TOOLS for SUCCESS PODCAST

Send us Fan Mail What if the conversation you are avoiding is the very conversation someone else needs? In this episode of The Power of One, Cathy Tooley welcomes Victoria Odekomaya, founder and CEO of LiMStudios, for a powerful conversation about faith, obedience, courage, and the ripple effect of one meaningful conversation. Victoria shares how her podcast began in her garage with what she had,...

Send us Fan Mail What if the transition you're experiencing isn't happening to you, but for you? In this episode of The Power of One, Cathy Tooley sits down with Tana Thulis for an honest conversation about one of the most universal experiences we all face: transition. From retirement and parenting adult children to job loss, grief, empty nesting, and unexpected life changes, transitions...

Send us Fan Mail What if the person who had the greatest impact on your life never held the highest title in the room? In this episode of The Power of One, Cathy Tooley welcomes Kelly Marshall for a powerful conversation about influence, mentorship, leadership, and the people who quietly change lives every day. Throughout their careers in education, both Cathy and Kelly have been shaped by individ...

Send us Fan Mail Sometimes the greatest breakthroughs begin with one act of obedience. In this episode of The Power of One, Cathy Tooley shares the deeply personal story of losing the career she spent 30 years building and how that painful season became the beginning of a purpose-driven life she never could have planned for herself. After dedicating decades to education as a teacher, assistant pri...

Send us Fan Mail Sometimes the biggest transformation begins with one simple act of obedience. In this episode of The Power of One , Kathy Tuley and Terry explore what it means to trust God without having all the answers. Through honest storytelling, personal experiences, and powerful reflections on faith, they discuss how obedience often requires stepping forward before the path is fully revealed...

Send us Fan Mail Sometimes, the most powerful prayers are the simplest ones. In this episode of The Power of One , Rebecca Borman shares a deeply personal story about the moment everything in her life shifted. After building a successful corporate career, she found herself feeling undervalued, stuck, and unsure of what was next. What followed was not a perfectly worded prayer or a clear plan. It w...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful Tools For Success episode, Cathy Tooley shares a personal story about the power of one teacher and how a single moment can change the trajectory of a life. For years, she was told she talked too much. It was something she was corrected for again and again. Until one teacher saw it differently. Instead of trying to silence her, that teacher spoke life into her and...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful Tools For Success conversation, Cathy Tooley sits down with Tawana to talk about purpose, self awareness, comparison, and the journey of becoming who you were truly meant to be. Tawana shares her story of spending years watching other people live boldly, trying different paths, and eventually realizing that purpose is not found by copying someone else’s life. It i...

Send us Fan Mail What if the mistake you carry in your heart has already been forgiven? In this powerful moment from The Power of One Story on the Tools for Success Podcast, Cathy Tooley shares a story about grace, mercy, and the freedom that comes when we stop holding ourselves hostage to the past. The message is simple but life changing. You may not be perfect, but you are still worthy of forgiv...

Send us Fan Mail What if the most important impact you ever make is not in a crowd… but in one child? In this powerful Tools for Success episode from The Power of One series, veteran educator Kelli Marshall shares the story that shaped her life’s purpose. As a young teacher, she met a 12-year-old boy whose world was “coming at him faster than she could.” What began as simply trying to keep one stu...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Tools for Success, Cathy Tooley shares the Power of One book, and the story behind why she wrote it. After losing her job in November 2014, Cathy found herself at a turning point and felt called to write what educators often cannot say out loud. She pulls back the curtain on what is really happening in schools, from school board politics and policy pressure to t...

Send us Fan Mail What if your success was never in question because someone believed in you before you believed in yourself? In this powerful episode of Tools for Success, Cathy Tooley sits down with Rebecca Bormann, Founder and CEO of RB Consulting Agency and Fractional VP of Sales and Marketing for Tools for Success, to talk about the life changing impact of belief. From a mother who spoke possi...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of The Power of One is a deeply moving conversation about breakthrough, faith, and the ripple effect of a single decision. Victoria shares her journey as an international student coming to the United States at seventeen, the sacrifices her parents made, and the unexpected kindness of strangers who became family. Through her story, we see how small moments, one convers...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of the Tools for Success Podcast shares an unfiltered and deeply human story about leadership, public judgment, and faith under fire. Veteran educator and former principal Cathy Tooley recounts the moment one disciplinary decision ignited media backlash, community outrage, and national attention that ultimately ended a decades long career in education. Through her sto...

