Host: Julie Riga | Episode Type: Solo Episode Part 3

What You Will Learn:

Julie bridges her college years into her early career, tracing the jobs, lessons, and life moments that quietly built the foundation of who she is today. From learning to negotiate contracts and coordinate productions to sitting at KRS-One's kitchen table and being told to figure it out, every experience added a layer to her leadership story.

Key Topics:

The Early Career Jobs That Taught Her Everything:

• Working as a production coordinator at Rack Productions coordinating video shoots, billing, and contracts
• Why early career jobs are some of the most powerful learning experiences of your life
• How each role built skills she would carry forward for decades

The KRS-One Chapter:

• Working as a personal assistant to legendary hip hop artist KRS-One from 1997 to 1998
• The broken fax machine moment and the four words that defined the job: "Figure it out, Julie"
• How resourcefulness, phone calls, and showing up became her most important tools
• Why this role was her first real introduction to entrepreneurship

The Family Legacy Behind the Leader:

• Growing up with immigrant parents: a father from Italy and a mother born in Siberia
• Julie's mother was carried through a forest as a baby while her family fled Nazi Germany
• How the fabric of trauma and learning shaped the woman Julie became
• Putting personal hardship in perspective against the weight of generational resilience

Memorable Quotes:

"Figure it out, Julie. You are gonna figure it out."

"I learned some really important skills. There is so much to be said about that job."

"The fabric that made who I am today was one that was deep trenched in learning, in trauma, and learning and trauma."

"My mother and father's life was harder. They went through war. I just went through people yelling at me and talking bad about me. You put it in perspective."

"Somehow we get back up again and we stay on course."

"Life is not a straightforward thing. It never will be and it never has been."

Key Takeaways:

1. Resourcefulness is one of the most powerful skills any leader can develop
2. Early career jobs teach you more than any classroom ever could
3. Being told to "figure it out" is not a burden. It is an invitation to grow
4. Your family story is part of your leadership story whether you realize it or not
5. Perspective is everything. Put your hard seasons next to someone else's and recalibrate
6. No matter what life brings, the mission is always the same: stay on course

About Julie Riga:

Julie Riga is a leadership coach, TEDx speaker, bestselling author, and host of the Stay On Course Podcast. She helps leaders and business owners discover their true purpose, build authentic confidence, and break through to their next level of success.

Services: One on One Coaching | Leadership Programs | Training Programs | Brand Building

Explore all of Julie's resources here: https://stacklist.app/julieriga

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts Share this episode with someone who needs to be reminded that every hard season has a purpose

#StayOnCoursePodcast #FoundersStory #PurposeDrivenLeadership #PersonalGrowth #LeadershipMindset

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Host: Julie Riga | Episode Type: Solo Episode Part 2

What You Will Learn:

Julie opens up about the college years that changed everything. For the first time, nobody knew her past. Nobody knew what happened in high school. She got to start over. And she made the absolute most of it, earning Dean's List honors, discovering a love of learning, and ultimately finding her way to a microphone that would define her path for decades to come.

Key Topics:

The Power of Starting Over:

• Why college gave Julie her first real opportunity to reinvent herself
• Making 12 friends within two days and experiencing real community for the first time
• How a clean slate can be the most powerful gift life offers

The Eight Hour Study Sessions:

• Earning her place on the Dean's List despite severe gaps in her foundational education
• Spending up to eight hours in the library to match results others got in two
• Why the will to succeed can override any learning deficiency

The Sorority She Walked Away From:

• Pledging a sorority and quitting on induction night after Hell Night
• The professor who asked: "Are you here to pledge a sorority or are you here to get an education?"
• Choosing her education and her purpose over fitting in

Finding Her Voice on the Radio:

• Becoming the voice of Rowan College on 89.7 WGLS FM
• Hosting two talk shows and a club mix as CJ the DJ
• How an internship she thought was pointless turned into one of the most brilliant series the station had ever run

Memorable Quotes:

"Sometimes that is just what you need in life. You need to start over."

"You will do it if you want it bad enough. You will do it."

"Nothing in my life was handed to me. Nothing. And so I had to push forward."

"I am here to get an education, sir. And that moment changed everything for me."

"Learning was the remedy to my problems. I could learn."

"When you start to remember what you did as a young person and you are able to come back to who you started becoming, because life took you in a different direction from where you started. This is the journey I have been on."

Key Takeaways:

1. A fresh start is not a luxury. It is sometimes a necessity for growth
2. Outworking everyone else is a valid and powerful strategy
3. Knowing what you want badly enough will always outperform raw talent
4. Purpose-driven decisions require walking away from things that do not serve your mission
5. Your earliest passions are often pointing you toward your purpose all along

About Julie Riga:

Julie Riga is a leadership coach, TEDx speaker, bestselling author, and host of the Stay On Course Podcast. She helps leaders and business owners discover their true purpose, build authentic confidence, and break through to their next level of success.

Services: One on One Coaching | Leadership Programs | Training Programs | Brand Building

Explore all of Julie's resources here: https://stacklist.app/julieriga

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts Share this episode with someone who needs to be reminded it is never too late to start over

#StayOnCoursePodcast #FoundersStory #PurposeDrivenLeadership #PersonalGrowth #LeadershipMindset

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What You Will Learn:

Four years into hosting the Stay On Course Podcast, Julie Riga steps into the guest seat to share the story she has never fully told before. From honoring her father's legacy to surviving Graves disease, from eating lunch alone in a high school bathroom to becoming a leadership coach and transformation catalyst, Julie's journey is proof that our hardest seasons carry our greatest lessons.

Key Topics:

The Heart Behind Stay On Course:

• Why Julie created the Stay On Course Podcast four years ago
• How her father's words of faith became the soul of the brand
• The meaning behind "Stay on course" and why it carries so much weight

Lesson One: The Kid Who Had Lunch in the Bathroom:

• Being bullied from age five and the identity it almost stole
• Spending high school years eating lunch alone due to isolation and illness
• The quiet inner voice that carried her through: "They do not know who you are. They do not know who you will become."

The Surgery That Changed Everything:

• Undiagnosed Graves disease discovered at 16 after a life-threatening surgery
• Being rushed to the ICU and the doctor's warning to her mother
• How her senior year marked the turning point toward becoming herself

Memorable Quotes:

"If the world falls down on your shoulders, brush it off and keep going your way. Stay on course. Have faith."

"They do not know who you are. They do not know who you will become."

"I am a person of conviction and I am a person of purpose."

"It is because of those lessons that I became the unique individual that I am today."

Key Takeaways:

1. Your story has purpose. The hard seasons are the foundation of who you are becoming
2. Reframe every setback as a lesson and watch your growth accelerate
3. Faith carries you through seasons you cannot navigate alone
4. Circumstance does not define you or your future
5. Tenacity and conviction are forged through difficulty, not comfort

About Julie Riga:

Julie Riga is a leadership coach, TEDx speaker, bestselling author, and host of the Stay On Course Podcast. She helps leaders and business owners discover their true purpose, build authentic confidence, and break through to their next level of success.

Services: One on One Coaching | Leadership Programs | Training Programs | Brand Building

Explore all of Julie's resources here: https://stacklist.app/julieriga

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts Share this episode with someone who needs to be reminded: your story is not over

#StayOnCoursePodcast #PurposeDrivenLeadership #AuthenticLeadership #PersonalGrowth #LeadershipMindset

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About David Aferiat

Fun Fact: The favorite food of David is Shakshuka, a Mediterranean dish of roasted peppers, tomatoes, and spices with eggs poached in the reduction, topped with feta and parsley, served with warm pita. He makes his own hummus.

The 3D Decision Engine: Discover, Discuss, Decide

Discuss: Follow a fast, slow, fast cadence. Align quickly on the list, go deep in discussion, then move to decision. Everyone speaks beyond their own role. Time-box each conversation with a visible timer.

Decide: Every decision is assigned one accountable owner with milestones and a follow-up timeline. Decisions fall into six categories: change a process, change a person, change the strategy, stop something, delegate it, or automate it.

Key Insights

Perseverance is the daily curation of atomic habits and routines designed to serve a future version of yourself and your business. David asks founders one powerful question: what is the last chair around the table you gave up? Each role you release creates more freedom, more capacity, and more life.

The two greatest gifts for any founder are community and coaching. Join an organization like EO or a local business network. Invest in a coach who meets you at your stage and holds you accountable to the leader you are becoming.

Memorable Quotes

"If everything has to go through the owner, you are choking what could be happening to move the business forward."

"Share the burden. That is what a team is for."

Connect with David Aferiat

• LinkedIn: David Aferiat
• Coaching Website: avid.coach

Connect with Julie Riga

• Resources and Tools: stacklist.app/julieriga

#StayOnCourse #LeadershipMindset #DecisionMaking #PurposeDrivenLeadership #BusinessGrowth

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts

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This episode of Stay on Course features Che Brown, a renowned business coach for CEOs and leadership coach for executives, as well as the founder of Easy Sales Hub and innovator of the Evergreen revenue model. With his extensive experience in scaling businesses to six and seven figures, Che shares his three ingredients for success, which have helped him and his clients achieve remarkable career fulfillment and executive career growth. Tune in to discover how to elevate your leadership game, transform your leadership style, and achieve your career goals through high-performance coaching and personal development for entrepreneurs. Che's expertise in leadership coaching in 2024, future-proof leadership skills, and coaching for hybrid work leaders will provide valuable insights on mindset, strategy, and action for C-suite executives, senior managers, and HR leaders looking to build confidence as a leader, master public speaking for executives, and develop a success mindset. By taking control of your career and unlocking your full potential, you'll be able to lead with confidence and clarity and achieve career fulfillment. Che's leadership tips for CEOs, public speaking tips for executives, and career growth strategies for professionals will help you overcome leadership challenges, boost your executive presence, and step into the spotlight.

Che's three ingredients for success are:

1. The Inner Game: The mental side of success, including mindset, belief systems, and comfort zone.
2. The Outer Game: The tactical things you need to do to be successful, such as time management, goal setting, and strategy.
3. Action: Taking consistent and focused action towards your goals.

Whether you're looking to scale your business or improve your personal productivity, this episode is packed with valuable insights and practical advice. Che's passion for helping entrepreneurs achieve success and his innovative approach to business make this a must-listen for anyone striving for growth and prosperity.

Connect with Che:

Learn more about Easy Sales Hub and Che's services by visiting:

Website: www.easysaleshub.com

About Julie Riga:

Julie Riga is a certified coach, trainer, speaker, and author with over 20 years of experience in the Pharma Industry. Julie's education is vast, with studies that include business, communications, training, and executive coaching.

Julie started on this journey because she had a strong desire to pass on the knowledge and skills passed on to her by her father, Ennio Riga, an inspirational man who taught her how to keep going irrespective of the challenges that life may present.

Based in New Jersey, Julie has traveled the world supporting corporations, business leaders, and individuals on their journey of empowerment and growth.

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Guest: Tonya Odio, Author and Founder of Executive Foundations Host: Julie Riga

Overview

What separates a passionate idea from a thriving, sustainable business? Operations. In this milestone episode recorded live in the studio for the very first time, Julie Riga sits down with Tonya Odio, author of The Operations Advantage: Business Success Beyond Sales, to unpack the systems, structures, and mindset shifts every entrepreneur needs to build a business that does not just sell, but scales. Tonya brings 20 plus years of corporate operations experience into a conversation that is practical, purposeful, and fun.

Watch the live recording on YouTube: Stay On Course Podcast with Julie Riga

The Operations Advantage: Business Success Beyond Sales

About This Episode

Julie Riga sits down with Tonya Odio, founder of Executive Foundations and author of The Operations Advantage: Business Success Beyond Sales, for an inspiring conversation on what it takes to build a business that lasts. Tonya shares her journey from corporate operations leader to entrepreneur and author, offering actionable strategies for business owners ready to move beyond the excitement of the sale and into the engine that powers long-term success.

Fun Fact: Tonya loves a good steak. A great steak is always a yes.

The Three Ingredients for Business Success

1. Clarity - Understanding What Operations Really Means

Operations simply means how you run your business. Getting clear on the behind-the-scenes systems that deliver your product or service is the starting point for every entrepreneur moving from overwhelm to confidence and purposeful growth.

2. Financial Foundation - Start With Your Numbers

Cash flow is the anchor of every smart business decision. Understanding your profit and loss statement empowers you to invest wisely, price correctly, and grow with intention. Facing your numbers is the beginning of real clarity and freedom.

3. Systems and Scalability - Rinse, Repeat, and Grow

A system is anything repeatable that saves time and energy. Tonya landed her very first client over lunch before her service was fully packaged. The lesson: messy action is better than no action.

Memorable Quotes

"A business may start with a sale, but in order for it to be sustained, you have got to be able to operate well."

"Messy action is better than no action."

"You do not need to be an expert at everything, but you need to know enough about everything to ask the right questions." - Julie Riga

About the Book

The Operations Advantage: Business Success Beyond Sales by Tonya Odio is a practical guide for entrepreneurs ready to build an organized, profitable, and scalable operation. Each chapter covers a specific area of business with best practices, implementation steps, and real-world examples.

Available on Amazon beginning June 4th.

Resources

• Book: The Operations Advantage on Amazon - June 4th
• Tonya Odio: executivefoundations.com
• Julie Riga Resource List: stacklist.app/julieriga
• Watch Live on YouTube: Stay On Course Podcast with Julie Riga

Key Takeaways

• Clarity about operations is the first step toward business transformation
• Financial clarity is the foundation of every smart business decision
• Repeatable systems free you to focus on growth and the work you love
• Starting before you are fully ready leads to real momentum and real clients
• Building a business should be meaningful, purposeful, and enjoyable

🎧 Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts

💡 Share this episode with an entrepreneur ready to build something that lasts

#StayOnCourse #OperationsAdvantage #PurposeDrivenLeadership #BusinessSuccess #Entrepreneurship

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Guest: Tonya Odio, Operational Strategist and Founder of Executive Foundations Host: Julie Riga

What if the secret to scaling your business had nothing to do with selling more, and everything to do with how you run things behind the scenes? In this episode, Julie Riga sits down with Tonya Odio, founder of Executive Foundations and author of The Operations Advantage. Together, they uncover what truly drives long-term business growth. Tonya brings a purpose-driven perspective: repeatable systems, workflow clarity, and profit awareness are the real foundations of a sustainable business. Whether you are a solopreneur or a seasoned CEO ready to scale, this conversation will transform how you lead.

The Operations Advantage: Why Clarity, Systems and Profit Are the True Ingredients for Business Success

About Tonya Odio

Tonya Odio is the founder of Executive Foundations, where she helps entrepreneurs scale with clarity, structure, and sustainable profit. With a career built behind the scenes of small businesses, guiding workflow and connecting operational dots, she developed a cross-functional understanding of how businesses truly run. Her debut book, The Operations Advantage: Business Success Beyond Sales, launches June 4th on Amazon.

Fun Fact: Tonya loves a good steak paired with a fresh salad and a sweet, tangy dressing.

The Three Ingredients for Business Success

1. Clarity

Success starts when you understand not only which systems your business needs, but how those systems support your growth. Get clear on your roles, workflows, and priorities. Move from reacting and putting out fires to operating with intention. Focus on one offer, master it, and refine it before expanding. Clarity is a leadership skill, not a luxury.

2. Systems

Strong businesses are built on repeatable, flexible systems. Operations is simply a collection of systems, the routines and processes that power your business every day. The why behind your system matters as much as the what and the how. If a system does not support your goals, it does not belong in your business. The setup takes time upfront, but the long-term return in efficiency and profit is transformational.

3. Profit

Your systems have a direct impact on your profit. You cannot just chase sales. You have to protect your margins. Audit your workflow regularly to find wasted time and unnecessary costs. Review your profit and loss statement every month. Identify which services carry the highest margins and promote those with intention. Audit your software stack too. Redundancy in tools quietly drains profit.

Memorable Quotes

"Operations is not a scary word. It is just how you run your business."

"If you talk to businesses that have scaled to six or seven figures, it boils down to their repeatable processes."

"It is not just the what and the how. It is the why."

"We were not meant to do everything alone."

Key Takeaways

• Clarity is a leadership skill. You cannot build what you cannot define.
• Systems are the real scale engine. Repeatable processes take businesses to six and seven figures.
• Profit is protected through awareness. Know your margins, your expenses, and your waste.
• You cannot do it all alone. Collaboration and delegation are the cornerstones of legacy building.
• AI is a system too. Use modern tools to analyze and streamline, then take action.

Connect with Tonya Odio

• Website: executivefoundations.com
• LinkedIn: Tonya Odio
• Book: The Operations Advantage: Business Success Beyond Sales, available on Amazon June 4th

Connect with Julie Riga

• Podcast Resource List: https://stacklist.app/julieriga

#StayOnCourse #OperationsAdvantage #PurposeDrivenLeadership #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts.

Connect Everywhere:

Website: www.julieriga.com

Podcast: www.stayoncourse.io

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/julieriga/

Email: julie@julieriga.com

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Guest: Gabriella Salvatore, Global Organizational Effectiveness & Leadership Strategy Advisor

Host: Julie Riga

Overview

In this transformational episode, Julie welcomes Gabriella Salvatore to explore authentic leadership presence. Gabriella shares powerful insights on being truly present in our hyper-connected world. This conversation reveals the deeper practice of presence - how to listen, connect, and lead with clarity even when life pulls us in countless directions. Whether you're a busy professional or entrepreneur struggling with constant distractions, this episode offers practical wisdom for reclaiming your focus and making meaningful connections.

