In The Details with Karen Allen

Motivational speaker, author, and adventurer Sebastian Terry is on a mission to do 100 things in his lifetime that put him outside his comfort zone. When he first started, his goals were more thrill seeking, but now it’s more about growth and connection, creating traditions and having a positive influence on the world. He has jumped out of a plane naked, delivered a baby, done standup comedy, and...

"If we don't hit bottoms, we can't rise back up,” says Jessica Zweig. At 26 years old, she started her first company. But went from breakdown to breakthrough in her early 30s with over $75k of credit card debt and - $100 in her bank account.  She had a true pivot moment after an experience going to her parents about a phone bill she couldn't pay. Now she runs a successful business, employing 25 pe...

Do you know our brains are actually changing and making connections when we try new things and form habits? Learning this changed everything for Karen. It gave her the confidence to own the direction of her life and take more responsibility for her way of thinking.  This week, she discusses neuroplasticity – the ability of the brain to change and adapt – and its effect on personal growth. Forming...

Many athletes are focused entirely on their sport, but what happens when they go pro and they become the business? Players now can be involved in many different industries, including media, fashion, technology, and business. Brothers Aaron and Andre Eanes saw a need and brought together their skills and talents to create a sports and entertainment agency to manage athletes.  In this episode, they...

Happy holidays! This year, we have been unlearning old ways of living and working. Being more intentional about pointing our lives in the direction that actually makes us feel alive, instead of just going with the flow.   Today, Karen is looking back on her favorite moments of the podcast this year. She shares insights learned, practices adopted, and how the universe has connected people who have...

Steele Smiley is the founder and executive chairman of healthy fast casual franchises  Crisp & Green  and  Stalk & Spade . His healthy lifestyle goes back to when he was 10 years old and started training 40 hours a week to be a pro runner or swimmer. In his mid-30s, Steele had made his first million selling his first company. Afterwards, he was sick for months and visited the hospital mult...

“A lot of us spent our lives just climbing the ladder rung by rung by rung,” says Mike Kim, speaker, educator, and consultant. “And then we realize the ladder is leaning up against the wrong building.”  Mike started as a church music director in the middle of Connecticut and is now a personal branding and marketing expert. When his business really began to take off, his personal life was in shambl...

“I grew up on television, I watched TV 80 hours a week” says Teddy Zee. “I grew up watching what the perfect family meant, with the white picket fence, dog, two kids, vacations, love and family meals. I was living in two worlds.” Teddy was raised to survive and take care of himself. His parents had immigrated from China without money or education and while they never knew where the next dollar was...

Stress is a normal and inevitable part of life. But it’s also incredibly damaging to our minds and bodies. After being a single parent for nine years, Karen has developed healthy habits for dealing with stress. Today she talks about managing stress levels before you become overwhelmed by recentering yourself, learning to embrace change and daily disruptions, normalizing rest, and being more mindfu...

"It started with losing one friend and a fire across the street from my house,” says Elena Cardone. She grew up in New Orleans, but the environment became toxic, with heavy partying, drug overdoses, tragic accidents and suicides happening all around her. She escaped to LA at 17 to become an actress and model.  Now she’s building an empire and changing the world through her work. This week, Elena a...

Why do we feel guilty for doing what's best for us? Even thinking about a different route for our lives can lead us down a guilt trip, anticipating who we might let down or disappoint. This week, Karen shares how to not get tripped up in moments of guilt that hold no basis and how not to punish ourselves for setting healthy boundaries and taking better care of ourselves. Instead of being distracte...

Michelle Poler went from always playing it safe to conquering 100 fears in 100 days. She started off easy, facing her fears of animals, driving at night, and rollercoasters. Then she decided to push herself further, doing standup comedy, posing nude for a drawing class, jumping out of a plane, and ultimately, quitting her job. She talks with Karen about living life to the fullest by getting uncomf...

We spend most of our time in survival mode, in a fight, flight, or freeze response, says Dr. Eugene Choi. While we’re not running from scary animals, we are surviving emotional threats daily. This can show up as anger, anxiety, overworking, needing to prove you’re right, or intentionally numbing or distracting yourself from emotions.  In this episode, Dr. Choi talks with Karen about building aware...

When Pamela Zapata was hiring social media influencers and content creators, she noticed a lack of diverse representation. As a first-generation American and woman of color, she wanted to help people that looked like her build sustainable businesses and get paid fairly.  Pamela went from working 12 to 14 hours a day at an unfulfilling job to founding Society 18 , a woman-run influencer management...

When Stephanie Harrison reached the version of happiness she aspired to, she was devastated. She believed that if she checked all the boxes, life would be easy and satisfying. Stephanie, author and founder of The New Happy , is redefining happiness as using your gifts to serve the world. She talks with Karen about positive psychology, bettering yourself and your community with kindness, and how to...

We'll always run into those who doubt us, or shame us for the path we've chosen—but we must be cognizant of how much space and energy we're giving to those opinions. This week, author Grace Valentine tells Karen about how she broke free from feeling like she wasn't enough, and how she pursued her purpose and her faith in spite of the criticism. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Several years ago, dealing with depression and under the strain of a toxic workplace, Shola Richards decided the best way to escape the pain was to end his life. Thankfully, he survived. The speaker and best-selling author tells Karen how he worked through self-doubt and describes the steps he took to rediscover joy in work.   Visit Shola's website to learn more: sholarichards.com See omnystudio.c...

When Minda Harts began her blog, The Memo, she had no idea it would become a bestselling book and the foundation to her career development business. Minda tells Karen about her experience as a woman of color in the workplace, how equity should show up in your company, and the beauty of diversity at work and in life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here to challenge the status quo of how we show up in the business realm is Farzana Nayani, a keynote speaker and diversity, equity and inclusion specialist. Farzana and Karen discuss the misconceptions around what a business person looks like and how to embrace your identity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Shawn Robinson was diagnosed with dyslexia as a teen. After being encouraged to pursue a mastery of language, he created Dr. Dyslexia Dude, a series of graphic novels that feature a young superhero with dyslexia. This week, Dr. Robinson joins Karen to talk about his own dyslexia journey, why the dictionary is his favorite book, and all of the unexpected benefits that come with studying languag...

Shabnam Mogharabi is one of the co-founders of SoulPancake, a media company that introduced us to Kid President and countless real-life stories intended to build community and generate hope. Shabnam tells Karen how SoulPancake came to be, why she eventually left her post as CEO and how to find work that aligns with your purpose and values. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anthony Trucks—international speaker, author and host of the Aww Shift podcast—talks with Karen about the power of small shifts to achieve a completely different outcome. He shares how he got to a place of being open-minded to change and how to take action to improve your productivity and perspective. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andre McDonnell, the founder of the nonprofit It's From the Sole, chats with Karen about the organization's humble start providing shoes for the homeless in New York City. They also discuss the importance of honing in on our shared humanity and why we need to change the narrative around helping those who are less fortunate than us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author, keynote speaker and success coach Simon T. Bailey joins Karen on this week's episode to talk about the importance of advocating for others in the workplace—and in life! He discusses the beauty of collaboration and sharing the work that inspires you; how women can navigate inequities in their career; and how men can uplift and support those women along the way. See omnystudio.com/listener f...

Ten years ago, Zakia Blain decided to take back the power of the word "fat" and redefine what it meant to be comfortable in your own body. She tells Karen about the origin of her athleisure brand, FBF Body, and how she fights insecurity and empowers other women in their fitness journeys. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.