Refine and Shine with Angelina Rivera

In this compelling episode of the Refine & Shine Podcast , host Angelina Rivera sits down with Simone Knego , international speaker, empowerment coach, and author of Real Confidence , to uncover the real reason so many women still struggle with confidence. Spoiler alert: it’s not because you’re broken, behind, or lacking something. Simone breaks down why confidence is not something you’re born wit...

What if the thing holding you back from growth, clients, and confidence isn’t strategy—but fear of being seen? In this powerful episode of the Refine and Shine Podcast , host Angelina Rivera sits down with women’s visibility and confidence coach Louise Kirk to unpack why so many women struggle with being visible and how authenticity, connection, and trust change everything. Louise bravely shares h...

In this powerful episode of the Refine & Shine Podcast , host Angelina Rivera sits down with Edit B Kiss , an international holistic mentor, success habit coach, and former petroleum engineer, to explore what it truly means to transform your life from the inside out. Edit shares her remarkable journey from a high-stress, male-dominated engineering career to a purpose-driven life in holistic healin...

In this raw, courageous, and deeply human episode of the Refine & Shine Podcast , Angelina Rivera is joined by Jim Serrano , an adoptee, survivor, husband, father, and advocate who has transformed decades of pain into purpose. Jim shares his powerful story of being adopted at birth, growing up with unanswered questions about identity and belonging, and surviving childhood sexual abuse that he kept...

In this milestone Episode 100 of the Refine & Shine Podcast , host Angelina Rivera reflects on the journey behind the microphone and the deeper meaning behind this moment. What makes this episode especially powerful is the timing. The very first episode of Refine & Shine was released during a week that holds deep personal significance. It coincided with the time Angelina’s daughter would have been...

In this powerful episode of the Refine & Shine Podcast , Angelina Rivera sits down with Brian Snow , a veteran broadcaster and stage 4 pancreatic cancer survivor, to explore the exact moment he chose to fight back against overwhelming odds. Brian opens up about receiving a diagnosis with less than a 2% survival rate, navigating depression as a man, grieving the loss of loved ones, and finding the...

In this episode of the Refine and Shine Podcast , host Angelina Rivera sits down with Ryan Schwartz , founder of Schwartz Trial Law , to explore what it really means to build a law firm rooted in trust, integrity, and service rather than flashy marketing. Ryan shares his unconventional path from consulting and accounting to law, revealing why chasing money left him unfulfilled and how helping peop...

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of the Refine and Shine Podcast , host Angelina Rivera sits down with performer, photographer, and community advocate Karen Diaz to explore her journey from trauma and anxiety to advocacy, healing, and impact . Karen opens up about her experience with childhood trauma, bullying, panic disorder, and an eating disorder, and how years of survival eventuall...

In this episode of the Refine and Shine Podcast , Angelina Rivera sits down with Behdad Jamshidi to explore his transition from engineering to entrepreneurship and what it truly means to redefine success. Behdad shares how alignment, intentional risk, deep self-reflection, and meaningful relationships shaped a business and life he doesn’t need to escape. This conversation is a powerful reminder th...

What happens when a single moment of discouragement silences your passion for decades? In this deeply moving episode of the Refine and Shine Podcast , host Angelina Rivera sits down with singer, musician, and podcaster Teresa Phillips to explore her powerful journey of reclaiming her voice after trauma, grief, and years of self-doubt. Teresa opens up about how a painful experience in junior high l...

In this episode of the Refine and Shine Podcast , host Angelina Rivera is joined by Sarah Fui , a former trauma therapist turned intuitive coach, to unpack what burnout really is and why so many high-achieving women feel stuck in cycles of exhaustion, self-sabotage, and overwhelm. Sarah shares how trauma-informed healing, inner child work, and intuition play a powerful role in breaking burnout pat...

In Episode 93 of the Refine and Shine Podcast, host Angelina Rivera sits down with Tom Lyman, a men’s coach and faith-based mentor, for a raw and powerful conversation about addiction, recovery, purpose, and redefining success. Tom shares his deeply personal journey from outward success and hidden addiction to surrender, healing, and intentional living through faith. Together, Angelina and Tom unp...

In this episode of the Refine & Shine Podcast, host Angelina Rivera sits down with Jenny Beres, founder of Pink Shark PR, a woman-owned Los Angeles PR agency specializing in fintech, AI, and innovative consumer brands. Jenny breaks down why earned media builds more trust than social media, how third-party credibility shapes public perception, and why founders must take control of their brand narra...

