Savvy Leader Podcast

Artificial intelligence is changing the marketing landscape faster than most business owners realize—but technology alone isn't the answer. In this episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin sits down with digital marketing strategist Autumn Gran, founder of Gray Matter Marketing, to discuss what is really happening in digital marketing, SEO, AI search, and online visibility. Autumn sha...

What happens when a company has all the right systems, meetings, and strategic plans in place—but execution still breaks down? In this episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin sits down with executive advisor and founder of True North Leadership, Kara Kuykendall, to explore what it really takes to build resilient organizations that thrive through growth, change, and uncertainty. Drawi...

Visibility Without the Spotlight: How Barb Monson Helps Women Stand Out Authentically One year after becoming the very first guest on The Savvy Leader Podcast, Barb Monson returns to share what has changed, what she has learned, and how her work has evolved into helping women increase their professional visibility. After a successful corporate career that took her from clerk to CFO, Barb discovere...

Life doesn't always follow the plan we created. In this solo episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin shares personal reflections on navigating major life transitions, caregiving, business reinvention, aging parents, identity shifts, and the lessons learned from rebuilding life after a catastrophic motorcycle accident changed everything. Through stories of uncertainty, resilience, fai...

EPISODE DESCRIPTION What happens when the promotion you've worked so hard for never comes? For Oie Dobier, that disappointing moment became the catalyst for a much bigger question: "If my job isn't who I am, then who am I?" In this episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin sits down with entrepreneur, business coach, and Bloomdocking co-founder Oie Dobier to discuss identity, purpose, entrepren...

What happens when your life falls apart and you're forced to rebuild from the ground up? In this episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin sits down with divorce and resilience coach Lauren Dittle to discuss healing after divorce, overcoming life's hardest transitions, rebuilding self-trust, and creating a future that feels aligned and meaningful. Lauren shares her own divorce journey, the less...

What if burnout is not simply about working too hard? What if the real issue is a growing "vitality gap" created by constant extraction from our time, energy, and attention? In this episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin sits down with Anne Potts, founder of The Fun Reset, for a powerful conversation on burnout, leadership, energy, self-care, and the role fun plays in building a sus...

Why do so many of us avoid difficult conversations — even when we know they matter? In this solo episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin shares a deeply personal conversation about fear, rejection, emotional conditioning, boundaries, and the courage it takes to communicate honestly. Drawing from her own experiences growing up in a difficult family dynamic, navigating adulthood as a people-ple...

What happens when life forces you to start over — more than once? In this deeply honest and empowering episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin sits down with reinvention mentor and "Next Chapter Architect" AnYes van Rhijn to explore what true transformation really looks like after 50. AnYes shares her personal journey through grief, divorce, toxic relationships, entrepreneurship, ide...

What's really holding you back from the life you want? In this episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin sits down with women's leadership coach Meghan DeFord to unpack why so many high-achieving women feel stuck—despite doing everything "right." From losing her identity after a divorce and career disruption to building a coaching business rooted in values and self-trust, Meghan shares what act...

In this powerful episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin sits down with Erech Gallatin—sales professional, business owner, and survivor of a life-altering motorcycle accident—to explore what it truly means to create value, build trust, and rebuild your life from the ground up. Erech shares his 25+ year journey as a one-call closer, breaking down the psychology behind sales, influence, and hum...

Most people don't have a motivation problem—they have an alignment problem. In this episode, I share why I walked away at the peak of my success… and what I discovered instead. For years, I built a successful career, led teams, and did everything "right" on paper. But behind the scenes… something felt off. In this solo episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, I'm sharing the real story behind: Walking...

What if your body isn't broken… but trying to tell you something? In this episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin sits down with Becka Swanson, founder of Rooted Energetics, to explore the connection between faith, energy, and true root-cause healing. Becka shares her powerful journey—from battling Lyme disease, chronic symptoms, and frustration with traditional approaches—to discovering holi...

What if the problem in your business isn't effort—but structure? In this episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast , Kristin sits down with Jacki Hayes, founder of Jacki Hayes & Co, to break down the real difference between Virtual Assistants and Online Business Managers—and why that distinction can completely change how your business grows. Jacki shares her journey from a 14-year university career to b...

In this episode, Kristin sits down with Naomi Rotstein, a business mentor for health and wellness professionals, to discuss the evolving online landscape and the rise of the "trust recession." From AI-generated coaches to shifting buyer behavior, Naomi shares practical strategies for building trust, creating scalable offers, and standing out with authentic content. If you're building an online bus...

What happens after you simplify your life and finally get your time back? You simplified your life—but what do you do with the space that remains? A deep dive into self-sabotage, alignment, and redefining success. In this solo episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin explores the real challenge of growth—not removing what no longer serves you, but deciding how to use the space that remains. Th...

From Therapist to Mindset Coach: How to Take Bold Risks, Regulate Your Mindset, and Build a Meaningful Practice Episode Summary What does it really take to leave a stable career and pursue a calling that aligns with your purpose? In this episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin sits down with licensed psychotherapist and mindset coach Ioana Chei to discuss the powerful mindset shifts...

In this episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, host Kristin Gallatin sits down with Marian Cook, founder of Archstone Workspace, Harvard-trained educator, and executive educator for MIT and Yale. Marian shares her unconventional leadership journey—from systems engineer at IBM to innovation strategist, government advisor, educator, and entrepreneur. Along the way, she developed a philosophy that has...

What if the real problem isn't time… but your mindset about time? In this powerful episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin sits down with Erica Dirkes, Time Management & Life Coach and founder of Mindful Time Coaching, to unpack the truth about productivity, burnout, boundaries, and why willpower doesn't work long-term. Erica shares how her 25-year corporate career in wealth manageme...

In this solo episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin shares a powerful story from hiking the Cathedral of the Palms trail at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge in Florida—and how getting lost on an unmarked trail revealed deeper truths about alignment, integrity, leadership, loyalty, and the cost of moving too fast. If you are ambitious, momentum-driven, and wired to endure, this episode expl...

In this episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin sits down with Sarah Becker, founder of Clear Simple Business, to unpack what process improvement really looks like —and why most organizations don't need new software to fix what's broken. Sarah, a self-described "Process Ninja," explains how inefficiencies quietly drain time, money, and morale inside organizations—and how clarity, doc...

In this episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, host Kristin Gallatin sits down with Kelly Kumler, founder of Kelly Ryann Co, to unpack what authentic branding really looks like in today's digital, AI-driven world. Kelly shares her non-linear journey from elementary school teacher to brand strategist and website designer, revealing how psychology, intuition, and strategy intersect to create brands th...

In this episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, host Kristin Gallatin sits down with Ty McLean, founder of Moneta Research, to unpack how AI is actually being used inside investment firms, hedge funds, and solopreneur businesses — far beyond hype and buzzwords. Ty shares his unconventional journey from audio engineering and music production to AI-driven investment research, explaining how the same sy...

Why I'm a Bad Salesperson — and Why That's Actually the Point What if being a "bad salesperson" is actually a sign of clarity, integrity, and leadership? In this solo episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin reframes sales through the lens of servant leadership, quiet drive, and stewardship. Drawing from decades of experience in retail, real estate, consulting, and commission-based work, she e...

What does it really take to lead with confidence in sales — especially in a male-dominated, technical industry you didn't start out knowing? In this episode of the Savvy Leader Podcast, host Kristin Gallatin sits down with Mindee Peterson, Sales Manager at MyTech Partners, for an honest and empowering conversation about sales leadership, culture, resilience, and self-leadership. Mindee shares how...