Tune In & Level Up Podcast

Who better to interview than my own niece, Amydell McClain Beardshall, mother of twins, Brooke and Bryce, on the challenges related to children growing up, heading off to college, and leaving mom and dad with an all too quiet empty nest. Our conversation will bring back memories for parents who have already experienced it and provide insight for those who will face this in the future. It is a diff...

Jack Fingerhut grew up hearing his father's stories about surviving the Holocaust in Poland. Much later, these stories were recorded by the Shoah Foundation, which was established by Steven Spielberg after he produced and directed Schindler's List , a film that won seven Academy Awards in 1994.  In this episode of Tune In & Level Up , Jack describes the harsh conditions, losses, and...

Tune in to hear Kim Rahir's story about being diagnosed with MS, then using every resource available to return to health and land at the best fitness level of her lifetime - NOW!  A former journalist, she pivoted to become a health coach and share her passions for strength training, wholesome nutrition, and healthy mindset with coaching clients. To learn more about her and her services, visit...

Priya Tronsgard founded Edify Learning Spaces to offer help and resources to neurodivergent students and their families. Pairing a student with a perfectly matched, specialized tutor is her forte. Edify serves students who are gifted, dyslexic, autistic, have ASD, ADHD, Tourette's Syndrome, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, anxiety, or any other normal divergence.  Tune in to learn more abo...

My conversation with Lee Quarrie is a window into the creative industry she's involved with on the daily:  acting, directing, producing, writing, and teaching.  What's not to like about this big-hearted, spiritual, authentic human?  Take a listen!  I bet you, like me, are gonna' love her!

What a treat to have a conversation with Lindsey Kane Leaverton!  Her new book, Not Another Self-Help Book , was released on January 16, 2024!  It's edgy, fresh, funny, transparent, and so, so thought-provoking in a good way.  Order your copy on Amazon and send copies to all your special peeps!  Lindsey was a successful touring Christian singer-songwriter for six years, recorded multiple albu...

In this interview, Glenda reconnects with her children's former youth pastor, Chad Karger.  In the past twenty-five years, Chad has held senior pastoral roles at various churches in the Houston area, but in this episode, the spotlight is on his role as a Porter at Porter's Call, an organization home-based in Franklin, TN, just minutes from Nashville.  Learning about the "why" b...

What a treat to get to chat with Candice Morris, the beautiful daughter of dear friends, Bob and Jan Challenger!  All grown up with a husband and family of her own, in this episode Candice shares what makes her tick:  being a wife and mother, enjoying dream-come-true farm life, a recent meaningful business venture, and being present and accounted for in every aspect of faith and family for the peo...

What an interesting character! Kristi J. Warner loves doing hair in the Austin-based salon she shares with her best friend.  Described as a cool shop with a "Sweet Magnolias" vibe, she enjoys using her creativity to help people feel better about themselves. In the midst of the pandemic, she took the opportunity to earn a real estate license, and she's now a realtor as well as an in-...

Tune In to this chat with Donnie Lummus, an Alcohol Recovery Coach who offers his services through his coaching business, Luminous Path Recovery:  https://www.luminouspathrecovery.com/ .  With over 12 years of sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous, he shares his recovery journey and tells what it was like before sobriety, what happened, and what it's like now.  Generously, he shares his experience...

Tune In to learn how Krista Bligh, a recent graduate from Texas &M University, is putting her Wildlife and Fisheries Science degree to use in the nonprofit she launched in College Station in 2020 -- Paws and Claws Wildlife Rehab.  As the only registered nonprofit 501 (c)(3) wildlife shelter serving the Brazos Valley and surrounding counties that accepts a variety of species, Paws and Claws tre...

Tune In & Level Up was launched on July 27, 2022, and in this episode the host, Glenda Hovenkamp, reflects on recording 38 episodes with amazing guests, who opened their hearts and shared their stories so generously.  Thank you for a terrific first year!  

Troy Moon and Micki Eubanks, fellow business teachers whom Glenda has known for many years, are fit, experienced thru-hikers with lots of stories about their trail adventures.  Tune in to hear them talk about their favorite trails, the prettiest and the scariest.  Along with recommendations about essential and non-essential gear, listen well and you'll hear what they have to say about  "...