The Art of Presence: Ingredients for Success in Leadership and Life

Gabriella Salvatore is a global organizational effectiveness and leadership strategy advisor who helps enterprises scale with clarity, humanity, and impact. She has led transformational change across biopharma, tech, and financial services, influencing tens of thousands of employees worldwide.

Fun Fact: Gabriella's favorite food is matzo brei - Jewish French toast made with matzo dipped in egg and fried in butter. She shares this unique heritage connection with host Julie Riga, as they're both Italian and Jewish. Gabriella prefers her matzo brei wetted before dipping in egg, served with butter and sugar.

What You'll Learn

• The distinction between being present (focused attention) and having presence (quality of connection)

• How digital distraction undermines leadership and relationships

• Practical strategies: turning off notifications, time-blocking, and teaching stakeholders healthy boundaries

• Why listening to yourself and others is the foundation of all presence

Key Insights

• Presence is a practice, not perfection - even experienced meditators struggle daily

• Model boundaries to teach others that constant connectivity isn't necessary

• Be present to your specific role in each moment and honor what it needs

• Quality over speed - singular focus beats divided attention

Memorable Quotes

"Being present means reducing distraction and listening carefully - both to myself and to the other."

"It's really okay to teach our stakeholders that you can wait."

"It's more powerful to be present than distracted."

"There is no perfection in presence."

Who Should Listen

Leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals overwhelmed by modern life's constant pull. If you're struggling with digital distraction, managing multiple priorities, or feeling never fully present, this conversation offers validation and practical solutions. We're all recovering non-present people - the goal is continuous practice, not perfection.

Your Next Step

Turn off your notifications for one day. Notice what happens. Then experiment with 2-hour time blocks. Presence isn't about perfection - it's about returning to authentic connection with yourself and others.

Connect with Gabriella Salvatore

• LinkedIn: Gabriella D. Salvatore

• Email: gabrielladsalvatore@gmail.com

Connect with Julie Riga

• Website: julieriga.com/lead

• Coaching: Learn more about leadership coaching, personal transformation, and the ingredients for success in life and career

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts

Share this episode with leaders who need this reminder about the power of presence

#StayOnCourse #LeadershipPresence #AuthenticLeadership #Mindfulness #PurposeDrivenLeadership

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Guest: Beatriz Martinez-Peñalver, Licensed Psychotherapist and Creator of Triumph Steps Host: Julie Riga

Overview

What if happiness was not just a feeling but a skill you could learn, practice, and master?

In this episode of the Stay On Course Podcast, Julie Riga sits down with Beatriz Martinez-Peñalver, a licensed psychotherapist with over 30 years of experience and the creator of Triumph Steps, a neuroscience-based framework transforming the way clinicians, coaches, and institutions approach emotional literacy. Beatriz breaks down the science behind why thoughts shape reality, how fear disguises itself in daily life, and why resilience is a muscle that anyone can build. Whether you are navigating a difficult season, chasing purpose, or simply ready to fall in love with your life again, this episode delivers practical tools and real inspiration to help you stay on course.

Happiness Is a Skill: Neuroscience, Resilience, and the Triumph Steps Framework

About the Guest

Beatriz Martinez-Peñalver is a licensed psychotherapist with over 30 years of experience, a community mental health center founder, and the creator of Triumph Steps. Her work bridges clinical therapy and purpose-driven coaching, making emotional fitness and resilience accessible to everyone who needs it. Over the past decade she has focused on prevention and coaching, believing every single person deserves to know how to be happier. Originally from Colombia, she serves clients globally with a team of certified coaches and clinicians.

Key Topics Covered

The Neuroscience of Happiness There is a direct connection between what we think and how we feel. Positive thoughts produce dopamine and serotonin. Anxious thoughts trigger a completely different neurochemical response. The core equation: Thought leads to Feeling, Feeling leads to Action, Action leads to Results across four life domains: Relationships, Health and Well-Being, Vocation, and Time and Financial Freedom.

The Eight Steps to Emotional Fitness Happiness is a learnable skill and an emotional muscle. The Triumph Steps framework guides clients through eight steps beginning with identifying a clear vision, building a bridge from where they are today to where they want to be three years from now, and taking one small controllable step at a time.

Befriending Fear Fear disguises itself as procrastination, avoidance, and victim thinking. Clients learn to name it, understand it, and act despite it. Something better always waits on the other side of fear.

Purpose and Service as Ingredients for Happiness People who turn their gifts outward toward the good of others discover a deeper and lasting happiness. Purpose is not simply found. It is built through intentional service and the courage to ask how your talents can make a difference.

Diaphragmatic Breathing Inhale deeply to a count of four, pause, then exhale slowly to a count of six. Repeat three to five times. This practice immediately resets the nervous system and reconnects you to your inner clarity and wisdom.

Memorable Quotes

"Not everybody needs mental health services, but every single person needs to know how to be happier."

"Your past does not define your future. Your future is designed with the thoughts of today."

"We act despite the fear. That is what gets us to triumph."

"How would you love your life to look three years from now?"

Connect with Beatriz Martinez-Peñalver

Email: beatriz@triumphsteps.com Website: www.triumphsteps.com

Connect with Julie Riga

Explore all of Julie Riga resources, books, and coaching programs at: https://stacklist.app/julieriga

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts and share this episode with anyone ready to build a life they love.

#StayOnCourse #HappinessIsASkill #TriumphSteps #PurposeDrivenLeadership #TransformationJourney

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Guest: Dr. Trisha Vinatieri, Clinical Psychologist and Healthcare Leadership Consultant Host: Julie Riga

📌 Visit the Episode Stack:stacklist.app/julieriga | All the links, resources, and key information from this episode in one easy place.

Overview

What does it truly take to lead with resilience when the world around you is shifting and you are running on empty? In this episode, Julie Riga sits down with Dr. Trisha Vinatieri, a clinical psychologist and organizational development expert, to unpack the three foundational practices of resilient leadership: self-reflection, values alignment, and purpose connection. Whether you are a healthcare executive, a corporate leader, or an entrepreneur navigating the tension between surviving and thriving, this conversation will challenge you to look inward and lead better because of it. If you have ever felt like a fraud in your own career, burned out in a role that did not fit who you are, or wondered whether your purpose is worth fighting for, this episode is for you.

Resilient Leadership Starts Within: The Three Practices That Change Everything

About Dr. Trisha Vinatieri

Dr. Trisha Vinatieri is a clinical psychologist and organizational development expert with nearly two decades of experience at the intersection of mental health and leadership. She served as Chief Wellbeing Officer at a large healthcare system before launching Clinician Care Consulting, where she helps healthcare leaders understand and combat staff burnout using evidence-based frameworks. Her mission is to help medical leaders build insight so clinical staff can do the work they signed up for.

Fun Fact: Dr. Trisha loves Ethiopian food and could live on injera for the rest of her life.

The Three Ingredients for Resilient Leadership

Self-Reflection: See Yourself Clearly

Self-awareness is the foundation of authentic leadership. Leaders who do not examine their blind spots and emotional wellbeing create the conditions for burnout and toxic culture. Research shows that 70% of people leave jobs because of their manager. When leaders commit to honest self-reflection, they move from operating out of dysfunction to leading from strength and empowering the people around them.

Values Alignment: Act with Integrity and Purpose

When your daily work conflicts with your core values, your resilience erodes. Dr. Trisha shares examples from healthcare where doctors are forced into decisions that contradict their oath. She and Julie explore the fraud feeling that arises when you live in misalignment with what you believe in and how that disconnection drains your energy and wellbeing over time.

Purpose Connection: Stay Energized Through the Hard Seasons

Purpose is what Julie calls Vitamin P and it is the anchor of resilient leadership. Without meaning, people fill the void with distractions and disconnection. Dr. Trisha and Julie share honest stories of nearly quitting their entrepreneurial journeys and what kept them going. Purpose is not a feeling. It is commitment, discipline, and the long game.

Memorable Quotes

"When leaders are willing to self-reflect and ask what are my blind spots, that is when everything starts to change."

"If you do not have a sense of meaning in your life, it is a desolate life."

"You are the author of your day."

"The light inside of you needs to come out. It is the thing you do not quit."

"Be the purpose you are looking for. The world needs more purpose."

Connect with Dr. Trisha Vinatieri

Website: www.cliniciancareconsulting.com LinkedIn: Dr. Trisha Vinatieri

Connect with Julie Riga

Explore all of Julie's leadership programs, resources, and coaching offerings: https://stacklist.app/julieriga

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen. Share this episode with every leader who needs to hear it.

#StayOnCourse #ResilientLeadership #PurposeDriven #LeadershipMindset #AuthenticGrowth

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Guest: Danielle Barone, LCSW, Founder of Waves Therapy Group Host: Julie Riga

📌 Visit the Episode Stack:stacklist.app/julieriga | All the links, resources, and key information from this episode in one easy place.

What if the gap between struggling and thriving in college came down to a few key skills nobody ever taught you? In this episode, Julie Riga sits down with licensed clinical social worker, trauma-informed therapist, and founder of Waves Therapy Group, Danielle Barone. Together they unpack the mindset shifts, power skills, and confidence-building strategies that prepare students and their parents for one of life's most transformative transitions. From boundary setting and building resilience to finding your people and navigating college like a professional in training, this conversation is a must-listen for every family stepping into the college journey.

Thriving in College: What Nobody Tells You

About the Guest

Danielle Barone, LCSW is the founder of Waves Therapy Group in Boca Raton, Florida. She specializes in helping adolescents and young adults navigate trauma, PTSD, anxiety, OCD, and emotional regulation through compassionate, evidence-based care. With roughly half of her caseload made up of college students, Danielle brings deep clinical expertise and real parent experience to this conversation. Her work is rooted in building emotional resilience, self-leadership, and lasting confidence.

What You Will Learn

The "Nobody Told Me" Gap 94 percent of incoming college freshmen experience homesickness in their first semester. Students arrive academically prepared but emotionally underprepared. Nobody teaches them how to write an email to a professor, how to find campus resources, how to set boundaries with a roommate, or how to ask for help. College is not 13th grade. It is the beginning of your professional life.

Julie's Ingredients for Success Find a friend in every class within the first two days. Build a study group. Make sure your professor knows your name. Attend office hours. Get involved in clubs, Greek life, or campus jobs. Every one of these actions is professional development in action. One of Julie's first jobs came directly from a professor recommendation.

The Parent Role: Guide, Do Not Carry Parents must resist solving every problem for their child. Resilience is built through productive struggle. Julie shares the story of her son Michael, who missed an exam twice during fraternity pledging and called her in a panic. Her advice was simple: explain your situation to the professor. The answer is already no if you do nothing. He sent the email. The professor reopened the exam. He learned a life skill that no parent could have given him.

Boundary Setting as a Core Skill Living in the dorm, navigating roommate conflict, learning to say no, and advocating for yourself in uncomfortable situations builds the self-esteem and courage needed throughout life. These are not small moments. They are the foundation of personal growth.

The Thrive in College Workshop

Julie Riga and Danielle Barone are co-hosting a two-day workshop at the FAU Alumni Center in Boca Raton on June 26 and 27. Designed for incoming college students and their parents, the event covers professional development, mental health awareness, social navigation, boundary setting, and everything nobody told you about thriving in college. Lunch is provided.

To register or learn more, email julie@julieriga.com or visit wavestherapygroup.com.

Connect

Danielle Barone: wavestherapygroup.com

Julie Riga: julieriga.com | julie@julieriga.com

Resources and Links: https://stacklist.app/julieriga

#StayOnCourse #ThriveInCollege #PersonalGrowth #Leadership #Transformation

🎧 Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts 💡 Share this episode with every student and parent in your network

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Guest: Dr. Stevi Jenkins-Kelly, PharmD, Founder of My Concierge Pharmacy Host: Julie Riga

What if your pharmacist knew your name, your goals, and your complete health story rather than just your prescription number?

In this episode, Julie Riga sits down with Dr. Stevi Jenkins-Kelly, a visionary pharmacist and founder of My Concierge Pharmacy. Together they explore how she left corporate pharmacy to build something new, a practice grounded in personalized service, trust, and a whole-patient approach to wellness. If you have ever felt like just a number in the system, this episode will inspire you to lead with more intention in your own work and life.

Redefining Healthcare Through Relationships, Purpose, and Personalized Care

About the Guest

Dr. Stevi Jenkins-Kelly is a licensed pharmacist with over 25 years of experience, including time at major chains such as CVS and Publix. She founded My Concierge Pharmacy in West Palm Beach, Florida after finding that most systems are built for volume, not genuine patient care. Her practice is completely independent, self-trademarked, and rooted in one guiding principle: pharmacy as a relationship, not a transaction.

She holds advanced certifications in diabetes care and collaborative practice and specializes in medication management, chronic disease support, and preventative health. She serves patients across Florida and Pennsylvania, with direct delivery and personalized consultations at every stage of life.

Fun Fact: Dr. Stevi loves salmon in every form. Lox and bagels with capers and onions is her absolute go-to.

The Three Ingredients for Concierge Success

1. Service as a Foundation True service is never transactional. Dr. Stevi built her team culture around being service-minded at every level. When you are moving a patient out of a system that has failed them, you must become the new definition of what great care looks like.

2. Trust Through Follow-Through Trust is built by doing what you say you will do, every single time. My Concierge Pharmacy proactively manages patient profiles, coordinates with providers, and connects with each patient a minimum of six times per year. Patients soon find they do not need to chase anyone because someone is consistently and genuinely watching over their care.

3. Customization That Feels Personal Concierge care is never cookie-cutter. Whether the patient is a parent preparing for summer, an elderly person managing chronic illness, or a performance athlete focused on longevity, every care plan is built specifically around that individual. Intentional personalization is what sets real concierge care apart from everything else.

Key Insights from This Episode

Pharmacists are trained in anatomy, biochemistry, and treatment protocol, making them the chemistry and treatment counterpart to a physician's diagnostic approach. Most patients never access this full depth of knowledge because corporate environments do not allow for it. Concierge pharmacy is changing that reality.

Dr. Stevi also applies a micro-therapy model, focusing on one health challenge at a time rather than overwhelming patients with everything at once. This approach builds clarity, confidence, and a genuine sense of control over personal health, growth, and life balance.

Connect with Dr. Stevi Jenkins-Kelly

Website: www.myconciergepharmacy.com Book a consult to explore whether concierge pharmacy is right for you. Service covers Florida and Pennsylvania with direct home delivery available.

Connect with Julie Riga

Explore leadership coaching, transformation, and purposeful living at the link below.

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts and share this episode with someone who deserves better from their healthcare journey.

#StayOnCourse #PurposeDriven #LeadershipMindset #AuthenticGrowth #TransformYo

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Overview

In this episode of the Stay On Course Podcast, host Julie Riga sits down with Jeff Willinger, a globally recognized digital transformation leader, Microsoft MVP, and one of the leading voices in enterprise AI and the future of work. Jeff shares the three ingredients that separate visionary leaders from those who fall behind. In an AI-driven world, the most valuable thing a leader can offer is not a solution. It is confidence. Whether you are a corporate executive, an entrepreneur, or a professional navigating change, this episode will shift the way you think about trust, technology, and your own leadership legacy. This conversation is for leaders who are ready to stop reacting and start leading with clarity and conviction.

The Trust Advantage: How Leaders Turn Complexity Into Confidence

Guest: Jeff Willinger, Digital Transformation Leader, Microsoft MVP, Director at Turn Digital Host: Julie Riga

About Jeff Willinger

Jeff Willinger is a globally recognized digital transformation leader, Microsoft MVP, and Director at Turn Digital. With over 20 years of experience in the Microsoft ecosystem, Jeff bridges the gap between business and technology. He makes tools like Microsoft SharePoint and AI Co-Pilot simple, tangible, and powerful for organizations of every size. His leadership philosophy centers on clarity, accountability, and always moving toward where the opportunity is going to be before anyone else sees it.

Fun Fact: Jeff is a proud New Yorker and a dedicated seafood lover. His ideal meal is king crab with drawn butter and lemon. When he is in a rush, nothing beats a classic New York pizza slice.

The Three Ingredients for Leadership Success

1. Clarity Over Complexity

If people do not understand it, they will not act on it. Jeff leads with insight, paints a clear before-and-after picture, and earns trust by delivering real value before asking for anything in return. Simplifying the message is not a soft skill. It is a core leadership advantage that drives growth, alignment, and real transformation.

2. Proof Over Promise

Every leader talks about what AI can do. Jeff shows it. He uses readiness assessments, fast pilots, and measurable results within two weeks to build genuine confidence. Make it tangible, make it fast, and let the results do the talking. This approach drives adoption, closes deals, and creates unstoppable momentum.

3. Reduce Risk at Every Step

Every deal and every transformation decision is a risk decision at its core. Jeff breaks big changes into safe, digestible steps and proof-of-concept pilots that let teams experience real results without fear. His goal is not to push a deal through. It is to make saying yes feel like the obvious, safe, and smart choice for every stakeholder.

Key Quotes

"Everyone goes to where the puck is. I go to where the puck is going to be."

"If they do not understand it, they will not buy it."