Send us Fan Mail In this closing episode, we explore how a single sentence from a teacher can echo for decades and quietly shape a student’s identity and future. Through two powerful visuals, a ripple on a calm lake and a three car train labeled past, present, and future, the conversation reveals how everyday language becomes evidence students use to decide who they are and what is possible. Perso...

Send us Fan Mail What if the words someone spoke over you years ago became the very gift you use to lead today? In this episode of The Ripple Effect of a Teacher, we hear how a simple moment of encouragement from a teacher helped unlock the confidence of a first-generation college student. She didn’t become the television news anchor she studied to be, but the speaking gift that teacher saw in her...

Send us Fan Mail What if one small moment could change the way you lead forever? This episode of The Ripple Effect of a Teacher begins with Rebecca Johnson’s first C in sixth grade — and the teacher who refused to reward autopilot. That single moment set off a lifetime of purpose, reminding her that growth begins when someone believes you can do better. From those early lessons in accountability a...

Send us Fan Mail What if the fastest way to clarity was to start at the end? This powerful episode of The Ripple Effect of a Teacher opens with that question — imagine your funeral — and uses it to uncover purpose, passion, and the true calling behind why we teach. Kari, a former English teacher turned principal with over two decades of experience, shares how an unexpected journey through parentin...

Send us Fan Mail Teachers often never see the full impact of their work. Beyond grades and test scores lies a deeper influence—one that shapes confidence, purpose, and identity. In this episode, host Cathy Tooley reconnects with her former student, Amber Fields, now a Partner and Chief Culture Officer helping organizations develop their people. Their conversation, “The Power of One: How One Teache...

Send us Fan Mail What truly transforms an educator’s journey? It’s those rare, unforgettable moments when a student lets down their guard and invites you into their world. Maybe it’s the kid who constantly pushes limits or the quiet one who never speaks up—until suddenly, they do. Whether it’s a breakthrough moment, a vulnerable story, or even just a smile that says “I trust you,” those glimpses i...

Send us Fan Mail Rebecca Johnson’s story shows the bittersweet reality so many educators face. The same week she was honored as Teacher of the Year, she also received a reduction-in-force notice. After years of tutoring struggling students before and after school, she left education altogether—only to later receive a call that changed everything. A mother shared that her once-struggling son had be...

Send us Fan Mail In this heartfelt episode of The Ripple Effect of a Teacher, Principal Kari and host Cathy Tooley dive into the true meaning of success in the classroom. From surprise emails years later to watching students grow in ways that can’t be measured by a gradebook, they reflect on the lasting impact of teachers. This conversation explores how dignity, respect, and encouragement create t...

Send us Fan Mail Teaching is fundamentally legacy work where educators plant seeds of possibility that may not bloom until long after students leave the classroom. What we say to students today becomes part of their inner dialogue tomorrow, shaping how they see themselves and their capabilities for years to come. • The most impactful teachers often teach us more about ourselves than about their su...

Send us Fan Mail What makes a great teacher? It’s not just the test scores or lesson plans — it’s the heart. In this emotional and deeply inspiring episode, Cathy Tooley sits down with Elizabeth Kissel, a school principal and former math teacher, to talk about what truly matters in the classroom: connection, love, and showing up for kids in ways that last a lifetime. Elizabeth shares the story of...

Send us Fan Mail You're waiting for that movie-worthy moment—the dramatic breakthrough where a student's eyes light up, confirming that all your educational efforts are worthwhile. But what if you're missing the real magic? In this heart-to-heart conversation between host Cathy Tooley and K-8 principal Elizabeth Kissel, we discover why the most meaningful moments in education aren&a...