Lisa Morlan is a young professional with a high level of expertise and an immense love for travel.  Tune in to find out just how many countries she has crossed off her bucket list.  Along the way she said yes to combining travel with service work, and she came face to face with her "why."  Combining several loves (children, dental hygiene, and travel), she has a heightened sense of purpo...

Love is in the air in this episode, as Rudi Riekstins offers a window into his own marriage and ways he leveled up in his thinking, intentions, and actions, which positively transformed his self-worth and changed his life. He shares about the power of self-mastery and how it is the key to success in an individual's personal life as well as in business leadership.  Visit RudiRiekstins.com:  ht...

Recently, it was my pleasure to write an article about Guida Yazdani for MomTheMag.com , an online publication that features mothers/entrepreneurs who are doing great things in the world.  Guida is a good person with a great big heart. She is providing a much needed service for campers and campsite hosts through her company, Campertunity. Check out the article:  GUITA YAZDANI, CEO AND CO-FOUNDER O...

Charlotte Andrews lived a life so worthy of celebrating.  Born on January 14, 1947, she passed away at the age of 75 on June 22, 2022.  Just after her birthday recently, I arranged a conversation with her daughters, my nieces, Allison McCowan and Nancy Collins, who are now all grown up, married, with children of their own.  My sister, Margaret, joined us in remembering just how loving and wonderfu...

Tiesa Hollaway is investing herself in others, professionally and personally, and she has a social media presence that is always uplifting and inspiring!   She's a great role model for anyone who is facing challenges and needs a fresh dose of hope!  If Tiesa can do it, we can do it!  She suited up and showed up in 12-step recovery rooms, and her life is better because of it!  Tune in to hear...

Kristen O'Dell has employed her Ivy League education as a Nurse Practitioner, accumulating over 20 years as a NICU nurse in New York. She has treated thousands of premies, full-term healthy babies, and regularly consults with new breastfeeding mothers while they are patients in her hospital. Tune in to learn about NewMommyGuru.com , an organization she founded to provide education and support...

Glenda Hovenkamp's daughter, Sarah, interviewed Glenda for an episode on her podcast, The Inner Space Workshop , which is featured on Apple Music/Podcasts.   This episode is a repost of their conversation on the topic of aging and facing the future with courage and optimism.  At the time of this recording, there were no plans to launch Glenda's Tune In & Level Up Podcast and not a si...

Maribel Cox is more than a hair stylist -- in the ten years she's been offering her services to Glenda, she's become a friend! In this conversation, Glenda asks Maribel questions about having a career that helps people feel and look their best and combining customer service, stylist, and management skills in her role as a regional manager for her company.  Bottom line.... it's all a...

In this episode, Glenda and her brother, Jeff McClain, talk about his lifelong passion for ham radio, how radio broadcasting made for some big adventures, including his years in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War and since then.  He's still enjoying ham radio and his work with KORG-LP 95.3 FM Radio in Cleveland, which you can find online at KORG's website: http://korglp.com/.    K...

Meet one of the most positive citizens of the human race!  Cynthia Davis is a remarkable combination of drive and tender-heart as a professional woman.  She has a string of successes as retired career military, and has been adding to her achievements in her 2nd career as a high school business teacher. This worker bee still managed to carve out time to publish a Christian devotional book, titled T...

Tiffany Wheeler is a high school teacher and Department Chair of the Career and Technology Department at Westwood High and one of Glenda's co-workers.  They have known each other for 15 years, and in this conversation Glenda asked all kinds of questions about the business Tiffany founded -- The Hive Method , which is all about decorating, prepping, and managing AirB&B rental properties, h...

Diane Daniel is a dog trainer who only offers dog training in Sun City, Texas.  She is training Glenda's 10-month-old boxer puppy, Ellie, and Diane is a bit of a miracle worker.  No doubt about it, Diane trains HUMANS to consistently communicate what they expect from their pets and reward good behavior.  So, it's safe to say Diane is training Glenda even more than Ellie. Tune in to their...