"People are not buying your solution. They are buying your conviction and your clarity."

"What took 20 hours in the past is taking 10 minutes with AI and you cannot unsee that productivity."

"Bring value wherever you go and you will always have a job and you will always have a client."

Key Takeaways

• Clarity is a competitive advantage in leadership and in business
• Proof beats promise every single time in business
• AI is not optional for organizations that want to grow and stay relevant
• The human edge in leadership is real, irreplaceable, and truly essential
• Governance creates real freedom, not limits, when built well

Connect with Jeff Willinger

LinkedIn: Jeff Willinger Instagram: @TheRealJWillie Company: Turn Digital

Connect with Julie Riga

Explore all resources, tools, and episode links at: https://stacklist.app/julieriga

#Leadership #DigitalTransformation #AILeadership #StayOnCourse #Transformation

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In this episode, you'll learn the three types of clients (Insta-clients, slow cookers, and super slow cookers), why "at the thing you always offer the next thing," and how to leave every audience more uplifted than when they arrived. Caterina shares her proven strategies for building profitable retreat experiences, the importance of follow-up conversations, and why monthly virtual workshops should be standard operating procedure for every entrepreneur.

Whether you're looking to accelerate client acquisition, build deeper relationships with your audience, or create transformational retreat experiences, this episode delivers actionable insights for women entrepreneurs and service-based business owners ready to turn their speaking into a client-generation machine.

Connect with Caterina: https://caterinarando.com

To learn more about Julie Riga and her mission to help you stay on course and lead with confidence and clarity, visit:

🌐 www.julieriga.com

🌟 Explore transformative coaching sessions at www.beforeilead.com

🔗 Connect with me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/julieriga

I'm Julie Riga—a leadership coach, speaker, certified trainer, author, voice actor, and proud host of the Stay On Course podcast. With over 20 years of experience in the pharma, biotech, and life sciences industries, I specialize in empowering high-achieving professionals to lead with clarity, purpose, and resilience.

I work with:

• CEOs, Founders, and Executives who want to lead with authenticity and impact
• C-suite leaders and senior managers looking to improve executive presence and public speaking
• Entrepreneurs and business owners navigating growth, leadership challenges, and career fulfillment
• HR and operations leaders seeking strategic development tools and confidence coaching

Many of my clients come to me when they feel stuck, overwhelmed, or out of alignment. They’re looking to:

• Boost leadership clarity and overcome self-doubt
• Develop executive presence and master public speaking
• Reignite their purpose and unlock their full potential
• Balance career ambition with personal fulfillment
• Stay resilient in high-pressure environments

Whether you're a tech founder, a service-based business owner, or a corporate executive ready to elevate your leadership game, my programs—including Before I Lead, Before I Speak, Before I Sell, and Before I Calendar—are designed to help you take action, grow sustainably, and leave a lasting legacy.

Discover your purpose. Stay on Course. Leave a Legacy.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Guest: Mitch Abel, Founder of Investment Current Host: Julie Riga

What if losing $150,000 was the beginning of your greatest financial breakthrough?

Mitch Abel retired in 2015 and lost $150,000 in his first six months of trading. His partner Diana looked at him and said two words: "Keep going." Six months later, he made it all back. Today, over 250 students have come through his program at Investment Current. This episode walks you through exactly how a complete beginner gets started in trading the right way, from opening your first account to building the plan that protects you from yourself. If you have ever wanted to take control of your financial future but did not know where to start, this is your recipe.

From Zero to Trader: The Beginner's Blueprint for Financial Freedom

About This Episode

Julie Riga sits down with Mitch Abel, founder of Investment Current, a purpose-driven trading education platform that has helped over 250 students build financial freedom and generational wealth. Mitch is a living example of resilience and transformation. After retiring, he lost $150,000 in his first six months and came back stronger than ever. This episode is your step-by-step guide to starting your trading journey with clarity, confidence, and a strong foundation.

Guest Background

Mitch Abel is the founder of Investment Current, an options trading education community built for complete beginners. His platform includes a 100 percent interactive live trading room, a 12-week curriculum, weekly faculty office hours, and personal mentorship. No trader has to face this journey alone.

Fun Fact: Mitch loves a hot pastrami sandwich on rye with coleslaw, sauerkraut, and pickled tomatoes.

The Three Ingredients for Trading Success

Foundation: You can begin with as little as $2,000 to $10,000. The 10 percent portfolio rule means you never risk more than 10 percent of your total capital on a single trade. New government rules now allow pattern day trading inside self-directed IRAs and 401k accounts, making this journey accessible to almost anyone.

Education: Learn the language of the market before risking a single dollar. Investment Current offers a 6-week foundational program followed by a 12-week course with video lessons, written takeaways, quizzes, homework, and live faculty office hours. All beginners start with paper trading, simulated trading with no real money, for a minimum of six months before moving to live capital.

Strategy: Write your personal trading plan. Define your entry rules, exit rules, stop loss rules, and profit targets. Keep a trading journal to track your emotions, your decisions, and your growth. Tools like TraderSync allow you to capture and analyze every trade in one place.

Memorable Quotes

"If you have the right education and the right tools, it is not gambling. It becomes second nature."

"We do not want you to fail. The only way to win is to start off slowly."

"Trading will bring out every emotion you have ever had. You do not want to be alone on this journey."

Real Student Results

Students made $4,500 in a single day with a 40.63 percent return on capital. One student made $280 in 34 seconds. Five focused trades per day can generate over $1,000 in earnings within just a few hours.

Next Steps

Visit investmentcurrent.com and join the free 7-day trading room trial. See the strategy in action, experience the community, and decide whether this is the next chapter of your journey toward financial freedom and legacy building.

Connect with Mitch Abel Website: www.investmentcurrent.com

Connect with Julie Riga

Website: julieriga.com/lead

Stacklist: https://stacklist.app/julieriga

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen. Share with someone ready to take control of their financial future.

#StayOnCourse #Leadership #Transformation #LegacyBuilding #FinancialFreedom

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Guest: Anthony Greiter, Founder of Agent, Technical Translator and Presentation Coach Host: Julie Riga, Leadership Coach and Founder of the Stay On Course Podcast

📌 Visit the Episode Stack:stacklist.app/julieriga | All the links, resources, and key information from this episode in one easy place.

Overview

Most scientific experts believe their data is the main event. But Anthony Greiter, founder of Agent and self-described technical translator, is on a mission to flip that thinking. In this episode of the Stay On Course Podcast, Anthony joins host Julie Riga to reveal why your technical brilliance is just the foundation and how true transformation happens when you lead with your humanity. Whether you are a researcher or tech innovator, this episode will challenge you to step out of data mode and into your authentic leadership presence. Data informs. Human connection transforms.

Why Your Data Is Not the Star of the Show: The Human Science of Powerful Presentations

About This Episode

Anthony Greiter is on a mission to rescue scientific brilliance from the graveyard of boring, data-heavy presentations. In this conversation with host Julie Riga, he breaks down the three essential ingredients that transform a forgettable talk into a meaningful, lasting experience. If you are a researcher, healthcare professional, or tech innovator, this episode will shift the way you approach every future presentation.

Guest Background

Anthony Greiter is the founder of Agent, a coaching platform designed to help scientific and technical experts become powerful, purpose-driven communicators. A self-described technical translator, he holds a degree in French, a background that shaped his philosophy on invisible foundations and the art of communicating complex ideas with clarity and heart. He works with researchers, healthcare professionals, and innovators across the world.

Fun Fact: Anthony reaches for buffalo wings every time, but only with blue cheese dip.

The Three Ingredients for Presentation Success

1. The Mirepoix: Your Technical Foundation Your data and expertise are the essential base, much like the French culinary mirepoix of carrots, celery, and onion. This foundation earns you a seat at the table and builds your credibility with peers. But just as mirepoix is never served as the main course, your technical brilliance should support your message without stealing the spotlight.

2. The Main Course: Your Human Voice The real star of every presentation is you. Your perspective, your purpose, and your authentic leadership presence are what connect with audiences on a human level. When researchers lead with personality and speak to why their work matters, that is when true human connection and transformation happen.

3. The Plating: Visual Delivery Even the best content fails when delivered poorly. Slides are for the audience, not for the speaker. Avoid walls of text and do not use your slides as a script. Visuals should complement your message and elevate your presence on stage.

Key Insights

• Scientific professionals are trained to prove their worth through data. But when you shift from proving to influencing, everything changes.
• Half of any audience takes in information through stories and big-picture thinking. The other half processes through logic and data. The most impactful presentations speak to both.
• Every presentation must have a clear call to action. If you have not moved your audience to do something, the talk is not yet complete.

Memorable Quote

"Data informs. Human connection transforms."

Connect with Anthony Greiter

• LinkedIn: Anthony Greiter
• Website: www.learnwithagent.com

Connect with Julie Riga

• Podcast: Stay On Course, available wherever you listen to podcasts

#StayOnCourse #LeadershipMindset #AuthenticLeadership #BeforeISpeak #TransformativeLeadership

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Guest: Allister Frost | Host: Julie Riga

Join Julie Riga as she sits down with Allister Frost, global keynote speaker, award-winning author, and former Microsoft leader, to explore what it means to build a future-ready mindset in a world of constant transformation.

With over 10 years of leadership experience and a passion for helping professionals break free from change fatigue, Allister shares the purpose-driven framework that helps leaders find clarity, embrace growth, and step boldly into meaningful work—even when the world feels overwhelming.

What You'll Learn:

• How personal mission drives authentic leadership, confidence, and career fulfillment in times of change
• Why focused learning (not multitasking) is the key to professional growth and transformation
• The power of curiosity as a human superpower that AI can't replicate
• How to align your purpose, values, and vision to create lasting legacy and impact
• The FROST Growth Cycle: A five-step framework for evolving through constant transformation

Featured Quotes:

"What got you here will not get you to where you need to be—but that is a change."

"I used to think my company employs me to do a job. The day I realized I employ my company to allow me to do amazing things—everything changed."

"Your personal mission is everything—it's why you show up, what gives you energy, what anchors you into the moment."

"If something works, it's already obsolete. Everything can be improved."

Connect with Allister Frost:

• Website: readyalready.me
• Book: ReadyAlready – Available wherever books are sold

Listen to Stay On Course with Julie Riga wherever you get your podcasts and discover how to lead with purpose, build a future-ready mindset, and create your legacy through intentional living and continuous growth.

To learn more about Julie Riga and her mission to help you stay on course and lead with confidence and clarity, visit:

🌐 www.julieriga.com

🌟 Explore transformative coaching sessions at www.beforeilead.com

🔗 Connect with me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/julieriga

I'm Julie Riga—a leadership coach, speaker, certified trainer, author, voice actor, and proud host of the Stay On Course podcast. With over 20 years of experience in the pharma, biotech, and life sciences industries, I specialize in empowering high-achieving professionals to lead with clarity, purpose, and resilience.

I work with:

• CEOs, Founders, and Executives who want to lead with authenticity and impact
• C-suite leaders and senior managers looking to improve executive presence and public speaking
• Entrepreneurs and business owners navigating growth, leadership challenges, and career fulfillment
• HR and operations leaders seeking strategic development tools and confidence coaching

Many of my clients come to me when they feel stuck, overwhelmed, or out of alignment. They’re looking to:

• Boost leadership clarity and overcome self-doubt
• Develop executive presence and master public speaking
• Reignite their purpose and unlock their full potential
• Balance career ambition with personal fulfillment
• Stay resilient in high-pressure environments

Whether you're a tech founder, a service-based business owner, or a corporate executive ready to elevate your leadership game, my programs—including Before I Lead, Before I Speak, Before I Sell, and Before I Calendar—are designed to help you take action, grow sustainably, and leave a lasting legacy.

Discover your purpose. Stay on Course. Leave a Legacy.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Guest: Brandon Lee, Business Alignment Coach and Founder of Build By Design Host: Julie Riga Podcast: Stay On Course Podcast

📌 Visit the Episode Stack — All the links, resources, and key information from this episode in one easy place.

Overview

What if the real reason your business is not growing is not your strategy or your sales pitch? What if it is you, operating in the wrong role? In this episode of the Stay On Course Podcast, host Julie Riga sits down with entrepreneur Brandon Lee, who built a company to 18 million dollars and sold it to private equity. His secret was not hustle. It was one coaching question that changed how he showed up as a leader. Brandon now helps business owners stop letting their companies run them and start designing roles that fuel energy, ignite teams, and position them for profitable exits through his Build By Design system.

Stop Letting Your Business Own You: The Role Alignment Secret Behind an $18M Exit

About the Guest

Brandon Lee is a multi-exit entrepreneur and business alignment coach. He has sold three companies and shut down two. His defining success was scaling a company to 18 million dollars and exiting through private equity. He is the creator of Build By Design, a three-phase system centered on leadership, role alignment, and culture.

Fun Fact: Brandon loves Mexican food. His go-to is a carne asada street taco with cilantro, onions, and fresh salsa. Every day is taco day.

Key Topics Discussed

The Question That Started Everything

Brandon built his first company to 2 million dollars. On the outside, success. On the inside, exhaustion. A coach in his second company asked him one question: "Do you want to own the company, or do you want to let the company own you?" That question gave him words for what he had been carrying for years and became the foundation of everything he now teaches.

The Energy Ratio Framework

Write down everything you actually do in your business. Divide those tasks into two columns: Energy Gainers, the work that excites you, and Energy Drainers, the work you dread. Most burned-out owners discover 60 to 70 percent of their work is in the drain column. Brandon calls this a ratio problem, not a role problem.

The Gap and the Map

The Gap identifies what needs to leave the owner's plate. The Map is a phased plan to delegate or outsource those tasks while respecting cash flow. The goal is a clear vision executed with intention.

The Three Pillars of Build By Design

• Alignment with Natural Wiring: Design your role around your strengths using tools like Myers-Briggs
• Leadership and Team Design: Help your team write the job descriptions they actually want and build around those
• Culture and Sustainable Growth: Create shared language, reduce conflict, and build a business that runs without you as the bottleneck

Key Quotes

"Do you want to own the company, or do you want to let the company own you?"

"You do not have a role problem. You have a ratio problem in your work."

"People first is not soft. It is the best business strategy you can make for growth."

"Work should be fun. If we find alignment, it should be fun."

Key Takeaways

• Fix the role before optimizing the business model
• Your calendar is your real job description, not your title
• Role misalignment costs 7 to 15 percent of annual revenue per McKinsey
• A business that runs without you as the bottleneck is more valuable and sellable
• Leading from a full place transforms your team, your family, and your results

Free Resource

Brandon offers a free 15-minute assessment at brandonlee.me to help owners calculate their energy ratio. Most people experience immediate clarity upon completing it.

Connect to Brandon Lee

Website: brandonlee.me

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts

Share this episode with every business owner ready to lead from alignment

#StayOnCourse #PurposeDrivenLeadership #BusinessAlignment #LeadershipM

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Guest: Matt Paradise, Author, Financial Wellness Speaker and Liver Transplant Survivor Host: Julie Riga

📌 Visit the Episode Stack: stacklist.app/julieriga | All the links, resources, and key information from this episode in one easy place.

From homeless teenager to award-winning author, Matt Paradise has empowered over 100,000 people to transform their relationship with money. As a liver transplant survivor and author of Financially Capable, Matt brings lived experience and expertise to this essential conversation. Host Julie Riga and Matt explore the emotional roots of money stress, the power of mindset, and the three core ingredients every leader needs to build whole health wealth and stay on course.

Whole Health Wealth: The Money Mindset Shift That Changes Everything

About the Episode

Matt went from homeless teenager to Board of Directors member of the Forbes number one top credit counseling agency. He is a trusted voice at Fidelity, Harvard University, and Mass General Hospital. His message: your money story began long before your first paycheck. Guilt, shame, and scarcity are not signs of failure. They are signals that deserve to be understood. This episode is about purpose, clarity, and the mindset shift that makes real financial wellness possible.

Guest Background

Matt Paradise is a financial wellness speaker, award-winning author, and liver transplant survivor with over 25 years in financial education. He has spoken at Fidelity, Harvard University, and Mass General Hospital. His favorite food is unagi, roasted eel in teriyaki glaze, a choice shaped by life as a transplant survivor who cannot eat raw fish.

The Three Ingredients for Whole Health Wealth

1. Stability Before Strategy Secure the foundation before chasing growth. Financial stress costs employers 1.1 trillion dollars per year in lost productivity. Leaders plan for the future while the foundation beneath them is still unstable. Fixing foundations before outcomes is not a step backward. It is the only sustainable path forward.

2. Hope with Structure Hope is the engine of forward momentum. As a homeless teenager not certain he would see age twenty, Matt learned that hope alone is not a plan. Structure, mentorship, and action transform hope into real results. Hope without structure is fantasy. Structure without hope is burnout.

3. Reduce the Noise The world is overloaded with AI tools, subscriptions, and digital input. Mental clarity is one of the most powerful leadership advantages available. The clearer the mind, the stronger the decisions. Matt encourages listeners to audit what they consume, who they listen to, and what they pay for. Less noise means more aligned leadership.

