What if the reason networking feels awful is that you have been doing the wrong thing first? This week on the Glow Up, Gyrl Podcast, Kyra sits down with Dr. Elizabeth Fried, executive coach, author, and founder of N. E. Fried and Associates, who has spent more than four decades with senior leaders, business owners, and professionals working on clarity, confidence, and executive presence. She is also 78, plays pickleball with a 33 year old partner, acts in commercials for active aging, and writes a children's fantasy series. Her book started with Navy SEALs. Elizabeth coaches for The Honor Foundation, which helps special operators move into the civilian workforce. She says many of them would rather go back into a firefight than walk into a room of strangers. Their program requires 50 cups of coffee with people they do not know, so she built them a protocol in the language they already spoke: mission, target, reconnaissance, plan. It worked, and it turned into Strategic Networking: A Practical Playbook. In this episode: Why the first step is not meeting people, it is knowing your objective The five situations in her book and why each one needs different questions Relationship capital instead of collecting business cards The AI prompts she wrote to research someone before you ever meet them Mirror neurons, oxytocin, and what actually happens when two people connect Why asking permission drops defenses, and the exact phrasing to use The No Wallflower Rule, and the mindset shift she gave her terrified niece How to gracefully exit a conversation and still get the contact How to join a group already talking without saying a word at first The handwritten note, the follow-up article, and why most people quit too early What she learned about influence after four decades of coaching Whether you are dreading a conference next month, rebuilding a network after a career change, or walking into rooms where you do not know a soul, this conversation will meet you right where you are. Learn more: executivecoachingfirms.com Follow Elizabeth: @nelizabethfried Stay connected to Glow Up, Gyrl: Website: glowupgyrl.com | Email: [email protected] Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn: @glowupgyrl | Facebook: @glowupgyrlatl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if you are not waiting for more information, and you already know exactly what you want to do? This week on the Glow Up, Gyrl Podcast, Kyra sits down with Ev Foster, author of Change Starts With Choice, intuitive psychology coach, and operating principal of Keller Williams Scotland. As Regional Champion for Scotland with WIEA, she mentors real estate agents building profitable, intentional businesses. She is a mum of four, splitting her time between Glasgow and Edinburgh. The book traces back to one year in her early twenties. Ev left an abusive relationship, lost her grandmother, and watched her father have a debilitating stroke at 58 that put him in a wheelchair. She was 24, and what stayed with her was that her parents had spent their whole marriage waiting for his retirement. Rainy day. Someday. We will be happy when. In this episode: Why people react before they breathe, and what leading through it taught her The moment capable women reach for one more opinion instead of trusting themselves Self-trust as a muscle, not a personality trait The conscious mind is five percent, and what the other ninety-five is holding Deep intuitive trust, the eyes-closed technique she walks clients through Shadows, and the schoolyard comment you forgot but your body did not The beach ball you have been holding underwater, and what comes back when you let go Why outgrowing your life feels worse than failing at it Not every room wants you to rise, and what that costs women who sense it Losing friends as you grow, and making peace with reasons and seasons Viktor Frankl, and the one freedom nobody can take from you The answer for the woman waiting to feel confident before she acts Whether you are sitting on a decision you already made, carrying something you pushed down years ago, or leading well on paper while second-guessing yourself in private, this conversation will meet you right where you are. Learn more: changestartswithchoice.com Follow Ev: @evfoster_choicecoach Stay connected to Glow Up, Gyrl: Website: glowupgyrl.com | Email: [email protected] Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn: @glowupgyrl | Facebook: @glowupgyrlatl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if you have been waiting for a title to make you a leader, and everyone around you already sees you as one? This week on the Glow Up, Gyrl Podcast, Kyra sits down with Sharonda Holland, founder of Higher Ground Leaders and a hospitality leader with more than 15 years in the industry. Sharonda says the organization was born out of what she calls failure. There were seasons when nothing was going according to plan, and she was questioning whether she was even on the right path. What she found on the other side was that the encouraging she had been