration matters for women building sustainable businesses. This episode is for Gen X women solopre...

You do not need a perfect money system to pay yourself consistently. In episode 330 of Gratitude Geek podcast, I talk with financial coach Kim Pike Walters about how solopreneurs can handle irregular income without turning every month into a scramble. We cover how to know your real numbers, separate business and personal money, save for quarterly taxes, and build a buffer that helps your paycheck...

Your hormones are not a productivity problem — they are your secret business strategy. In episode 329 of Gratitude Geek, cycle advantage coach and author Renae Fieck breaks down how to cycle synch your business so you can stop hustling against your body and start building in a way that actually works for you. If you’ve ever wondered why “just be more consistent” advice feels impossible during cert...

What is Digital Defense? A few years ago, I lost my decades-old website, momgeek.com, to a hacker, and hundreds of blog posts about my business and cancer journey were gone. That was my wake-up call that digital defense is not just a big business issue — it matters for solopreneurs, too. In this episode, I’m joined by Rob Broadhead of RB Consulting to talk about practical ways to protect your webs...

What if your business could hold up — not just when things are good, but when everything falls apart? There's actually a system for that. Ksenia Votinova-Arnaud is a serial tech entrepreneur, co-founder of Le VPN, and business coach at INSEAD. She's coached over 1,100 executives from companies like Google, AWS, Salesforce, and Adobe — and she built all of it into the Weatherproof Business™ method,...

You're not stuck because you don't have enough information. You're stuck because you haven't learned to trust yourself yet. Sarah Andreas — artist, author, and PhD in Organizational Leadership — joins Kandas Rodarte for episode 326 of Gratitude Geek. They chat about how to trust yourself when you're facing a big decision and can't yet see the path ahead. Sarah shares her journey from Harley-Davids...

If you've ever thought "I'm not ready yet" or "who am I to put myself out there" — this episode is for you. Karen Yankovich is a LinkedIn and PR strategist, host of the top 2% Good Girls Get Rich podcast, and on a mission to create more wealthy women in the world. She believes visibility is how you get there — not hustle, not a hundred certifications, not waiting until you feel ready enough. In th...

In this episode of Gratitude Geek, Kandas Rodarte talks with Graham Kuhn, founder of Focus Films, about why real stories, simple video, and authentic connection are often more persuasive than polished production. Graham shares how his path from singing to video storytelling shaped the way he helps businesses build trust and attract clients. They dig into why networking works best when it feels lik...

In episode 323 of Gratitude Geek, Kandas Rodarte and LuAnn Buechler explore how gratitude and human connection, especially through hugging, can transform both your personal and professional life. LuAnn shares how she weaves gratitude into her work, why appreciation can shift your energy and happiness hormones, and how her “iHug” movement grew from a simple idea into a mission centered on community...

What if the thing your body needs most is also the thing you stopped letting yourself do? Award-winning dancer and movement coach Jenny C. Cohen joins Kandas for a conversation about using dance as a healing tool — not as performance, not as exercise, but as a way back to yourself. Jenny danced through chemotherapy, rebuilt her life after cancer, and turned that experience into a business that hel...

The business rules you've been following were never written for you. In this episode, Kandas Rodarte sits down with business coach and author Becky Mollenkamp to explore what it actually looks like to build an ethical, human-centered business as a woman solopreneur — without replicating the extractive system most of us are trying to leave behind. Becky makes a distinction that will stick with you:...

Lesle Lane wasn't supposed to take over her family's photography business. Her brothers were the obvious choice. Commercial and industrial photography in the early 90s wasn't considered women's work — and her family wanted her shooting weddings instead. She said no. And then she spent the next 33 years proving that was the right call. Lesle is the owner of Studio 13 in Indiana, and someone in her...

Do you think your story is too boring to share? PR strategist Lauren Kwedar Cockerell has spent 23 years helping purpose-driven businesses uncover the story only they can tell — and she's here to help you do the same. In this episode of Gratitude Geek, Lauren breaks down what public relations for small business owners actually means (hint: it's not social media), how to stop leading with the surfa...