Key Insights

• First money memories shape financial behavior and leadership decisions into adulthood
• Guilt and shame are the most common emotions tied to money at any income level
• Scarcity is a mindset, not a bank balance
• Financial stress reduces human capacity and increases risk across industries
• Gratitude is rooted in contentment, not comparison

What Matt Is Working On

Matt is expanding his financial wellness work within the healthcare industry. As a cholangiocarcinoma survivor who received a life-saving liver transplant in 2019, he carries a personal commitment to the professionals who saved his life. He is dedicated to increasing human capacity and bringing hope to healthcare workers managing compassion and financial stress every day.

Connect with Matt Paradise Website: www.mattparadise.com | LinkedIn: Search Matt Paradise

Connect with Julie Riga Leadership coaching, transformation, and career fulfillment resources available through Julie Riga.

Stacklist: https://stacklist.app/julieriga

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts and share this episode with a leader who needs to hear it.

#StayOnCourse #WholeHealthWealth #PurposeDriven #LeadershipMindset #FinancialWellness

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Lead Louder: How Storytelling & Psychological Safety Transform Team Performance

Guest: Jesse Pudles, CEO & Founder of SpotCorp

Host: Julie Riga

Overview

In this powerful episode, Julie sits down with Jesse Pudles, the visionary CEO and founder of SpotCorp, where creativity meets compassion in workplace transformation. Jesse shares how his company uses theatrical innovation, bold facilitation, and the ancient art of storytelling to help teams build psychological safety—the secret ingredient behind high-performing teams. Discover why acknowledgment is your most powerful leadership tool, how different generations find meaning at work, and the practical steps to create environments where people feel seen, heard, and valued. This conversation will transform how you think about team building, purpose-driven leadership, and authentic connection in the workplace.

Lead Louder: How Storytelling & Psychological Safety Transform Team Performance

Guest: Jesse Pudles, CEO & Founder of SpotCorp

Host: Julie Riga

About This Episode

Jesse Pudles revolutionizes workplace culture through storytelling and experiential learning. Since 2021, he's been growing SpotCorp with a mission to help teams "lead louder and connect deeper" through experiences that blend theatrical innovation with research-backed team development.

Together, Julie and Jesse explore why psychological safety—not individual talent—creates high-performing teams, how to bridge generational workplace divides, and why being "more interesting than your phone" is essential for modern leadership.

Key Topics Discussed

The Power of Psychological Safety:

• Google's Project Aristotle revealed that successful teams are built on psychological safety, not high performers
• Teams with psychological safety see 34% productivity gains
• Employee turnover costs one-third of each person's salary

Generational Workplace Dynamics:

• Baby Boomers & Gen X: Value tangible learning and practical application
• Millennials: Built social networks through work
• Gen Z: Demand purpose-driven work where their ideas matter

The SpotCorp Three-Act Framework:

1. Playful Skill Building: Games and improv targeting specific business needs
2. Wheel of Mediums: Creative expression through rap, comedy, puppets, and more
3. Spotlight Session: Deep storytelling that creates authentic connection

The Art of Strategic Acknowledgment: Jesse's #1 leadership advice: Move beyond "great job" to specific, behavior-focused acknowledgment that signals value, guides future behavior, and dramatically improves retention.

Memorable Quotes

"You have to be more interesting than your phone."

"Stories are what bring us together. When you hear someone's story, you realize how aligned you are."

"Acknowledgment is your best friend. It is your easiest tool for retaining your employees."

"We spend one-third of our lives at work—we should absolutely have fun at work."

Key Takeaways

1. Psychological safety is the foundation of high-performing teams
2. Specific acknowledgment is your most powerful (and free) retention tool
3. Stories bridge generational and role divides
4. Leaders must participate to create authentic team culture
5. Fun isn't frivolous—it's essential for productivity and well-being

Connect with Jesse Pudles

• Website: www.spotcorpevents.com
• Instagram: @SpotCorpEvents
• LinkedIn: Jesse Pudles & SpotCorp Events

🎧 Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts

💡 Share with leaders building purpose-driven team cultures

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Go Tell Your Story: How Powerful Storytelling Transforms the Way You Connect, Communicate, and Grow Your Business

Guest: Ken Fay, Emmy Award-Winning Storyteller, Director and Creative Strategist Host: Julie Riga

What if the most powerful business tool you have is not a product, a pitch, or a platform? It is your story. In this episode, Emmy Award-winning storyteller Ken Fay joins Julie Riga to unpack the art and science of storytelling for purpose-driven leaders and entrepreneurs. Ken shares a cinematic framework that will change how you connect with your audience, lead your team, and grow your business with authenticity and lasting impact.

Go Tell Your Story: How Powerful Storytelling Transforms the Way You Connect, Communicate, and Grow Your Business

About This Episode

Ken Fay is an Emmy Award-winning storyteller, writer, and director who has spent his career helping brands, nonprofits, and leaders bring their most important ideas to life through compelling visual narratives. His work has earned numerous industry honors across the world. In this conversation, Ken shares the three essential ingredients of powerful storytelling and how purpose-driven leaders can use narrative to build authentic connections and accelerate meaningful business growth.

The Three Ingredients for Storytelling Success

The Setup is where you paint the picture. You introduce the faces, places, and spaces of your story. You tap into all the senses to build anticipation and presence. For business leaders, the setup reflects your mindset, your product, and your purpose-driven why. It is the foundation of every great narrative and the moment your audience leans in.

The Turn is the aha moment. It is the pivot where your audience shifts from intellectual understanding to emotional connection. This is the moment they say, "I get it. I want this." Teaching and storytelling share this same structure. Both lead an audience toward a shift in thinking, feeling, and belief. The turn is where hearts begin to open and minds begin to move.

The Transformation is when hearts and minds align. It is the moment your audience is changed by what they have experienced. In business, transformation creates raving fans and loyal clients who take action and tell others. In film, it is the tears, the laughter, and the deep feeling of wanting to return to that story again. This is the goal of every great narrative.

Key Insights

Ken shares the story behind his Emmy Award, a documentary about the healing that followed the Sandy Hook tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. Rather than focusing on the event itself, he turned his lens toward comfort dogs, community conversations, and the quiet courage of people holding one another through grief. The real reward was not the award on stage. It was the personal messages from people who felt seen and deeply moved.

Ken also explores how the same framework applies to nonprofit storytelling. His experience with houseless communities during COVID shows that even difficult stories follow the same structure: setup, turn, transformation. The goal is always to move people from awareness to action and from seeing to doing.

Memorable Quotes

"Transformation is that moment your audience's heart and mind align. You have used the science and art of storytelling to motivate and move them."

"You went from words to feeling. That is the turn in your story."

"Go tell your story."

Connect with Ken Fay

LinkedIn: Ken Fay | Instagram: @KenFay1 | Website: belastrega.co | Email: krfcreatives@gmail.com

Connect with Julie Riga

Visit julieriga.com/lead to learn more about leadership coaching and transformation.

#StayOnCourse #Storytelling #PurposeDriven #LeadershipMindset #AuthenticGrowth

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts and share this episode with every leader and storyteller in your world.

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Guest: Dr. Lori Smith | Government Contracting Expert, Serial Entrepreneur and Founder Host: Julie Riga

Overview

What does it truly mean to show up as your authentic best self every single day? In this powerful episode of the Stay On Course Podcast, host Julie Riga sits down with Dr. Lori Smith, a DBA-trained government contracting expert, serial entrepreneur, and advocate for women, minority, and veteran-owned small businesses. With over 40 years of leadership experience and a legacy built on radical self-honesty, service, and purpose-driven impact, Dr. Lori unpacks the real ingredients for success in leadership, business, and life. Whether you are a corporate executive, entrepreneur, veteran, or someone on a journey of authentic transformation, this conversation will challenge you to lead from your most honest and whole self.

Showing Up as Your Authentic Best Self: Ingredients for Success

About Dr. Lori Smith

Dr. Lori Smith is a DBA-trained government contracting expert, serial entrepreneur, and founder dedicated to helping women, minority, and veteran-owned small businesses win government work and build generational wealth. She has mentored more than 11,000 small businesses over a 40-year career. She serves as Co-Lead for the Georgia Women Veterans Board and Advisor to the North Georgia Women in Leadership Program.

Fun Fact: Dr. Lori is a proud veggie girl. Her most cherished food memory is her mother's lima beans, green beans, and collard greens.

The Three Ingredients for Authentic Success

1. Radical Self-Honesty Showing up as who you truly are in every room, every role, and every relationship is the foundation of authentic leadership. Trust is the currency of real leadership, and you cannot build a lasting legacy on a version of yourself that is not genuine or sustainable.

2. Consistent Micro Habits Small, intentional daily actions are the building blocks of transformation. Movement, reflection, and purposeful routines are not extras. They are the foundation of wholistic wellness and personal growth. Integrate these habits into your calendar the same way physical training was once built into military life.

3. Courageous Connections Asking for help is an act of strength, not weakness. Surrounding yourself with people who elevate your authentic growth is one of the most strategic leadership decisions you will ever make. Be discerning about who you allow into your inner circle and courageous enough to release what no longer aligns.

Memorable Quotes

"We really have to start showing up from that honest place and being who we say we are all the time."

"You can still lead while you are still bleeding. You can still lead while you still need to heal."

"The goal for management should always be: I am developing you to replace me."

"Abundance comes in every aspect of life when you give from an authentic place."

Key Takeaways for Leaders

• Radical self-honesty is the foundation of trust, impact, and legacy
• Micro habits compound into transformation when practiced with intention
• Courageous connections accelerate authentic growth and purpose-driven leadership
• Accountability with grace is the mark of true leadership presence
• Your energy is your leadership. Show up whole.

Connect with Dr. Lori Smith

• LinkedIn: Dr. Lori Smith
• Podcast: GovCon Clarity with Dr. Lori Smith on Spotify, Buzzsprout, iTunes and iHeart
• Book: Rising Beyond the Shadows, releasing in May
• Coming Soon: The Readiness Room, a membership community for entrepreneurs

Connect with Julie Riga

• Website: julieriga.com/lead
• Coaching: Leadership coaching and transformation with Julie Riga

#StayOnCourse #AuthenticLeadership #PurposeDriven #LeadershipMindset #LegacyBuilding

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts. Share this episode with a leader who is ready to show up as their authentic best self.

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In this powerful episode of Stay On Course, host Julie Riga and guest Anthony Velocci, a fractional CFO, reveal why knowing your numbers is the foundation of small business success and financial freedom. They explore how leadership, legacy, and expert strategy converge when entrepreneurs finally confront the fear of finances and step into clarity and abundance. Anthony shares practical steps for setting realistic targets, using the 12 drivers of profit and cash flow, and explains why accountability is the secret sauce for long-term results. His mantra? “Do what you do best, and hire the rest”—because time is more valuable than money, and self-worth comes from focusing on your purpose. The conversation touches on how to resolve conflict, plan for expansion, and lead with confidence, whether you're an emerging entrepreneur or a seasoned corporate leader. With food, family, and Italian passion woven in, this is a motivating journey through numbers, transformation, and business evolution.

The 3 Key Ingredients Every Entrepreneur Needs to Lead, Earn & Evolve:

1. Know Your Numbers 📊

Success starts with financial literacy. If you can’t read your Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Statement, you’re flying blind. Knowing your numbers unlocks clarity, confidence, and corporate control. Your decisions are only as strong as your data—search, learn, and lead.

2. Set Your Targets 🎯

Strategy is your business GPS. Use the 12 drivers of profit and cash flow to set realistic, data-driven goals. Focus on high-impact actions, not busywork. This is where real entrepreneurial evolution begins.

3. Accountability 💼

Leadership means holding yourself and your team to the mission. Resolve conflict, have the tough talks, and motivate your people to deliver. Without accountability, there’s no transformation, no growth, no legacy.

🔑 Summary:

In this power-packed episode, Julie Riga and financial expert Anthony Velocci break down the simple, essential formula for small business success. Whether you're building your personal brand, scaling your legacy, or leading a team, this conversation gives you practical steps, purpose, and real-world tips to guide your journey. From numbers to mindset, this is your success foundation—served with a side of cheeseburgers and Italian charm.

Learn more about Anthony and his services: https://www.jvafirmfl.com/

Find Anthony on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-velocci-cpa-908168153/

To learn more about Julie Riga and her mission to help you stay on course and lead with confidence and clarity, visit:

🌐 www.julieriga.com

🌟 Explore transformative coaching sessions at www.beforeilead.com

🔗 Connect with me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/julieriga

I'm Julie Riga—a leadership coach, speaker, certified trainer, author, voice actor, and proud host of the Stay On Course podcast. With over 20 years of experience in the pharma, biotech, and life sciences industries, I specialize in empowering high-achieving professionals to lead with clarity, purpose, and resilience.

I work with:

• CEOs, Founders, and Executives who want to lead with authenticity and impact
• C-suite leaders and senior managers looking to improve executive presence and public speaking
• Entrepreneurs and business owners navigating growth, leadership challenges, and career fulfillment
• HR and operations leaders seeking strategic development tools and confidence coaching

Many of my clients come to me when they feel stuck, overwhelmed, or out of alignment. They’re looking to:

• Boost leadership clarity and overcome self-doubt
• Develop executive presence and master public speaking
• Reignite their purpose and unlock their full potential
• Balance career ambition with personal fulfillment
• Stay resilient in high-pressure environments

Whether you're a tech founder, a service-based business owner, or a corporate executive ready to elevate your leadership game, my programs—

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Guest: Deborah C. Smith, Marketing Strategist and Holistic Business Coach Host: Julie Riga

Overview

What does it really take to build a signature offer that sells, scales, and sets you free? In this episode, Julie Riga sits down with Deborah C. Smith, a marketing strategist, holistic business coach, and host of the Mindset to Market Podcast, to break down four essential ingredients every purpose-driven entrepreneur needs to craft a one-of-a-kind offer. This conversation is your blueprint for intentional growth rooted in clarity, joy, and your unique story.

Cooking Up Your One-of-a-Kind Signature Offer: The Four Ingredients for Success

About Deborah C. Smith

Deborah C. Smith is a marketing strategist and holistic business coach who helps purpose-driven entrepreneurs build simple marketing and sales systems that allow them to scale with ease. With two decades of self-employed experience, she hosts the Mindset to Market Podcast. Deborah and Julie met at PodFest, forming an instant friendship built on purpose and authentic leadership.

Fun Fact: Every morning, Deborah hard boils two eggs topped with green salsa hot sauce. Perfect, perfect breakfast.

The Four Essential Ingredients of a Signature Offer

Ingredient 1: Alignment with Your Unique Skills, Story, and Lived Experience

Your signature offer must be rooted in who you genuinely are. It is the intersection of your expertise, your journey, and your lived experience. The goal is to speak to your audience problem in a way that only you can. This is the foundation of authentic leadership and a personal brand built to last.

Ingredient 2: It Solves a Clear, Tangible, and Urgent Problem

Deborah introduces the house on fire analogy. When a house is burning, nobody hesitates. Your offer must speak to that same urgency. In online marketing, you have only seconds to capture attention, so you must speak to the right-now problem. People buy to get out of pain and move toward greater fulfillment.

Ingredient 3: A Simple, Repeatable Process

A signature offer is not a collection of skills. It is a system. A clear, step-by-step process is the key to your freedom as a business owner and your audience ability to trust what working with you looks like. Every service has a process behind it, and that is where your real value lives.

Ingredient 4: It Lights You Up

The most overlooked ingredient is joy. If your offer does not genuinely excite you, it will be nearly impossible to sell. Sales is energetic, built on relationships, trust, and authentic connection. Chase the thing that feels like your purpose, and the results will follow.

Memorable Quotes

"A signature offer is not a random batch of skills. It is a very clear, compelling, and process-driven thing that you create yourself."

"If you love it, you will find you can sell anything on the internet."

"Sales is energetic. It is about relationships, trust, and connection."

Key Takeaways

• Clarity is the foundation. Get clear on your who, what, and why first.
• Solve what is urgent. Speak to the problem your audience feels right now.
• Build a repeatable system. A consistent process turns expertise into a scalable offer.
• Chase the joy. Your fulfillment is a business asset, not a luxury.
• Your story is your strategy. Own your lived experience because no one else can.

Connect with Deborah C. Smith

• Website: www.deborahcsmith.com
• Podcast: Mindset to Market Podcast
• Social Media: Instagram, LinkedIn, and all major platforms

Connect with Julie Riga

• Website: julieriga.com/lead
• Coaching: Before I Lead program

#StayOnCourse #SignatureOffer #PurposeDriven #LeadershipMindset #EntrepreneurSuccess

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts. Share with every purpose-driven entrepreneur ready to build something that truly matters.

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What does cooking have to do with building a business? Everything. Julie Riga sits down with Sutton C. McCraney and Lace Flowers, co-founders of the Flavor Room, to explore how kitchen wisdom transforms the way leaders lead and grow. From curry goat to lamb biryani, this conversation is packed with purpose, authenticity, and real talk that leaders need. This episode is a masterclass in intentional, purpose-driven leadership.

Leadership Lessons from the Kitchen: The Three C's Every Great Leader Needs

Guests: Sutton C. McCraney and Lace Flowers, Co-Founders of The Flavor Room Host: Julie Riga

About the Guests

Lace Flowers is a British Jamaican home cook and co-founder of the Flavor Room and Empire Kitchen, based in South America, with over 18 years of research into what happens when foundational culture is missing inside organizations. Sutton C. McCraney is a U.S. Air Force veteran and entrepreneur based in Morocco whose background in discipline shapes her approach to building ecosystems rooted in equity. Favorite foods: curry goat for Lace, lamb biryani for Sutton.

