Speaking of Phenomenal | Independent Journalism for Women

Anya Cheng , walked away from Silicon Valley's tech elite to build Taelor. Style an AI-driven menswear rental service. But her real innovation? Redefining success on her own terms. In this conversation, she shares the vulnerability, resilience, and self-discovery behind her career transition—and why sustainability became her purpose. A fresh take on female entrepreneurship that goes beyond th...

Shannon Gomes —marketing strategist, food PR pioneer, and Gen X changemaker—shares how she rewrote her career script. From tech PR to building her own consultancy, Shannon's journey reveals the power of self-discovery and women empowerment in shaping resilience through professional reinvention. In this Season 2 premiere, she talks navigating non-linear careers, the unique strengths of her gen...

Amy Boyle returns after two years with Season 2 of Speaking of Phenomenal, bringing resilience, grief, and gratitude at the heart of this season. After losing her mother and completing her master's degree, Amy reflects on how vulnerability and perseverance became her greatest teachers. She welcomes listeners back and introduces Season 2's guest, Shannon Gomes, in this opening episode cel...

Psychology meets money in this conversation with Joyce Marter, LCPC, therapist and author of The Financial Mindset Fix . Discover how emotional wellness and mindset shifts are the real foundation of financial resilience—and why traditional budgets fail women who haven't addressed the deeper beliefs holding them back from abundance. Joyce is frequently interviewed as an expert in the media and...

Award-winning documentarian and New York Times bestselling author Amanda Lucidon shares how women's stories and documentary storytelling became her tool for empowerment. From her time as an Official White House photographer documenting Michelle and Barack Obama to her work amplifying overlooked voices, Amanda reveals how witnessing—and being witnessed—transforms lives. Discover the resilience...

How do we show up for others without losing ourselves? Hillary Ebach, COO of Carallel , joins Amy to explore caregiving, emotional wellness, and the resilience that comes from building strong support systems. Discover why recognizing your role as a caregiver—whether to family, friends, or community, isn't a burden but a pathway to deeper connection and personal empowerment. A conversation abo...

Meet Chundria Brownlow, a TV talk show host turned filmmaker whose debut short "Dare to Love" became a turning point. She shares how she navigated the vulnerability and resilience required to authentically tell stories through film—and what it teaches us about creative self-discovery and female entrepreneurship in media.  INTRO/OUTRO MUSIC (used with permission)  WOMAN Performed by Tiffa...

What does a fulfilling career actually look like? Marketing strategist and personal brand coach Heather Bennett joins Amy to explore how authenticity in your professional life not hustle or perfection to unlock both success and joy. Drawing from 20+ years in brand strategy, Heather reveals why women often disconnect their personal values from their career choices, and how reclaiming that alignment...

Have you wondered how to meet new friends during the pandemic? How to navigate this new stage of "MidLife"? How to support women owned brands? On this episode of Speaking of Phenomenal , Amy sits down with Jack Perez , founder of Kuel Life, to explore how women build authentic community and navigate midlife transitions. During the pandemic, Jack asked herself a simple question: how do we...

Rachel Simmonds is a mom of 3, teacher, blogger, fitness specialist, and author. Being a mom of three children, and an educator for more than 20 years, she enjoys sharing insight into what she's seen work in the classroom from both perspectives. She understands how difficult it can be juggling parenting at home in addition to ensuring children are supported in their education. In this episode...

Chef Alexia Apostolidi   shares her radical self-discovery journey from Greece to award-winning restaurateur and founder of "The One Week Chef School" . Discover how this culinary pioneer turned career transition into creative resilience, empowering women through food entrepreneurship and purpose-led ventures. A story about choosing yourself first. INTRO/OUTRO MUSIC (used with permission...

Bhavana Jain, CEO of  BHAV , is reimagining women's empowerment through South Asian textiles and contemporary design. In this episode, Amy Boyle sits down with Bhavana to explore how her Chicago upbringing and Indian heritage shaped a vision for authentic leadership and how a female entrepreneur can scale a purpose-led venture without compromising her cultural identity. Discover the intersect...

Suzanne B. O’Brien RN , left traditional healthcare to redefine wellness as community care. The founder of Doulagivers International shares how emotional wellness, resilience, and collective healing became her path from burnout to purpose-driven entrepreneurship and how women leaders are building support systems that honor individual transformation and shared liberation. INTRO/OUTRO MUSIC (used wi...

Tiffany Villarreal , a San Antonio singer-songwriter, turned self-discovery into women's empowerment. Amy Boyle explores how Tiffany found her authentic voice, overcame the pressure to diminish herself, and now uses her creative gift to inspire women to embrace their true selves. A conversation about creative resilience, vulnerability, and the power of showing up authentically, essential list...

Welcome to Speaking of Phenomenal Podcast , where women's empowerment stories and resilience journeys come to life. For 8 years , journalist Amy Boyle has asked phenomenal women one powerful question: What's the WHY behind your WHAT? From career pivots to community changemaking, discover the mindset shifts and life purpose stories that drive real women across 96 countries. INTRO/OUTRO MU...