If you're a woman solopreneur who's been through cancer, divorce, or a major life disruption, your body is keeping score. Chronic stress doesn't just feel bad — it rewires your gut microbiome, tanks your sleep, and quietly undermines your ability to run a business. And most of us were raised to push through it alone. Dr. Sara Love is a licensed naturopathic physician in Oregon with 16 years of pra...

You’re feeling stressed and scattered in your business, but gratitude feels too woo to help. In this episode of Gratitude Geek, Heather Vickery and Kandas Rodarte break down how gratitude builds real clarity and ease—not just forced positivity—for Gen X women solopreneurs. Heather, a transformation coach who’s used gratitude through major life transitions, shows how it fits into business as a prac...

Thinking about starting a podcast? Before you buy the mic and set up the hosting account, you need to hear this conversation. Julie Marty-Pearson has been in podcasting for nearly five years. She helps people launch shows, coaches podcast guests, and hosts three podcasts herself. She also tells people no when a podcast isn't right for them yet. That kind of honesty is exactly why this conversation...

Most women don't find out what breast cancer support resources are available until they're already in crisis. In this episode, Kandas sits down with Gretchen Awad, Executive Director of Susan G. Komen Northwest Ohio and Detroit, for an honest conversation about what Komen actually does on the ground — and how to access it. Full show notes + resources: https://kandasrodarte.com/315 Gretchen walks t...

Your broken money story is robbing you blind — and most women solopreneurs don't even know it's happening. In this episode, Bill Cates, author of The Hidden Heist, helps you understand why your money mindset is the real thing holding your business back, not your strategy, not your marketing, and not the economy. Bill has spent 34 years helping financial professionals grow through referrals and has...

Tired of doing everything yourself in your business? Airline founder Ral West shares how she escaped operator overwhelm to build systems, delegate, and sell her company to Alaska Airlines—practical steps even solopreneurs can take today.​ Perfect for Gen X women solopreneurs rebuilding after cancer, divorce, loss, or burnout. Learn non-hustle ways to automate, focus on profit over revenue, and wea...

Feeling the weight of digital overload? Kelsey Green joins Gratitude Geek to break down digital minimalism and practical technology boundaries that help Gen X women solopreneurs reclaim focus and mental health without ditching tech entirely.​ Kelsey shares her journey from tech burnout—thinking she had ADHD—to liberation through Cal Newport-inspired principles: Does your tech serve your values, or...

Have you been earning a great income in a career that secretly drains your soul? In this episode, career coach Rachel Spekman helps Gen X women solopreneurs transition from miserable high-paying jobs to soul-aligned work using gratitude and authenticity. Full Show Notes + Links: https://kandasrodarte.com/311 In This Episode: • Reflect on what actually worked in past careers • Experiment with caree...

How can a vintage reseller build real financial freedom after 40? In episode 310 of Gratitude Geek with Kandas Rodarte, Etsy seller and storyteller Kira Hartley Klinger shares how she turned a vintage fabric side hustle into a six‑figure business growth story for Gen X women entrepreneurs. You’ll hear practical business ideas for women over 40, from smarter shipping and sales tax systems to using...

If you've ever felt guilty raising your rates, struggled with pricing objections, or wondered why clients don't see the value in your work, this conversation with Paul Eric Pape will change everything. Paul is a creative business strategist who's designed custom collectibles for Disney, Universal, and The Tonight Show. After 20 years of proving the "starving artist" myth wrong, he created Gamify B...

Thinking about changing careers—or reshaping your business—after divorce, illness, layoffs, or other life disruptions, but terrified you'll just burn out again? This episode was made for Gen X women solopreneurs (40-60) rebuilding on their own terms, with zero bro marketing vibes. Former AV-rated attorney turned Work-Life Harmony and Leadership Coach Arlene Cohen Miller shares how she moved from t...

When political turmoil in Chile pushed his adopted home “into disarray,” growth hacker and documentary filmmaker Peter Murphy Lewis lost his company, his community, and the life he’d spent 14 years building. In less than two weeks, he and his wife left everything behind and moved back to the U.S. with their three‑year‑old—starting again from his parents’ basement in Kansas.​ In this conversation w...