About the Flavor Room

The Flavor Room is an invite-only leadership ecosystem for founders and CEOs of color, not a coaching program, mastermind, or networking group. It is a curated space built on mutual benefit, high standards, and authentic connection, represented across five countries. The vision: bring your flavor, build your influence. No performance. Just authentic leaders showing up as themselves.

The Research

Sutton and Lace published "Legit: Redefining Equity, Leadership and Influence in Online Business," tackling the illusion of inclusion, ethics in sales and marketing, hidden systems such as care labor and access to resources, and the future of online business. Their findings produced the Legit Business Standards Framework, now deployed with business owners and organizations worldwide.

The Three C's: Ingredients for Leadership

Clarity - You cannot prepare a meal without knowing what you are making. The same applies in business. Clarity does not come from endless planning. It comes from doing. Stop creating content in isolation. Start selling. Get the buy-in early and refine as you go.

"You do not get clarity from endless planning. You get clarity by doing." - Lace Flowers

Communication - Even a solo cook must communicate with themselves, their recipe, and their timing. In business, communication means clear systems so every team member knows what they are doing, when, and why. Clear communication creates cohesive results and satisfied people at the end of the table.

"The first person you need to communicate with effectively is yourself." - Lace Flowers

Consistency - Julie visited a different Outback Steakhouse and felt the drop in quality immediately. Consistency builds trust and creates a revolving door of repeat clients and referrals. People trust people they already trust, and that trust is earned one consistent interaction at a time.

"People trust people they already trust." - Lace Flowers

Key Takeaways

• Clarity is your foundation. Get clear on your vision and systems before anything else.
• Communication starts with yourself. Know your recipe, then share it with your team.
• Consistency builds legacy. The standard you maintain is what people return for.
• Authenticity outlasts ad budgets. Values and standards are your real competitive advantage.
• You are not in competition with anyone but yourself.

Connect

Website: www.theflavor.biz

Podcast: Fully Flavored Business Podcast on Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and all major platforms. New episodes every Tuesday.

LinkedIn: Sutton C. McCraney and Lace Flowers.

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts.

#StayOnCourse #LeadershipLessons #PurposeDrivenLeadership #FoundersOfColor #TheFlavorRoom

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Host: Julie Riga | Episode Type: Solo Episode

Overview

This isn't your typical year-in-review episode. Julie Riga gets brutally honest about what 2025 really looked like as a small business owner: the hustle that led nowhere, the rejection that stung, the corporate friends who disappeared, and the Friday nights spent wondering if she should just get a "real job" again. But here's the twist: she's not quitting. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, Julie shares the unspoken truth about entrepreneurship, the non-negotiable realities of building a business, and why finding your purpose is worth every frustrating moment. If you're a business owner, leader, or anyone chasing a dream while wondering if you should give up, this episode is your permission to keep going.

The Truth About 2025: My Raw Review of Small Business Reality

What You'll Learn:

Julie pulls back the curtain on her 2025: months of hustling with no results, feeling stuck, battling frustration and depression, and watching corporate connections fade away. This is the messy middle nobody talks about. But it's also a powerful reminder that transformation doesn't come from comfort zones, and legacy isn't built by quitting when things get hard.

Key Topics:

The Three Non-Negotiables of Small Business Success:

1. Community Over Isolation - Why doing it alone guarantees you'll quit
2. Sales as Your Lifeline - 80% of your first two years is selling (no sugarcoating)
3. The Pivot-Fast Mindset - Learn what doesn't work and change it immediately

The Reality Check:

• Why 2025 felt harder than previous years
• Getting real about depression, frustration, and wanting to quit every Friday
• The corporate friends who disappeared and the strangers who stepped up
• What keeps Julie going despite the brutal journey

Memorable Quotes:

"2025 kicked my butt. If it didn't kick your butt, let me know in the chat."

"If you're not willing to say that 80% of my time in the very beginning is gonna be devoted to selling, just go get a job."

"Complete strangers will help me first than some of the people I worked very closely with."

"I am a catalyst for you to reach your next level of success."

Key Takeaways:

1. Don't do it alone - Community is essential
2. Embrace sales reality or get a job
3. Pivot fast, learn faster
4. Never get comfortable with your pipeline
5. Take care of yourself through the brutal journey
6. Remember why you started

About Julie Riga:

Julie specializes in helping leaders and business owners dig deep to understand their true purpose, facilitate that purpose in their lives, and break through to their next level of success with clarity and confidence.

Services: One-on-One Coaching | Leadership Programs | Training Programs | Brand Building

Ready for transformation? Schedule a call with Julie and start facilitating your purpose.

🎧 Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts

💡 Share with entrepreneurs who need to hear: "Don't give up"

#StayOnCoursePodcast #PurposeDrivenLeadership #SmallBusinessReality #EntrepreneurMindset #LeadershipGrowth

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Guest: Steve Ramsey Host: Julie Riga

What separates a forgettable podcast guest from one that hosts cannot stop talking about? In this candid conversation, Julie Riga and Steve Ramsey unpack the real tips every guest needs to show up prepared, authentic, and impactful before the mic even turns on. If you are stepping into podcasting as a guest, this episode is your blueprint.

How to Be an Unforgettable Podcast Guest: Ingredients for Success on Any Show

About This Episode

Julie sits down with Steve Ramsey for an honest conversation about what it truly means to show up as a great podcast guest. From preparation and storytelling to promotion and personal branding, they explore the mindset shifts and practical strategies that transform a nervous guest into a confident, purpose-driven presence. This episode is essential for any leader ready to leverage podcasting for authentic growth and lasting impact.

The Three Ingredients for Podcast Guest Success

1. Preparation and Research Do your homework on the host and their show before you appear. Listen to several episodes to absorb the tone, vibe, and format. Preparation is the foundation of authentic, confident performance and meaningful connection.

2. Clarity and Simplicity Have a two-sentence introduction ready for the host to use. Offer one clear call to action for the audience, not seven. Be ridiculously easy to work with, a principle inspired by David Averin. Simplicity in your message reflects true mastery of your subject.

3. Storytelling and Authentic Connection Build a personal story vault, a curated collection of go-to stories that reflect your journey, values, and expertise. Open with a story that creates immediate common ground. People do not just want to know what you do. They want to know who you are and why your work matters.

Key Insights

The Story Vault Principle Preparation is not just logistics. It is emotional readiness. Having a curated bank of personal stories means you will never fumble for words mid-interview. Your story is your most powerful leadership tool.

The One Call to Action Rule Audiences can only act on one thing at a time. Direct people to a single destination and let that page send them everywhere else. This is strategic simplicity and intentional leadership in practice.

The Ridiculously Easy Standard Arrive with your bio, headshot, links, and stories already prepared. Make showing up effortless for your host and your audience at every step.

The Screenshot Moment Taking a real-time screenshot and sharing it before the episode drops signals investment, gratitude, and authentic enthusiasm. This is the mark of a guest who leads with purpose and not just promotion.

Memorable Quotes

"Have a two-sentence introduction ready for the host. Make it ridiculously easy." - Julie Riga

"A story creates immediate common ground. I would rather hear your story than what you do." - Julie Riga

"School tells us to write a five-page essay. The real world tells us to say it in seven seconds." - Julie Riga

Key Takeaways

• Know the show, the host, and your stories before you arrive
• One call to action, one introduction, one powerful story creates impact
• Authentic storytelling creates connection faster than any title ever will
• Remove all friction for your host and your audience at every turn
• Show the world you value the collaboration before, during, and after

Connect with Julie Riga

Find Stay On Course on Apple Podcasts and wherever you listen. New episodes drop weekly featuring leaders and coaches sharing their three ingredients for success.

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts Share this episode with a leader who is ready to show up fully

#StayOnCourse #LeadershipMindset #PodcastingTips #AuthenticGrowth #IngredientsForSuccess

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Guest: Jim Carbaugh, Educator, Leadership Coach and Author Host: Julie Riga

Overview

Jim Carbaugh spent 35 years in classrooms and school leadership before turning five letters his grandfather taught him into a framework now adopted by schools and businesses nationwide. His LEARN Framework covers Listen, Ethics, Attitude, Respect, and Know. In this episode, Jim and Julie explore what it takes to build a lasting culture, lead with purpose, and stay curious in a rapidly changing world.

The LEARN Framework: Building a Lasting Culture Through Intentional Leadership

About Jim Carbaugh

Jim Carbaugh is a leadership coach, speaker, and author with 35 years in education as a teacher, coach, and school administrator. His LEARN Framework was shaped by a personal story of mentorship passed down by his grandfather and refined through decades of leading people under pressure. He is the founder of All Points Leadership, now transitioning to jimcarbaugh.com, and has a new book releasing soon that walks leaders step by step through the framework.

Fun Fact: Jim is a devoted fan of Maryland Hardshell Blue Crabs with Old Bay seasoning and has a reputation for testing the limits of all-you-can-eat seafood restaurants.

The Three Ingredients for Success

Listen

Your climate controls your culture. Before you can build a great culture, you must first understand the climate you are creating. True listening means entering every conversation with curiosity, not with the intent to fix or to win. Communication does not happen unless the listener confirms understanding. Leaders must listen at every level of the organization and always clarify before anyone leaves the room.

Ethics

Your non-negotiables are your values in action. Jim leads a team exercise where everyone writes their top three to five non-negotiables. When compared, shared values almost always surface, revealing why conflict was unnecessary in the first place. When leaders stretch beyond their non-negotiables, poor decisions follow. Knowing your values empowers bold choices, including walking away from opportunities that do not align with who you are.

Know

No has two sides. The first is the boundary you set for yourself. The second is the no you will receive from others. We are wired to hear no as permanent, but it is not final. Every yes you have earned came through the no's you navigated. The mindset shift is replacing no with "What if?" Leaders who stay curious, embrace new tools, and keep learning are the ones who will shape what leadership looks like in the years ahead.

Memorable Quotes

"Your climate controls your culture."

"Communication does not happen unless the listener says it does."

"In life, we either get better or we get worse. Nothing stays the same."

"No is not permanent. The next yes you get came from all the no's you decided to get over."

"Leaders need to be curious. That is the bottom line for everything."

Connect with Jim Carbaugh

Website: jimcarbaugh.com Upcoming Book: A step-by-step guide to the LEARN Framework for educators and leaders

Connect with Julie Riga

Podcast: Stay On Course, available wherever you listen to podcasts Coaching: Leadership coaching, transformation, and executive development

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts. Share this episode with a leader who is ready to grow.

#StayOnCourse #LeadershipMindset #PurposeDrivenLeadership #LEARNFramework #AuthenticGrowth

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Guest: Tracy Benson, Top 1% LinkedIn Coach & Brain-Based Leadership Expert

Host: Julie Riga

Overview

Join Julie Riga as she sits down with Tracy Benson, a top 1% LinkedIn coach and brain-based leadership expert who has spent over three decades helping senior leaders create clarity, alignment, and real performance. Tracy blends neuroscience, leadership psychology, and practical business strategy to give leaders tools they can use immediately to transform teams, organizations, and results. Discover how awareness, curiosity, and presence can revolutionize the way you lead.

Brain-Based Leadership: How Awareness, Curiosity, and Presence Transform the Way You Lead

The Three Ingredients for Leadership Success:

1. Awareness Understanding what drives behavior beneath conscious awareness. Tracy reveals that 90% of brain function is unconscious yet rules how we show up. Learn to recognize reactive emotional states before they control you.

2. Curiosity The two magic words that shift you out of negative emotional states: "I wonder." Tracy explains why you cannot be angry and curious at the same time, making curiosity the entrance ramp to co-creation and discovery.

3. Presence & Perspective Discover foveal vs. peripheral view and how narrow focus blocks solutions. When you step back to include peripheral vision, all the ideas, solutions, and magic become available.

Key Insights:

• The Power of "I Wonder": Two simple words that immediately shift you out of reactive states and open the palette of possibilities
• Meta Programs: Understanding the 50+ mental shortcuts that run how you show up and why time-focused and possibility-focused people clash
• Projection & Self-Discovery: How triggers reveal your unconscious programming and what you see in others exists in you

Memorable Quotes:

"This is the most powerful engine on the face of the planet, and we never got taught how to use it."

"We cannot be angry and curious at the same time."

"The palette of possibilities - in the moment you have all of these options, but we need to be in remembrance that those are available to us."

"We can't see the label on the jar from inside the jar."

Practical Leadership Tools:

• Wear a bead bracelet and snap it when you feel reactive
• Say "I wonder" to shift your brain state instantly
• Practice viewing challenges from multiple distances
• Visit art museums to train your brain to shift perspective

Key Takeaways:

1. Your brain is powerful, but we were never taught how to use it
2. Curiosity shifts everything - you cannot be angry and curious simultaneously
3. Perspective creates possibilities - step back from problems to see solutions
4. Behaviors that trigger you reveal your own unconscious patterns
5. Small leadership adjustments create massive organizational impact

Connect with Tracy Benson: LinkedIn: Tracy Benson Free Tool: DM Tracy on LinkedIn with "expand" to receive a complimentary foveal vs. peripheral view tool

Perfect for leaders who want to understand how their brain works and use neuroscience to transform their leadership presence, decision-making, and relationships.

🎧 Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts

#Leadership #Mindset #Transformation #Purpose #Growth

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Guest: Joanna Harabedian, Faith-Based Relationship Strategist, Amazon #1 Bestselling Author and Miss America 2019-2021 Host: Julie Riga

Overview

What if the greatest challenge you face as a leader is not a business problem but an identity problem?

In this episode of the Stay On Course Podcast, Julie Riga sits down with Joanna Harabedian, Miss America 2019-2021 and Amazon #1 bestselling author of From Solo to Soulmate. Together they unpack three transformational keys to identity that shape success in business and in life. From learning to receive gracefully to rewriting your deepest inner story, Joanna brings spiritual depth, emotional intelligence, and practical wisdom to every woman ready to break free from cycles that no longer serve her.

Three Keys to Identity, Success in Business and Life

About the Guest

Joanna Harabedian is a faith-based relationship strategist, Amazon #1 bestselling author, and Miss America 2019-2021, a title she held for three years due to the COVID pandemic. She helps high-achieving women break unhealthy relationship patterns and build emotionally healthy, God-aligned partnerships.

Her Princess Crowning Program has reached hospitals and stages. A defining moment came at a quadriplegic facility in California, where a young woman named Karina, non-responsive for five weeks and silent for five years, began to speak after being crowned. That moment became the foundation of Joanna's mission.

Fun Fact: Joanna's favorite food is homemade ravioli with pesto sauce, inspired by her grandfather from Peru.

The Three Keys to Identity

1. The Ability to Receive High-achieving women are often celebrated givers who never learned to receive. Joanna shares a vivid dream in which a bouquet given in love is slapped back in rejection, and a voice tells her: this is how you make people feel when you decline their compliment. In business, refusing a genuine compliment builds invisible walls and signals distrust. In marriage, it slowly dismantles connection. The practice is simple but powerful: say thank you and receive it fully.

2. Self-Awareness Patterns rooted in childhood do not disappear; they evolve and bleed into every area of life. Joanna references a study where women with fake scars removed before a job interview still reported being treated unfairly because their inner story shaped what they believed others saw. Self-awareness is the key that uncovers the root of those stories. Without it, cycles of unworthiness continue across relationships, career, and leadership. With it, transformation becomes possible.

3. Emotional Intelligence and Alignment Joanna calls it wisdom alignment: the convergence of self-knowledge and purposeful living. She shares her journey through a painful first marriage, asking God to show her how she arrived there, and doing the courageous growth work that led to a thriving decade-long partnership. She teaches that we break twice in life, and that the second break, when met with honesty and faith, becomes the breakthrough that reveals our true purpose.

Memorable Quotes

"The story you tell yourself about yourself is the most important story you will ever tell."

"Little keys unlock big doors, and big doors swing on small hinges."

"I help women contrast and complete, not compare and compete."

"Diamonds are forged in the fires of the earth. That is how the facets are created."

Connect with Joanna

• Website: www.loveunblocked.com
• Instagram: @thesoulmate_strategist
• Book: From Solo to Soulmate on Amazon

Connect with Julie Riga

• Podcast: Stay On Course Podcast
• Website: julieriga.com/lead

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts. Share this episode with a woman ready to step into her identity and lead with purpose.

#StayOnCourse #IdentityAndLeadership #LoveUnblocked #PurposeDrivenLeadership #AuthenticGrowth

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Guest: Kate Hendrickson, Strategic Planning and Leadership Consultant Host: Julie Riga

What does it truly take to accelerate your growth, lead with clarity, and build a business that reflects your values?

In this episode, Julie sits down with Kate Hendrickson to unpack why hiring the right coach is one of the most transformational decisions a leader can make. From self-awareness and accountability to strategic planning and continuous learning, this conversation delivers purpose-driven insights for entrepreneurs, CEOs, and anyone ready to stop working in their business and start leading it.

Why Hiring the Right Coach Changes Everything: The Ingredients for Leadership Growth

About This Episode

Kate Hendrickson is a strategic planning and leadership consultant with more than two decades of experience helping organizations turn vision into action. With a background spanning television, film, hospitality, and consulting, Kate brings a unique storytelling perspective to leadership and business growth. Julie and Kate explore how the right coaching partnership delivers honest guidance and strategic accountability that accelerates growth with greater clarity.