In this inspiring episode of the Refine & Shine Podcast, host Angelina Rivera sits down with Kristen Bonkoski, a former Fortune 100 corporate project manager who walked away from burnout to build multiple successful online businesses rooted in her passion for cycling. Kristen shares her journey from crying in a corporate bathroom stall to creating a lifestyle-aligned business that supports her fam...

🔹 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Cyn Sass’s journey from elite athletics to functional fitness & nutrition Why “one-size-fits-all” health plans don’t work The limitations of traditional Western medicine for chronic conditions How stress and the central nervous system impact inflammation, hormones, and healing The role of functional testing (including hormone and root-cause testing) Why advoca...

In This Episode: Kirsten’s story of MS symptoms, physical decline, and turning to acupuncture How she entered remission and rebuilt her system from the ground up Why your menstrual cycle reveals underlying issues like inflammation, low progesterone, and adrenal burnout The surprising truth about clotting, cramping, spotting, and cycle length The Conceivable App : how it customizes food, supplement...

Meet Dr. Carl Rothschild • His journey from biology major → chiropractor → red light therapy pioneer • The early struggles of being in an “unaccepted” profession in the 70s How Red Light Therapy Entered His Life • The orthopedic surgeon who changed everything • The surprising truth: red light doesn’t melt fat • How red light makes fat cells temporarily porous • Why the lymphatic system is the miss...

In today’s episode, Angelina welcomes Sam Willing , an executive coach, speaker, and strategic partner to corporate leaders with over 25 years in HR. Sam opens up about her lifelong struggle with perfectionism, people-pleasing, and tying her worth to work — and how her mother’s terminal cancer diagnosis forced her to reevaluate everything. 🔥 In This Episode, We Cover: Sam’s early identity as “the...

Guest: Rudi Riekstins — Leadership Expert, Top 20 Thought Leader, Mindfulness-Based Business Strategist, Co-Host of The Empowered Life Podcast 🔍 What This Episode Covers In this deeply inspiring conversation, Rudi Riekstins breaks down: ✨ His early journey Growing up in South Africa in a loving but financially limited home The childhood experiences that shaped feelings of not being “enough” Why...

Content Note: This episode includes discussion of suicide and suicide loss. Please listen with care and take breaks as needed. If you or someone you love is struggling, please reach out to a trusted person, local resources, or a crisis hotline in your area. This episode is one of the most heartfelt and important conversations to date. Angelina sits down with Carla Williams , who courageously share...

Content Note: This episode includes discussion of suicide, suicide loss, and chronic pain. Please listen with care and take breaks as needed. If you or someone you love is struggling, please reach out to a trusted person, local resources, or a crisis hotline in your area. In This Episode In this deeply moving episode of the Refine and Shine Podcast , Angelina sits down with author, speaker, and su...

In this inspiring episode of the Refine & Shine Podcast , Angelina Rivera sits down with the incredible Cindy Witteman —international bestselling author, action mastery specialist, founder of Force Magazine , and creator/host of the powerful Little Give TV Show . Cindy opens up about her remarkable journey from a childhood marked by poverty, instability, and hardship to rising above domestic viole...

In This Episode, We Cover: Corree’s journey from shy introvert to entrepreneur, financial coach, and nonprofit founder Growing up in scarcity and learning to earn her own money at age 8 Becoming a teen mom and shifting her entire life trajectory Navigating medical hardships, bankruptcy, and rebuilding with intention Moving to Montana on faith and building a business from the ground up The truth ab...

✨ In This Episode, We Talk About: How to heal from childhood trauma, generational pain, and heartbreak Infertility, PCOS, thyroid struggles, and the emotional toll Her 200+ lb weight loss journey and mindful eating Navigating miscarriages, grief, and blocked fallopian tubes Becoming a Reiki Master and transforming her mental health Why she calls herself a Love & Body Mentor Breaking free from peo...

Guest: Malaysia Harrell — Board-Certified Psychotherapist, Spiritual Transformation Coach, Veteran, Founder of Blissful Life Consulting & the Malaysia Harrell Foundation. Theme: Healing from trauma, authentic identity, faith-led surrender, women veteran wellness, time/energy boundaries, creativity as medicine. What We Cover The “mask of perfection” & why high achievers people-please (and burn out)...