doing for emerging leaders in her community was not a side thing. It was the work. In this episode: Why Higher Ground carries that name, and what constantly climbing actually means Leading before the title, and why leadership is smaller and simpler than most people think The mold most of us picture when we hear the word leader, and how wrong it is Why women struggle with confidence, and the comparison trap social media keeps setting The brag folder that turns a bad day around What to do when you feel stuck, and why analysis paralysis keeps you frozen Pivoting is not failure, and how to spot burnout before it flattens you Active listening as a leadership trait nobody puts on the list Opportunity areas instead of weaknesses, and why the language matters How faith and surrender show up in the way Sharonda builds and leads Her three takeaways: do not be afraid to pivot, do not be afraid to fail, and keep climbing Whether you are waiting on a promotion that has not come, rebuilding after something did not work out, or leading a team without the title to match, this conversation will meet you right where you are. Learn more: highergroundleaders.com Follow Sharonda: @highergroundleaders Stay connected to Glow Up, Gyrl: Website: glowupgyrl.com | Email: [email protected] Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn: @glowupgyrl | Facebook: @glowupgyrlatl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the reason you are so tired has nothing to do with how much sleep you got and everything to do with a belief you have never actually examined? This week on the Glow Up, Gyrl Podcast, Kyra sits down with Tian Philson, leadership transformation and decision-making coach and the founder of LSF Wellness. Tian spent more than 20 years in corporate strategy before building a practice around one idea: help people go inward so they can go upward. She works with high-achieving women who are succeeding by every external measure and paying for it with their energy and their peace. Her partners include Kroger, Junior League Cincinnati, and 84.51°. In this episode: Why there was never one moment, just a lot of small ones she kept ignoring Crying on the drive to work at her first job out of college Coming home at night and no longer recognizing herself, even while she kept moving up The difference between exhaustion and burnout, and why rest only fixes one of them When it is time to stop coaching yourself and talk to a mental health professional The beliefs running below conscious awareness that keep you saying yes People pleasing, over-delivering, and the promotion where the goalposts keep moving The question Tian asks every client: how is that serving you now Why you are a leader even if you have never managed a single person The Moana and Spider-Man story that changed how she answers her husband Inside the VOICCE® framework and why the desired outcome comes first Letting a decision be good enough, and the fatigue that perfectionism creates Whether you are the dependable one everyone piles work onto, the person who says yes before you have even thought about it, or a woman who looks fine on paper and knows something is off, this conversation will meet you right where you are. Learn more: lsfwellness.com Follow LSF Wellness: @lsf.wellness Stay connected to Glow Up, Gyrl: Website: glowupgyrl.com | Email: [email protected] Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn: @glowupgyrl | Facebook: @glowupgyrlatl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if waking up at 3 a.m. every night has nothing to do with willpower and everything to do with two degrees? This week on the Glow Up, Gyrl Podcast, Kyra sits down with Dr. Tara Youngblood, sleep science educator, inventor, and founder of Geli. Tara holds more than 50 patents, co-founded ChiliSleep, and shared her "sleep recipe" approach in her TEDxCaryWomen talk. She came to this work the hard way. After losing her son Benjamin in 2008, she stopped sleeping almost entirely, and the grief and depression that followed sent her into more than 10,000 hours of research. In this episode: Losing her son, losing her sleep, and what she went looking for Why most sleep research was done on college-age men and left women out entirely The biggest sleep myth women believe about being "just a bad sleeper" Why your body has to drop two degrees to reach deep sleep, and what your mattress is doing about it The sleep switch, and why turning it off in the morning matters as much as turning it on at night Kyra gets candid about perimenopause and dreading bedtime What Tara wants women to ask their doctors about estrogen, progesterone, and testing A 30-second stress reset you can do in a bathroom stall Her honest take on memory foam, alcohol before bed, and the five tips flooding your feed The gratitude practice her son brought home from camp that the family still does every night Inside Geli and the science behind it Whether you are lying awake at 3 a.m., moving through a hormonal season nobody prepared you for, or running a company on four hours of sleep, this