Key Topics Discussed

Perspective and Self-Awareness An honest outside view of your leadership blind spots is where transformation begins. A coach helps you identify recurring patterns, face uncomfortable truths, and build the self-awareness needed to lead authentically. Without openness to honest

reflection, you will keep getting stuck in the same cycles.

Acceleration and Strategic Momentum Moving from reactive firefighting to proactive, purpose-driven planning changes everything. Kate shares a real client story: three years into her business, a leader had no roadmap forward. Through strategic planning workshops, they narrowed priorities and built real, measurable momentum fast.

Continuous Learning and Upskilling No CEO ever reaches a point of knowing everything. From AI to organizational change, the landscape keeps shifting. A coach keeps you learning and adapting alongside your business and an ever-evolving world. Curiosity is not optional. It is the job.

The Value of Coaching

The CEO role is uniquely isolating. You cannot always bring challenges to your staff, and you do not want to burden your family. A trusted advisor who understands your business gives you a safe space to think out loud, course correct, and stay accountable to your vision. Hiring a coach is not a sign something is wrong. It is a sign you care about your business, your people, and your long-term legacy. Kate also introduces the Before I Lead community coaching program, which pairs one-on-one sessions with a peer mastermind group for connection, accountability, and shared growth.

Memorable Quotes

"If you have got someone who is really going to help you accelerate and stick with you on the long-term journey, it can change everything."

"The CEO does not have a boss. That is part of the value of a coach."

"Hiring a coach does not mean you are failing. It means you are continuously learning, growing, and caring."

Key Takeaways

• Perspective reveals what you are too close to see yourself
• Self-awareness is the foundation of authentic leadership
• Continuous learning is not optional, it is the job
• Community and accountability accelerate transformation
• Invest in yourself the way you invest in your business

Connect with Kate Hendrickson

Website: kate-hendrickson.com

Book: Christmas Switch, available now

Connect with Julie Riga

Coaching: Before I Lead

Community coaching for business owners and CEOs

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts. Share this episode with a leader who is ready to grow.

#StayOnCourse #LeadershipGrowth #PurposeDriven #BeforeILead #TransformationJourney

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Guest: Joe LaRussa, Mayor, Entrepreneur and Founder of Homegrown Leadership Host: Julie Riga

Overview

What if the leadership skills driving your professional success could also transform your home life?

In this episode, host Julie Riga sits down with Joe LaRussa, small city mayor, entrepreneur, and founder of Homegrown Leadership, to explore one of the most overlooked arenas of personal development: leading at home. After 25 years in automotive manufacturing, Joe saw that high performers bring their best to work while their households run on pressure and chaos. This is a practical guide for overwhelmed spouses and parents ready to stop surviving and start leading with intentionality, systems, and community as their foundation.

Lead Where It Matters Most: Homegrown Leadership Starts at Home

About This Episode

Joe founded Homegrown Leadership to help high performers bring the same systems and mindset from work into their households, creating more time, less stress, and a home they are proud of. Joe and Julie break down three essential ingredients for stronger household leadership: intentionality, systems, and community. Listeners walk away with practical tools like shared calendars and communication rhythms, and a fresh perspective on building a home that runs with clarity instead of pressure.

Guest Background

Joe LaRussa is the founder of Homegrown Leadership and a sitting small city mayor. Shaped by 25 years in manufacturing, Joe recognized that strategies enabling professional excellence were largely absent in the households of high-performing individuals.

Fun Fact: If Joe had to pick one favorite food, it would be a slow-roasted leg of lamb, prepared with herbs, spices, and olive oil.

The Three Ingredients for Homegrown Leadership

Intentionality is the first ingredient. At work, leaders plan for years. At home, many struggle to decide what is for dinner. The average household leader has about two golden hours per day to lead at home. Elevating out of reactionary mode requires a conscious decision to lead with strategy. Be a laser beam, not a light bulb.

Systems and Tools create the structure that sets families free. A shared family calendar is the foundational tool. A whiteboard wall and weekly Sunday planning meetings help the whole household align and prioritize. Fun must be planned, not left to leftover time. The 13 Summers mindset reminds parents how finite their seasons with their children truly are, making intentional planning feel urgent and meaningful.

Community is the most forgotten ingredient. Most people cannot name the neighbors behind six doors surrounding their home. True community means having people to call when life gets hard. Isolation is a leadership gap. When households are healthy, neighborhoods are healthy, and when neighborhoods are healthy, communities thrive.

Memorable Quotes

"It is home where your leadership matters the most."

"Your life will never be less complicated than it is today. So do not wait."

"It is not on the shared calendar? It does not exist."

"When households are healthy, neighborhoods are healthy."

Key Takeaways

• Decide to lead before the moment arrives. Intentionality is the foundation.
• Shared systems reduce chaos and build confidence for every member of the household.
• Community is not optional. Isolation is a leadership problem with a leadership solution.
• Your golden hours are your greatest daily asset. Use them with purpose.
• Do not wait. In six months, you will either be glad you started or wish you had.

Connect with Joe LaRussa

Website: www.homegrownleadership.net

Free assessments and starter tools are available on the website.

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts.

#HomegrownLeadership #StayOnCourse #LeadershipMindset #PurposeDrivenLiving #FamilyFirst

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Guest: Mitch Abel, Founder of Investment Current Host: Julie Riga

Overview

What happens when retirement arrives and the numbers do not add up? For Mitch Abel, it became the catalyst for a remarkable transformation. After 40 years in sales, Mitch retired in 2015 with a $400,000 portfolio and quickly lost $150,000 in his first six months of day trading. Instead of walking away, he went deeper, rewatching every course, practicing every day, and mastering the three ingredients that changed everything. Today, he has built generational wealth secured in a trust for his grandchildren, and through Investment Current, he is teaching hundreds of others to do the same. This episode is a masterclass in resilience, discipline, and the mindset shift that turns trading into a purposeful system.

From Losses to Legacy: The Day Trading System That Builds Generational Wealth

Guest: Mitch Abel, Founder of Investment Current Host: Julie Riga

About This Episode

Julie sits down with Mitch Abel, a former social worker turned four-decade sales veteran turned self-made day trading educator, to explore how purpose-driven learning and emotional mastery can transform your financial future. This conversation is about patience, discipline, and emotional control as the foundation for lasting wealth and a legacy that outlives you.

The Three Ingredients for Trading Success

Patience is the foundation. Winning and losing are both part of the game. Learning to read market language, chart patterns, and price action takes time. The market moves up, down, and sideways, and responding well to each requires consistent daily practice.

Discipline means following a clear set of rules every single day. Mitch applies the 10 percent rule: never risk more than 10 percent of your total portfolio on a single trade. Treating trading as a business, not a pastime, separates those who build wealth from those who walk away.

Emotional control is the hardest ingredient of all. Fear and greed destroy most traders. Mitch partners with Randy Howell, a psychologist who works exclusively with traders, to help students stay calm and stay on course. The technical side of trading can be learned in months. Mastering your emotions is the deeper work.

Key Insights

Mitch lost $150,000 in six months, then recovered every dollar within the next six months through relentless study and disciplined practice. Within three years, money was no longer a concern. He structured his wealth in a skip-generational trust so his grandchildren begin receiving distributions at age 40, after learning to earn and build for themselves.

Investment Current serves four communities: young adults seeking financial independence, career changers escaping corporate life, pre-retirees building a retirement runway, and retirees seeking purpose and daily income. All four follow the same core framework of patience, discipline, and emotional control.

Connect with Mitch Abel

• Website: www.investmentcurrent.com
• YouTube: Search "Investment Current" for free trading videos
• Live Trading Room: First 5 days free, then $87 per month

Connect with Julie Riga

• Website: julieriga.com/lead
• Coaching: Leadership coaching and transformation

Key Takeaways

• Patience is a skill you build, not a trait you are born with
• Discipline gives you the freedom to make clear decisions under pressure
• Emotional control separates consistent traders from those who quit
• Legacy is built intentionally, with a plan and a long-term vision
• It is never too late. Mitch started this journey at 62.

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts. Share this episode with anyone ready to build a lasting financial legacy.

#StayOnCourse #GenerationalWealth #LeadershipMindset #PurposeDriven #LegacyBuilding

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Guest: Katie Krimitsos, Founder and CEO of Women's Meditation Network Host: Julie Riga

Overview

What if manifestation isn't about vision boards and morning affirmations? In this powerful episode of the Stay On Course Podcast, host Julie Riga sits down with Katie Krimitsos, founder of the Women's Meditation Network, a platform reaching nearly 3 million downloads each month and ranking in the top 0.1% of all podcasts worldwide. Katie reveals how meditation is the ultimate gateway to manifestation, self-leadership, and intentional life design. From clearing subconscious money blocks to writing into the future, this transformative episode is a masterclass in purpose-driven growth, authentic alignment, and the courageous journey of becoming who you were always meant to be.

Meditation to Manifestation: Manifesting the Business of Your Dreams

About Katie Krimitsos

Katie Krimitsos is the Founder and CEO of the Women's Meditation Network, helping millions of women reconnect with themselves through guided meditation and practical, proven life design tools. Her new course, Meditation to Manifestation, pairs deep inner work with actionable journaling techniques to help women consciously build the business and life they truly want.

Fun Fact: Katie bakes a fresh sourdough loaf every week on her 15-acre family farm and says she is probably the only one eating it!

The Three Ingredients for Success

1. Deep Self-Awareness Through Meditation Meditation is not about clearing your mind or sitting cross-legged at 5 a.m. It is about knowing yourself so deeply that you can hear your intuition, access your clarity, and lead from within. Even five deep breaths taken in the driveway counts as a meaningful practice.

2. Alignment Alignment means your beliefs, thoughts, words, and actions are all moving in the same direction. Katie uses the image of a garden hose: when there are kinks and knots, the water cannot flow. When the hose is laid out flat, the water flows freely. Your dreams are the water. Remove the kinks.

3. Intentional Life Design Pick up a pen. Write into the future you want, as though it has already happened. This free, simple practice activates intention and opens the door to manifestation. Julie manifested five European cities this way as a single mom, and it worked.

Key Insights

• Manifestation is not a vision board. It is the natural byproduct of full alignment between who you are and how you live.
• Subconscious stories around money, worthiness, and identity create the kinks that quietly block your flow. Awareness is always the first step.
• Meditation in any form builds the capacity to pause, hear your intuition, and respond thoughtfully to life rather than react to it.
• Presence is the practice. Stress and anxiety only exist when we leave the present moment. Stillness brings us back to where our joy and guidance live.
• You are the author of your own life. Self-leadership begins the moment you pick up the pen and choose to write a new story.

Memorable Quotes

"Manifestation is a natural byproduct of alignment. When what you believe, think, say, and do are all in agreement, that is when it flows."

"The most important ingredient for success, no matter what success looks like to you, is a deep knowing of yourself."

"The water is meant to flow. Your dreams are already yours."

Connect with Katie Krimitsos

• Website: womensmeditationnetwork.com
• Course: Meditation to Manifestation, available now
• Podcast: Search Women's Meditation Network on any podcast platform or YouTube

🎧 Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts today

💡 Share this episode with a leader who is ready to manifest their next level

#StayOnCourse #MeditationToManifestation #PurposeDrivenLeadership #MindsetShift #IntentionalLiving

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This episode of Stay on Course features Julie Riga, a certified coach, trainer, speaker, and author, as she shares her expertise on leadership mastery, readiness, and confidence. With her extensive experience in the Pharma Industry and as a coach, Julie provides valuable insights on how to build leadership skills, create a strong foundation for business growth, and overcome common obstacles.

In this informative episode, Edith Duran, a digital marketing specialist, interviews Julie Riga about her approach to leadership coaching and the importance of readiness, confidence, and growth. Julie shares her journey of helping CEOs and entrepreneurs build leadership skills, create a strong foundation for business growth, and overcome common obstacles. She discusses the challenges people face in finding their role as a leader and how to overcome imposter syndrome.

Whether you're looking to improve your leadership skills, build confidence, or grow your business, this episode is packed with valuable insights. Julie's passion for helping individuals build leadership skills and her innovative approach to coaching make this a must-listen for anyone striving for personal and professional growth.

Key Ingredients in Julie's Expertise:

• The importance of readiness and confidence in leadership
• How to overcome imposter syndrome and build leadership skills
• The concept of creating a strong foundation for business growth
• Tips on how to create a playbook for business success
• Strategies for building a strong team and delegating tasks effectively
• The benefits of building leadership skills, including increased confidence and better decision-making

Connect with Julie:

Learn more about Julie Riga and her services by visiting:

Website: https://www.julieriga.com/

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Guest: Rain Bennett, Award-Winning Filmmaker, Author and Fractional Chief Storytelling Officer Host: Julie Riga

What if your story was not just a marketing tactic but the very strategy that drives transformation, alignment, and legacy in your business? In this episode of the Stay On Course Podcast, host Julie Riga sits down with award-winning filmmaker and Fractional Chief Storytelling Officer Rain Bennett to unpack the power of storytelling as a leadership and growth strategy. Rain reveals how founders can build a narrative operating system that aligns brand, product, sales, and culture into one cohesive belief system. A masterclass in purpose-driven leadership and authentic communication for founders and leaders ready to build a lasting legacy.

Your Story Is Your Greatest Asset: Building a Narrative Operating System That Drives Real Growth

About Rain Bennett

Rain Bennett is an award-winning documentary filmmaker with over 20 years of experience. As the host of the Storytelling Lab podcast and a Fractional Chief Storytelling Officer, he helps growth-stage companies transform scattered messaging into a clear narrative operating system. His forthcoming book The Chief Storytelling Officer releases August 25, 2025 and is available for pre-order on Barnes and Noble.

Fun Fact: Rain grew up on the coast and loves fresh local seafood. His favorite? Raw oysters cracked open right on the pier.

What We Cover

Storytelling Is the Strategy Storytelling is not a marketing add-on. It is the operating system for your entire organization. The transformation lives in the receiver of the story, not the teller. You must hook people emotionally before any information can land.

Narrative vs. Stories Your brand narrative is the overarching mission and change you want to create in the world. Your brand stories are the infinite individual moments that support it. Once this is clear, story opportunities appear everywhere, from a LinkedIn post to a full documentary.

Co-Authoring with Your Community Great brand narratives are collaborations, not monologues. Like Nike sending reps to track meets to listen to runners, you must build deliberate systems to find and capture your stories.

Everyone Is a Brand Storyteller From the CEO to the server at your restaurant, every human touchpoint is a chapter in your brand story. Culture starts from the top, but the story is lived by everyone on your team.

Your Story Is Your Only Unique Asset Skills can be acquired. Tools can be replicated. But nobody on this earth has your path. Your story is the single most valuable asset you own and it is usually the most overlooked.

Memorable Quotes

"The power of storytelling lies in the receiving of the story, not the teller. That is where the transformation is."

"Your story is the only unique thing that you or your brand can ever truly own."

"It is not transactional, it is transformative. They are trying to change something in the world."

Key Takeaways

• Your story is your most powerful and irreplaceable strategic asset
• Storytelling is the operating system for your whole organization
• Build deliberate systems to listen and co-author your narrative with your community
• Every team member is part of your brand story
• Self-leadership and inner clarity are the foundation of authentic purpose-driven storytelling

Connect with Rain Bennett

Website: rainbennett.com

Pre-Order: BarnesandNoble.com

Podcast: The Storytelling Lab

#StayOnCourse #LeadershipStorytelling #NarrativeStrategy #PurposeDrivenLeadership #ChiefStorytellingOfficer.

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts. Share this episode with any founder or leader ready to lead with story as strategy.

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Guests: Britain Mills-Dawes and Tea Di Lillo Host: Julie Riga

In this episode of Stay On Course, leadership coach Julie Riga is joined by equine practitioner Britain Mills-Dawes and Alberta horse trainer Tea, co-hosts of the Uncinched podcast. Together they explore the leadership lessons hidden between horse and rider: trust, presence, intuition, and the quiet confidence that makes others gravitate toward you. Whether you lead a company, a team, or simply yourself, this conversation will change the way you think about authentic leadership and purpose-driven growth.

Leadership from the Saddle: What Horses Teach Us About Leading

Meet the Guests

Britain Mills-Dawes is an equine practitioner, clinician, and Western media contributor. She educates riders through biomechanics and horsemanship and co-hosts the Uncinched podcast, building community across the horse industry through journalism and live events.

Tea is a horse trainer from Alberta, owner of Qualitea Equine, and a coach for the Calgary Stampede Show Rider team. A lifelong learner and co-host, dedicated to helping both horses and riders reach their full potential.

The Three Ingredients for Leadership Success

Drawing on years of partnership with horses, Britain and Tea share three core leadership ingredients that translate directly from the arena into everyday life and work.

1. Trust and Consistency

Horses are prey animals and their instinct says you might be a threat. Building trust means showing up with positive, intentional energy every single day. The same applies to your team. Stress acts like a predator on the nervous system, and a great leader creates enough safety that people seek guidance rather than hide their anxiety.

2. Presence and Intuition

Riding in the mountains, you learn quickly when to lead and when to follow. The horse senses the terrain in ways you never can from the saddle. True leadership presence means being attuned enough to know which role serves the moment best. In the workplace, that awareness is the difference between micromanaging and genuine mentorship.