conversation will meet you right where you are. Learn more: gelisleep.com Follow Tara: @dr_youngblood Follow Geli: @gelisleep Stay connected to Glow Up, Gyrl: Website: glowupgyrl.com | Email: [email protected] Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn: @glowupgyrl | Facebook: @glowupgyrlatl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the season everyone frames as overwhelming can actually be a joyous, supported one you plan for ahead of time? This week on the Glow Up, Gyrl Podcast, Kyra sits down with Kristin Smith, founder of Well Supported Family, a newborn care and postpartum support agency connecting families with experienced caregivers during the early stages of parenthood. After becoming a mother at just 19, Kristin trained as a birth and postpartum doula and built what would become Well Supported Family in 2015. Today the agency serves thousands of families a year across 14 states, and she also serves as Executive Director of the Newborn Care Specialist Association. In this episode: Becoming a mom at 19 and building a company from that experience with no business background The midwife path she trained for, and the pivot to postpartum care she never planned Why understanding your baby's cues means your baby fits into your life, not the other way around Postpartum support in the zero to six month window and why it matters so much Why asking for help is not a failure, told through Kristin's own recent adoption The insurance and employer benefits that are starting to cover postpartum care Helping the whole family adjust, including older siblings with big feelings How Well Supported Family's one-to-one matching process actually works What Kristin tells women who want to bet on themselves but feel the odds are stacked against them Whether you are preparing to welcome a baby, supporting someone who is, or building something of your own from the ground up, this conversation will meet you right where you are. Learn more: wellsupportedfamily.com Follow Kristin: @wellsupportedfamily Stay connected to Glow Up, Gyrl: Website: glowupgyrl.com | Email: [email protected] Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn: @glowupgyrl | Facebook: @glowupgyrlatl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if you have never actually needed to start over, because starting over was never the option in the first place? This week on the Glow Up, Gyrl Podcast, Kyra sits down with Courtney Townley, a women's self-leadership coach, host of the highly rated Grace & Grit podcast, and author of The Consistency Code. For the past 20 years, Courtney has been helping women take better care of themselves with more consistency and ease. She is a Level 2 Certified Nutrition Coach through Precision Nutrition, a certified strength coach with the National Strength & Conditioning Association, and a certified life coach through The Life Coach School. This conversation is warm, funny, and full of reframes that will change how you think about health, habits, and the stories you tell yourself when you fall off track. In this episode: Why devotion beats discipline, and what changes when you make the switch The reframe that stops the Monday restart cycle: you cannot start over, but you can always resume Health as a direction, not a destination, and why you are always one decision from rerouting The four self-leadership skills at the root of real consistency Why self-trust is the byproduct of keeping promises to yourself Deep health explained: integrity in your cells and integrity in your soul Proving your worth versus owning it, and how integrity pain shows up The stress bucket: reducing what is in it and fortifying it on purpose What perimenopause, menopause, and postpartum do to your reserves The campfire analogy that will change how quickly you get back on track All about The Consistency Code and the Grace & Grit podcast Whether you are in a season of falling off or just tired of the all-or-nothing cycle, this episode will meet you exactly where you are. Learn more: graceandgrit.com Follow Courtney: @gracegrit Stay connected to Glow Up, Gyrl: Website: glowupgyrl.com | Email: [email protected] Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn: @glowupgyrl | Facebook: @glowupgyrlatl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the reason friendship feels harder in midlife has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with the fact that no one ever told you it would take intention? This week on the Glow Up, Gyrl Podcast, Kyra sits down with Cheryl Dillon, life coach, writer, speaker, and founder of Funderful Experiences, where she helps women create midlife chapters that are joyful, vibrant, and intentional. Cheryl is also the co-founder of Equitable Mediation Services, where she has spent nearly two decades coaching individuals through the emotional complexities of separation and divorce. This conversation is warm, wise, and full of the kind of practical guidance that makes deeper friendship feel possible again, starting with the friendship you have with