3. Communication and Emotional Regulation

Horses cannot lie. Their body language tells you everything. Britain argues it is often easier to communicate with a horse than a human for that reason. For leaders, the lesson is this: create the psychological safety that lets people speak honestly. The ability to walk into a charged situation and lower the emotional temperature without adding to the fire is one of the most valuable leadership skills you can develop.

Memorable Quotes

"Trust is built over time. It is not just showing up every day. It is showing up with intention every single day." Tea

"You have to ride the horse that shows up." Tea

"Leadership is quiet. It is that quiet confidence and self-reflection that people naturally gravitate toward." Britain

Key Takeaways

• Show up with consistent, intentional energy. Trust is a compounding investment, not a one-time gesture.
• Presence is a leadership skill. Know when to guide and when to step back and follow.
• Create psychological safety so your team seeks your guidance rather than hides their struggles.
• Lead by example and with integrity. Quiet confidence draws people naturally to your leadership.
• Great leadership is a give and take. Empower your people to shine where they shine best.

Connect

Britain and Tea: Uncinched on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and most major platforms. Visit stableinstincts.com and follow on

Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Julie Riga: Stay On Course podcast wherever you listen.

#StayOnCourse #LeadershipMindset #AuthenticLeadership #PurposeDriven #LeadByExample

Subscribe to Stay On Course and share this episode with every leader in your world who needs to hear it.

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In this episode of Stay on Course with Julie Riga, guest Cannon Carr shares his insights on leadership, goal-setting, and accountability as key ingredients for success. He emphasizes the importance of effective communication, collaboration, and a growth mindset in fostering innovation and productivity. Julie and Cannon discuss strategies for decision-making and overcoming challenges while maintaining resilience. Listeners will gain valuable lessons on developing leadership skills and staying adaptable in today’s fast-paced world. This episode is packed with actionable advice to help individuals stay on course toward their personal and professional goals.

Stay on Course with Julie Riga: Ingredients for Success: Cannon Carr

In this inspiring episode of Stay on Course with Julie Riga, we welcome Cannon Carr, a dynamic leader known for his ability to drive transformation and cultivate high-performing teams. Kenny shares his personal journey and the key ingredients that have shaped his success, emphasizing the importance of leadership, resilience, and strategic thinking. His insights provide actionable steps for listeners who want to elevate their careers and personal growth.

Julie and Cannon dive into the power of effective communication, collaboration, and goal-setting as essential components for achieving sustained success. Cannon highlights how adopting a growth mindset and fostering accountability within teams can create a culture of continuous improvement. They also discuss how embracing innovation and staying adaptable in today's fast-paced world are crucial for long-term success.

Listeners will walk away with practical advice on how to develop leadership skills, navigate challenges, and stay on course toward their personal and professional goals. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned executive, this episode offers valuable lessons on decision-making, productivity, and the power of positive habits. Tune in and discover how to unlock your full potential with the right mindset and strategy!

Key Discussion Points:

• The importance of managing risk and creating a dynamic plan for entrepreneurs
• The three R's wealth planning framework: Reinvest, Reward, and Repurpose
• How to allocate capital and create a strategic asset to help navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship
• The importance of having an ecosystem and community of advisors to help entrepreneurs make informed decisions
• How to prioritize risk and create a plan to mitigate potential disruptions

Connect with Cannon:

LinkedIn: Cannon Carr

Website: EP Wealth Advisors

Podcast: Business Owner's Tales from the Trenches

About Julie Riga

Julie Riga is a certified coach, trainer, speaker and author with over 20 years of experience in the Pharma Industry. Julie’s education is vast with studies that include business, communications, training and executive coaching.

Julie started on this journey because she had a strong desire to pass on the knowledge and skills passed on to her by her father, Ennio Riga, an inspirational man who taught her how to keep going irrespective of the challenges that life may present you with.

Learn More About Julie: Julie Riga Website / linkedin.com/in/julieriga

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Guest: Stan Valo, Founder of eDots

Host: Julie Riga

Overview

What if the key to business growth wasn't in closing deals, but in giving first? In this episode of Stay On Course, Julie Riga sits down with Stan Valo, founder of eDots and a 21-year e-commerce veteran, to explore a transformational mindset shift. Stan unpacks his three-ingredient recipe for partnership success that helped him build a purpose-driven business where the yeses come easily, clients become true collaborators, and value flows in every direction. Whether you are a solopreneur, executive, or founder, this episode is a masterclass in intentional relationship-building, strategic growth, and legacy-driven leadership.

Give First and Win Bigger: How Great Partnerships Start with Generosity, Not Negotiation

About Stan Valo

Stan Valo is the founder of eDots, an e-commerce growth engine that helps brands, manufacturers, and distributors scale across new online marketplaces and sales channels. With over 21 years in the industry, Stan developed a performance-only partnership model that blends agency services with distribution expertise. His philosophy, "I don't sell, I solve," reflects his commitment to authentic leadership, purpose-driven business, and building lasting professional relationships.

Fun Fact: Stan's favorite food is his grandmother's stuffed peppers with sour cream, a cherished recipe from her home country of Moldova.

Stan's Three-Ingredient Recipe for Partnership Success

1. Go First: Give Unconditionally

In negotiation, the one who speaks first loses. In partnerships, the one who gives first wins. Lead every new relationship with introductions and referrals, no strings attached. Ask "who can I help you meet?" and watch generosity build the foundation of lasting trust.

2. Be a Solver: Solve Something Meaningful

Stan's core mantra is simple: don't sell, solve. Focus on real problems rather than closing transactions. When you solve meaningfully, value overflows and the relationship deepens naturally. The best leaders are solvers who match people with exactly what they need.

3. Create Undeniable Value for Both Sides

Value must flow in both directions for a partnership to last. Choose your partners wisely, start light, and let the relationship evolve before committing deeper. Think of it like dating before marriage: coffee first, then friends, then family. Integrity is everything.

Memorable Quotes

"In a negotiation, the one that talks first loses. In partnerships, the one that goes first wins."

"I don't sell, I solve. I've never had to negotiate a single deal."

"It's hard to get a no when you're offering so much."

"I don't have a contact form. I have an application form. That changes the dynamic."

Key Takeaways for Leaders

1. Give Before You Ask - Lead with generosity. Start with a gift of value: an introduction, a connection, or an insight. Trust and opportunity follow naturally.
2. Shift from Selling to Solving - The most powerful transformation in business is moving from transaction to contribution. Solve real problems and the yeses follow.
3. Build Relationships, Not Contracts - Start light, prove your value, and let partnership depth grow organically over time.
4. Stay Narrow and Know Your Strengths - Clarity of focus amplifies impact. Build a power team of trusted partners who complement your core strengths.
5. Integrity Is Your Growth Engine - Authentic connection without an agenda is the ultimate long-game strategy and the foundation of lasting legacy.

Connect with Stan Valo

Website: edots.co

Subscribe to Stay On Course

Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and share with leaders ready to stop selling and start solving.

#StayOnCourse #GiveFirst #PurposeDrivenLeadership #PartnershipMindset #AuthenticGrowth

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Summary: In this episode of Stay on Course, Julie Riga welcomes Michele Bonds, a creative entrepreneur, artist, and coach. Michele shares her journey of leaving the corporate world to pursue her passion for art and entrepreneurship. They discuss the importance of mindfulness, self-care, and listening to oneself in creating a fully integrated life. Michele shares her three key ingredients for a fully integrated life: filling up your cup, receiving graciously, and listening intentionally.

Key Takeaways:

• The importance of mindfulness and self-care in creating a fully integrated life
• How to fill up your cup and prioritize your own needs
• The art of receiving graciously and asking for help when needed
• The power of listening intentionally to oneself and others
• How to overcome the fear of uncertainty and trust your instincts as an entrepreneur
• The importance of finding your tribe and community as a creative entrepreneur

Key Ingredients:

• Filling up your cup: prioritizing self-care and self-love
• Receiving graciously: asking for help and support when needed
• Listening intentionally: tuning in to your intuition and instincts

Connect with Michele:

Website: https://www.michelebonds.com

About Julie Riga:

Julie Riga is a certified coach, trainer, speaker, and author with over 20 years of experience in the Pharma Industry.

Learn more about Julie: www.julieriga.com

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Guest: Toni Will | Host: Julie Riga | Stay On Course Podcast

What if failure was your greatest leadership asset? In this bold and energizing episode, Julie Riga sits down with Toni Will, a two-time Guinness World Record holder, General Manager of the Kalamazoo Wings, TEDx speaker, entrepreneur, and author of the upcoming book Rebellious Success. Toni brings contagious energy and hard-won wisdom to a conversation about competence, confidence, and what it truly means to step into your bigger game. She shares her framework for building self-trust through failure, explains why playing small keeps everyone around you stuck, and challenges listeners to declare a bigger game before they feel ready to do it.

Rebellious Success: Failure, Bigger Games, and Playing Full Out

About This Episode

Toni Will is a powerhouse leader who blends elite performance with hard-earned connection, proving that competence and community can coexist. As General Manager of a men's professional hockey team, a professional development coach, and a soon-to-be published author, Toni lives at the intersection of leadership, resilience, and authentic growth. In this episode, she and Julie dig into three transformative ingredients for success that challenge everything you thought you knew about failure, purpose, and personal evolution.

Fun Fact: Toni's favorite food is sushi, anything from the grocery store all the way up to fresh-caught in Hawaii.

Three Ingredients for Success

1. Invite Failure to the Table: Failure is not the opposite of success. Quitting is. The failure resume asks you to write down everything you have walked through and survived. What emerges is not a record of loss but a portrait of resilience, self-trust, and wisdom. When you stop fearing failure and start inviting it, it becomes one of your greatest tools for growth, confidence, and transformation.
2. Stop Playing Small: Because Someone Else Is Playing small to make others comfortable keeps everyone stuck, including you. Authentic leadership means showing up fully, reading the room with emotional intelligence, and never beginning from a diminished version of yourself. Rising tides lift all ships. Collaboration grounded in core values is always stronger than competition driven by fear.
3. Declare a Bigger Game: Growth does not always mean moving up. Sometimes it means growing out. Every micro-decision you make each day either aligns with your next level or holds you back from it. Act from the next level now. Ask not only what something costs you to pursue, but what it costs you to stay exactly where you are.

Memorable Quotes

"The only time you are failing is when you quit trying." "Stop playing small because someone else is." "The story we tell ourselves about ourselves gets in the room before we do." "What is the cost if I do not do it? Because there is always a cost."

Key Takeaways

• Build a failure resume and transform it into your record of courage and growth
• Stop playing small. Full authentic presence is a leadership skill
• Declare your bigger game before you feel ready and lead from that place
• Align your actions with core values to unlock clarity, confidence, and self-trust
• Invest in yourself. The ROI of personal growth compounds over time

About Toni's Book: Rebellious Success One part memoir, one part self-help, one part business leadership. A complete roadmap for defining

success on your own terms and building it without apology. Pre-order opens March 13th. Book launches August 11th.

Connect with Toni Will

Conference: empowHer

Book: Rebellious Success

Connect with Julie Riga

Stay On Course Podcast

Leadership Coaching

julieriga.com/lead

#StayOnCourse #RebelliousSuccess #LeadershipMindset #PurposeDriven #WomenInLeadership

Subscribe to Stay On Course Podcast wherever you listen. Share this episode with the leaders and game-changers in your life who are ready to play bigger.

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Guest: Lexy Rubin, Owner and Creative Director of Rubin Design Company Host: Julie Riga

Overview

In this episode of the Stay On Course Podcast, Julie Riga sits down with Lexy Rubin, Owner and Creative Director of Rubin Design Company, an award-winning branding agency in South Florida. Lexy is a purpose-driven brand strategist whose career spans NASA internships, New York City corporate branding, and 11 years building her own legacy as a founder.

Together, they explore what it truly means to build a brand that connects and stands the test of time. From first impression psychology to the rise of AI in design, this conversation delivers authentic growth strategies for entrepreneurs and business leaders ready to elevate their brand.

Your Brand Is Your Business Outfit: The Unspoken Rules of Brand Identity That Drive Real Growth

About Lexy Rubin

Lexy Rubin is the owner and creative director of Rubin Design Company, a South Florida-based branding agency offering custom logo design services, brand identity design, and brand strategy consulting nationwide. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, she became the first graphic designer to intern at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, then worked with Bath and Body Works and L'Oreal in New York City.

Fun Fact: Lexy's favorite food is Chicken Romano from the Cheesecake Factory.

Key Topics Discussed

What Is a Brand, Really? Your brand is your business's first impression. It is the outfit your company wears every day. It shapes purchasing decisions, team recruitment, and client trust before a word is spoken.

Why Professional Branding Matters in 2026 Working with a professional logo designer or corporate branding agency is your foundation. With AI everywhere, authentic human-crafted brand identity is a genuine competitive advantage. Apple, Nike, and Starbucks invest heavily in branding because perception is everything.

The AI Question Every Business Owner Is Asking Can AI replace custom logo design services? Lexy says not at the soul level. There is an emotional and spiritual dimension to brand identity that no algorithm can replicate. Investment in professional brand strategy consulting is more urgent than ever.

Branding Trends for 2025 to 2026 Typography is king, with bespoke typefaces driving personality across logos, websites, and cards. Motion graphics are replacing static visuals. Video-first design is now expected. If your brand has not been refreshed in ten or more years, it is outdated.

You Are the Brand Your personal leadership presence and business brand are inseparable. In the age of AI cloning, being authentically yourself is your single most powerful asset.

Memorable Quotes

"Your brand is basically your first impression. It is the outfit your business wears."

"The real, authentic version of yourself is going to be craved now more than ever because of AI."

"There is a magical recipe to great brand identity: part logic, part skill, part soul."

Key Takeaways

1. Your brand is your foundation. Get it right before you scale.
2. Authenticity is your superpower in a world of AI-generated content.
3. Every touchpoint is a brand moment: your logo, LinkedIn, and background.
4. Refresh your visual identity as trends and audience expectations evolve.
5. You are the brand. Leadership presence and professional branding are inseparable.

Connect with Lexy Rubin

Website: www.RubinDesignCo.com

LinkedIn and Facebook: Rubin Design Co

Connect with Julie Riga

Website: julieriga.com/lead

Coaching: Learn more about leadership coaching and transformation

#BrandIdentity #StayOnCourse #AuthenticLeadership #PurposeDrivenBusiness #BrandingTips2026

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Guest: Minister Bernard Marrow Host: Julie Riga

What happens when you stop trying to fit in and start owning the uncommon path God placed in you? In this episode of Stay On Course, host Julie Riga sits down with Minister Bernard Marrow, founder of By Faith We Good Ministry Inc., musician, author, and motivational speaker. Together they explore how divine alignment, unshakeable faith, and purposeful community can transform isolation into destiny. If you have ever felt too different, too early, or too overlooked, this conversation is for you.

When Uncommon Becomes Destiny: Faith, Discipline, and Divine Alignment Transform Your Calling into Purpose

Minister Bernard Marrow is the founder and president of By Faith We Good Ministry Inc., a 501(c)(3) faith-based nonprofit that spreads the gospel of Jesus Christ, feeds families in need every month, and sows into the purpose of others. He is also the owner and CEO of Shop BFWG LLC and a multi-faceted creative: singer, songwriter, musician, author, and motivational speaker. He hosts the By Faith We Good Podcast and Radio Show, which includes a Faith and Finance segment covering investments, budgeting, and money management.

Fun Fact: Minister Bernard's favorite dish is seafood pasta, known in Italian as frutti di mare.

Key Topics

Divine Alignment and Ownership Recognizing your God-given sweet spot and refusing to operate in someone else's lane. You always win when you are in full alignment with your divine purpose and destiny. Comparing yourself to others will only pull you off course.

Discipline Through the Process God's timing differs from your timeline. Staying focused, equipped, and inspired even when results are delayed is what separates those who eventually manifest greatness from those who give up just before the breakthrough arrives.

Purposeful Community and Legacy Being deeply intentional about who you share your vision with, and transforming seasons of isolation into community-supported, purpose-driven progress toward a greater calling and a lasting legacy.

Memorable Quotes

"Everything that's comfortable ain't safe."

"When God calls you, he calls you to do what's uncommon. He wants us to stand out, to be great, bold, and fearless."

"No doesn't mean never. Not yet doesn't mean not ever. If you don't give up, the doors will open."

"You can't share everything with everybody. Trust God to connect you with the right people."

Key Takeaways

1. Own Your Uncommonness - You were not made to fit in. Your uniqueness is your superpower. Take full ownership of who God created you to be.
2. Trust the Process - Stay committed to the alignment and manifestation will follow. Keep going even when you cannot see the finish line.
3. Comfort Is Not Safety - The familiar can be the enemy of the extraordinary. Step out of your comfort zone in faith.
4. Guard Your Vision - Not everyone deserves access to what God placed inside you. Be wise about who you allow into your inner circle.
5. No Is Not the End - Rejection and delay are part of the journey, not the destination. Stay the course.

Connect with Minister Bernard Marrow

• LinkedIn: Minister Bernard Marrow
• Facebook: By Faith We Good Ministry Inc.
• Instagram: @ministermarrow / @min.marrow
• Podcast: By Faith We Good Podcast and Radio Show
• Shop: Shop BFWG LLC

Connect with Julie Riga

• Podcast: Stay On Course Podcast
• Website: julieriga.com/lead
• Role: Leadership Coach and Transformation Guide
• 
  

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts and share this episode with every purpose-driven leader and creative ready to own their uncommon destiny.

#StayOnCourse #PurposeDriven #LeadershipMindset #ByFaithWeGood #UncommonDestiny

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About This Episode

In this episode, Julie sits down with Jennifer Fidder, a social psychologist and hypnotist with nearly two decades of coaching experience in health and wellness. Jennifer teaches others how to use the power of their subconscious mind to experience more happiness, health, and success.

Together, they blow open the doors on imposter syndrome, revealing why it's actually a sign you're on the right track and sharing the essential ingredients for transforming this "syndrome" into your secret weapon for success.

Guest Background

Jennifer Fidder is a social psychologist, hypnotist, and speaker with a background in health and wellness. With nearly two decades of coaching experience, she specializes in helping people harness their subconscious mind for greater happiness, health, and success. Jennifer was previously a personal fitness trainer and nutrition coach, giving her deep insights into the psychology of transformation and expertise development.

Fun Fact: Jennifer's favorite food is blueberries because they taste amazing, make the perfect grab-and-go snack, and are packed with antioxidants - the ultimate superfood for busy professionals.

The Reframe: Imposter Syndrome as a Guiding System

• Not a stopping system - it's information, not a roadblock
• Your body and mind telling you: "You're on the right track"
• Similar to anxiety - it's guidance about what's important, not something to fear
• A sign of leveling up - embrace it instead of fighting it

Practical Strategies for Success

The Testimonial Folder Technique:

• Keep a folder on your phone with client testimonials and positive feedback
• Screenshot compliments and success stories
• Review during tough days when self-doubt creeps in
• Reminder of the real transformation you're creating

Focus on Process Over Outcome:

• You cannot control outcomes 100%
• You can control your effort and approach
• Don't hang your happiness and self-worth on specific results
• Trust the process, especially when the bank account is a constant reference point

What's Next for Jennifer

Jennifer is launching her first in-person self-hypnosis workshop in over 5 years on June 28th in Fort Lauderdale. After running this exact workshop virtually for five years, she's excited to bring back the in-person experience and energy.

Connect with Jennifer Fidder

linkedin.com/in/jennifer-fidder-coaching

Connect with Julie Riga

www.julieriga.com

Key Takeaways for Leaders

1. Reframe Imposter Syndrome: It's a sign you're growing, not failing
2. Document Your Wins: Keep evidence of your impact for tough days
3. Focus on Process: Control what you can, release what you can't
4. Embrace the Journey: Every level brings new challenges - that's normal
5. Know Your Risk Tolerance: Be honest about entrepreneurship fit
6. Celebrate Small Wins: Acknowledge progress along the way
7. Trust Your Expertise: You know more than you think you do

Next Steps

If you're struggling with imposter syndrome, start by creating your own "testimonial folder" and begin collecting evidence of your impact. Remember: if you're experiencing imposter syndrome, you're probably exactly where you need to be - on the path of growth and expansion.

This episode is perfect for sharing with entrepreneurs, coaches, and leaders who are letting self-doubt hold them back from their next level of success.

🎧 Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts

💡 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear that imposter syndrome is actually their superpower

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Guest: David Dachinger, Retired Fire Lieutenant, EMT, Peer Coach and Grammy-Nominated Producer Host: Julie Riga

What if your greatest trauma became your most powerful mission? In this transformational episode, Julie Riga sits down with David Dachinger, a stage four cancer survivor, retired fire lieutenant, Grammy-nominated producer, and resilience advocate, to unpack the three essential ingredients for post-traumatic growth: identity release, meaning making, and mission activation. This is a conversation about courage, clarity, and the power of choosing life.

From Trauma to Triumph: The Three Ingredients for Post-Traumatic Growth

About This Episode

In this deeply moving episode, Julie Riga welcomes David Dachinger, a clear testament to transformation, resilience, and purpose-driven leadership. Together they explore what it means to evolve through adversity and how every leader and entrepreneur can activate their own post-traumatic growth journey. David shares how a stage four cancer diagnosis became the catalyst for a legacy of healing, purpose, and mission activation.

Guest Background

David Dachinger is a retired fire lieutenant and EMT who hosts Responder's Resilience: Igniting the Shift Within, engaging experts on first responder mental health. He serves as a peer coach for 22ZERO, supporting first responders and veterans. A two-time Grammy Award nominee, his life changed in 2014 with a stage four cancer diagnosis that became the foundation of his advocacy for purposeful living and wellness.

Fun Fact: David's favorite food is the Holy Shiitake pizza from Mellow Mushroom.

The Three Ingredients for Post-Traumatic Growth

1. Identity Release A stage four diagnosis instantly shifted David from caregiver to patient. Clinging to a victim identity blocks transformation. Through intentional word choice and daily gratitude, he released the old self and stepped into a healed identity. Like the lobster, we must shed the old shell to grow a stronger one.

2. Meaning Making The same event affects people differently because it is the meaning we assign that determines our outcome. David reframed adversity by asking, "What is the gift in this?" Gratitude practice, present-moment awareness, and a shift in self-talk became his most powerful tools. Words, he discovered, are medicine.

3. Mission Activation David and his wife created Live Calm with Cancer, a book, app, and calming TV experience for patients. He then joined 22ZERO to help first responders, veterans, and cancer patients heal trauma. His full-circle return to cancer advocacy, equipped with lived experience and proven tools, is a masterclass in turning pain into purpose.

Key Quotes

"Suffering is optional. We have a choice in every situation."

"How do I turn these adversities into my superpower?"

"We are powerful creators. Positive self-talk is the core of all of it."

Key Takeaways for Leaders

1. Release the old identity. Growth begins when you stop defining yourself by trauma or circumstance.
2. Make meaning intentionally. The meaning you assign to adversity determines whether it becomes a wound or a wisdom.
3. Activate your mission. Pain with purpose becomes power. Your story is meant to serve someone else's transformation.
4. Words are medicine. Language shapes belief, belief shapes biology, and biology shapes your life.
5. Suffering is optional. You always have a choice, and that choice is the foundation of fulfillment and legacy.

Connect

David Dachinger: www.respondertv.com | 22ZERO: www.22zero.org | LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook

Julie Riga: www.julieriga.com/lead | LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts.

#StayOnCourse #PostTraumaticGrowth #Leadership #Transformation #PurposeDriven

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Host: Julie Riga | Guest: Monique Iacobacci

What does it truly take to show up every day with confidence, resilience, and authentic purpose, even when doors are being slammed in your face? In this heartfelt episode, Julie Riga sits down with her longtime friend and powerhouse sales leader Monique Iacobacci to explore the mindset and soul-driven conviction behind over a decade of transformational selling. From polar-vortex cold calls on the New York City subway to becoming Business Development Manager of the Year, Monique shares the ingredients for success that no sales manual can fully capture.

Selling from the Soul: Confidence, Grit and Purpose-Driven Success

About the Guest

Monique Iacobacci is an Executive Business Development Manager for the number one professional skincare brand in the country, working with plastic surgeons, dermatologists, high-end spas, and aesthetic clinics. With over thirteen years in her field, she has broken sales records, earned Rookie of the Year honors, and helped transform New York City into one of her company's strongest markets. She brings analytical precision and genuine human warmth to everything she does.

Fun Fact: Monique's favorite food is pizza with hot honey pepperoni, a bold and unexpected twist that perfectly mirrors her approach to sales and to life.

The Three Ingredients for Success

1. Confidence in Who You Are and What You Know Walk in knowing your product, your value, and your purpose fully. Confidence is the clarity and conviction that you have something genuinely meaningful to offer. Without it, no strategy will carry you far.

2. A Service-First Mindset Approach every interaction with sincerity and a genuine desire to help. Selling stops feeling like selling when you show up as a trusted partner committed to solving your client's real problems.

3. Intentional Focus and Discipline Conversations drift. The best professionals bring them back. Stay present, stay purposeful, and always return to what moves the relationship and the result forward.

Filling Your Cup and Building Resilience

Monique's secret to sustained performance is a faith-anchored mindset shift: choosing to declare each day will be great, even when every instinct says otherwise. Her core philosophy: you are the brand. If your cup is not full, you have nothing to pour into others. Prioritizing yourself is not selfishness. It is the foundation of authentic leadership, confident presence, lasting impact, and purposeful living. Fill up so you can fully show up.

Key Takeaways for Leaders

1. Fill Your Cup First - Self-leadership is the foundation of showing up with the energy and confidence that wins trust.
2. Believe in Your Value - Conviction is contagious. When you know you can help someone, that certainty does half the work.
3. Rejection Is Redirection - A no is rarely final. Treat every closed door as a not yet and keep nurturing the relationship.
4. Ask Better Questions - The most powerful sales tool is a mirror. Ask questions that help your client see their own gap.
5. Stay On Course - Keep learning, evolving, and challenging yourself every day. Growth does not stop when you hit your goals.

Memorable Quotes

"If my cup isn't filled, how am I supposed to pour into somebody else?"

"I felt like a doctor knocking on a sick person's door saying, here is medicine that you need and you just don't know it yet."

"Nothing worth it is easy. I will tell you that."

"Keep sewing into yourself and putting yourself first. That is what gives you the energy and the drive to keep going."

Connect with Julie Riga

• Website: julieriga.com/lead
• Social Media: @julieriga
• Coaching: Learn more about leadership coaching and transformation

This episode is a must-share for sales leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone building a career grounded in authentic growth, self-leadership, and purpose.

#StayOnCourse #PurposeDrivenLeadership #AuthenticGrowth #SalesLeadership #Ingredie

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In this episode of the Stay on Course Podcast, Julie Rega sits down with Kelly Riley, an entrepreneur and coach with over 20 years in the salon industry. Kelly shares how she transitioned from salon ownership to coaching, offering actionable advice for entrepreneurs looking to pivot confidently, embrace growth, and reach their full potential.

Main Article:

Welcome to another inspiring episode of the Stay on Course Podcast! In today’s episode, Julie Rega is joined by Kelly Riley, a seasoned barber, stylist, and former salon owner turned success coach. With over two decades of experience in the beauty industry, Kelly’s journey exemplifies personal and professional transformation.

Key Ingredients for Success:

1. Acceptance: Kelly emphasizes how embracing change and pivoting can be the first step toward entrepreneurial success. Letting go of guilt and recognizing when something isn’t working can lead to a brighter future.
2. Giving Yourself Grace: Transitioning doesn’t mean failure—it means growth. Kelly encourages entrepreneurs to be kind to themselves and embrace the lessons in every transition.
3. Focus on the Next Step: Overthinking can lead to paralysis. Kelly advises focusing on immediate actions that align with your goals and build momentum one step at a time.

About Julie Rega:

Learn More About Julie: https://www.julieriga.com/

Julie Riga is a certified coach, trainer, speaker, and author with over 20 years of experience in the Pharma Industry. Her vast education includes business, communications, training, and executive coaching. Julie’s journey started with a deep desire to pass on the knowledge and resilience her father, Ennio Riga, taught her—how to persevere, no matter what life throws your way.

Based in New Jersey, Julie has traveled the world, empowering corporations, business leaders, and individuals to find their purpose, stay on course, and leave a legacy.

If Kelly’s insights resonated with you, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with fellow entrepreneurs looking to unlock their potential!

#Entrepreneurship #BusinessSuccess #Coaching #PivotingInBusiness #GrowthMindset #PersonalGrowth #BusinessTransformation #SalonIndustry #Empowerment #CoachingJourney

#StayOnCoursePodcast #EntrepreneurialMindset #SelfGrace #UnlockYourPotential #Leadership #FemaleEntrepreneur

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Uncover the potential of collaboration as Cordell emphasizes the impact of aligning with like-minded individuals. Learn how surrounding yourself with visionaries can bring diverse skills and fresh perspectives, propelling you toward greatness. Tune in now for an inspiring conversation that will reshape your approach to success and leave you pondering the balance between personal ambition and collective achievement.

Experience the synergy of self-discovery and collaboration by listening to the full interview at stayoncourse.studio. Join us in supporting this enriching content by liking, following, and reviewing our podcast—your gateway to valuable tips and inspiration!

🔥 Join me, Julie Riga, on "Stay On Course: Ingredients for Success," as I interview the incredible Cordell Broadus, American actor, model, entrepreneur, and the talented son of none other than Snoop Dogg! 🎤🐶

🌟 In this episode, Cordell shares his valuable insights on the perfect balance between self-competition and collaboration. He emphasizes the importance of being competitive with yourself, constantly pushing boundaries and striving for

personal growth. By focusing on your own progress, you can stay motivated and achieve your goals effectively.

💡 Cordell also highlights the power of collaboration. He emphasizes the significance of surrounding yourself with talented individuals who share your vision, as they bring fresh perspectives and diverse skills to the table. Together, you can accomplish great things!

🎧 Tune in now to listen to this inspiring conversation and gain valuable tips for your own journey to success. Don't forget to like, follow, and review our podcast to support us in bringing you more amazing content!

🔗 Listen to the full interview at stayoncourse.studio and learn more about Cordell Broadus, his incredible journey, and his famous lineage as the son of the iconic Snoop Dogg.

Get ready to be inspired!

#StayOnCoursePodcast #IngredientsForSuccess #SelfCompetition

#Collaboration #CordellBroadus #SonOfSnoopDogg #VeeCon2023

#InspiringConversations

To learn more about Julie Riga and her mission to help you Stay On Course, visit her website: www.stayoncourse.io

Julie Riga is a certified coach, trainer, speaker and author with over 20 years of experience in the Pharma Industry. Julie’s education is vast with studies that include business, communications, training and executive coaching.

Julie started on this journey because she had a strong desire to pass on the knowledge and skills passed on to her by her father, Ennio Riga, and inspirational man who taught her how to keep going irrespective of the challenges that life may present you with.

Based in New Jersey, Julie have travelled the world supporting corporations, business leaders and individuals on their journey of empowerment and growth.

Discover your purpose, Stay on Course, Leave a Legacy

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Stay On Course Podcast | Host: Julie Riga | Guest: James Orsini

What does it really take to build a thriving small business and how do the lessons of the Fortune 500 world translate to the entrepreneurial journey? In this candid and inspiring conversation, Julie Riga sits down with seasoned executive James Orsini to unpack the mindset shifts, operational disciplines, and leadership principles that separate businesses that scale from those that stall. Whether you are a founder, a corporate executive ready to pivot, or a small business owner in the thick of the grind, this episode is packed with transformative insights to help you stay on course.

From Corporate Boardrooms to Small Business Breakthroughs: Ingredients for Success with James Orsini

About James Orsini

James Orsini is a seasoned executive leader with more than 35 years of experience as President, CEO, COO, and CFO across high-growth organizations. After an 11-year run at VaynerX alongside Gary Vaynerchuk, where he helped grow the company from $42M to $350M and 2,000 people across 15 offices, James now advises founders and small business leaders through Vyve, Factotum, and J & J Consulting Services, co-founded with his wife Joanne.

Fun Fact: James is a proud Italian-American whose ultimate comfort food is his wife's Sunday pasta sauce, slow-cooked for hours every single week.

Ingredients for Success

Focus and Strategic Prioritization Entrepreneurs rarely run out of ideas; they run out of focus. James advocates for working backwards from your endgame and using tools like the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize what truly moves the needle each quarter.

Knowing When to Hire and Delegate Founders who hold on too tight risk choking their own growth. Tracking yellow hustle time versus green paid time on your calendar reveals exactly when it is time to bring in your first hire and step fully into your leadership role.

Integrity Above All Doing the right thing with your employees, vendors, and partners, even when nobody is watching, creates a reputation that outlives any single business venture. James calls this the most enduring ingredient for success.

Community and Accountability Leadership can be lonely. Investing in a mastermind, coaching program, or peer group compresses your learning curve and gives you the sounding board every leader needs. Iron sharpens iron.

Culture as Your Competitive Advantage VaynerMedia maintained a 17% voluntary turnover rate in an industry averaging over 35%. Hire for kindness and empathy first, then teach the skills. Culture is your most sustainable edge.

Memorable Quotes

"Doing the right thing is always the right thing, even when people are not looking."

"Some founders squeeze the baby so tight, they choke it. Know when to let go and move to the work only you can do."

"Work backwards from the legacy you want to leave. That clarity drives every decision."

Key Takeaways

1. Transition from operator to leader. Work on the business, not in it. This mindset shift is the turning point for every founder ready to scale.
2. Build your network with gratitude and empathy. Relationships cultivated with care become your greatest long-term asset.
3. Stay open to pivoting. The business you build two years from now will look nothing like what you imagined today, and that is a strength.

Connect with James Orsini

• LinkedIn: James Orsini
• Vyve: @Revive (social handles)
• Factotum: factotum.com
• J & J Consulting Services (LinkedIn)

Connect with Julie Riga

• Stay On Course Podcast
• Before I Lead Program
• julieriga.com/lead

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts and share this episode with every founder and leader who is ready to build something that lasts.

#StayOnCourse #LeadershipMindset #SmallBusinessSuccess #PurposeDrivenLeadership #BeforeILead

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Guest: Debbie Simmons, Legacy Architect, Keynote Speaker and Bestselling Author Host: Julie Riga