yourself. In this episode: The delightful breakfast-table story behind the name Funderful Experiences Why making real friendships gets harder in midlife, even when you are surrounded by people The difference between casual socializing and environments where genuine friendship can grow Why one person going first with vulnerability gives everyone else permission What it means to be a friend to yourself, and why it is the prerequisite for real connection Small shifts for moving past small talk: better questions, real stories, genuine interest Why midlife is not a season of decline but the chapter you finally get to write yourself The one thing to do first if you are craving deeper friendships: stop waiting All about the Connected Hearts community and the online version coming soon Whether you are craving deeper friendships, navigating a big transition, or learning to show up as your whole self, this episode will meet you exactly where you are. Learn more: funderfulexperiences.com Join the Connected Hearts waiting list: funderfulexperiences.com (under Connected Hearts) Follow Cheryl: @funderful_experiences Stay connected to Glow Up, Gyrl: Website: glowupgyrl.com | Email: [email protected] Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn: @glowupgyrl | Facebook: @glowupgyrlatl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you do when something at work feels wrong, but you are not sure it rises to the level of harassment? This week on the Glow Up, Gyrl Podcast, Kyra sits down with Brittany A. Stevens, Partner at Phillips & Associates, PLLC, one of the nation's leading plaintiff-side employment law firms. Brittany represents women facing workplace sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation, particularly in power-imbalanced and high-pressure industries. Known for her compassionate, clear, and action-oriented approach, she helps women understand their rights, protect themselves, and regain control during some of the most vulnerable moments of their careers. This conversation is informative, empowering, and full of guidance every working woman deserves to have before she ever needs it. In this episode: The invisible warning signs of workplace harassment women often miss or dismiss Why "go along to get along" shows up in harassment cases and what the law says about it What consent really means when there is a power imbalance at work Why documenting everything is the essential first step to protecting yourself What actually happens when you complain to HR, and who HR really protects Pregnancy discrimination: the rights most women do not realize they already have Whether to disclose a pregnancy during a job search How an external complaint through a lawyer can put the power back in your hands Why coming forward protects not just you, but the women who come after you Whether you are navigating something right now, supporting someone who is, or simply want to know your rights before you need them, this episode is for you. Connect with Brittany: linkedin.com/in/brittany-stevens-alper Phillips & Associates: newyorkcitydiscriminationlawyer.com Stay connected to Glow Up, Gyrl: Website: glowupgyrl.com | Email: [email protected] Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn: @glowupgyrl | Facebook: @glowupgyrlatl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it look like to build a career across real estate, politics, life coaching, sports management, and media, and have it all make sense? This week on the Glow Up, Gyrl Podcast, Kyra sits down with Julia Hurley, dynamic entrepreneur, nationally recognized real estate broker, former elected official, author, and the founder of a sports management company helping athletes grow their brands. Julia has spent 14 years building a career that refuses to fit neatly into a box, and her latest book, Panic to Profit, is the playbook she created to help women do the same. This conversation is honest, direct, and full of the kind of no-nonsense wisdom that only comes from someone who has actually been in the arena. In this episode: How Julia beat an 18-year incumbent in his own backyard with no political experience Why everything she has built across industries feeds itself and how you can do the same The moment she went from real estate to coaching after realizing women need a life plan, not just a business plan Why 90% of the obstacles women face in business are emotional, not operational The women she finds most powerful to work with and why A breakdown of Panic to Profit and the sports-inspired framework inside Why women struggle to ask for things in business and what to do instead The hard truth about women gatekeeping each other and why it has to stop Whether you are building your first business or your fifth, this conversation is going to make you think differently about how everything you have done connects. Learn more: thejuliahurley.com Follow Julia: @thejuliahurley Stay connected to Glow Up, Gyrl: Website: glowupgyrl.com | Email: [email protected] Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn: @glowupgyrl | Facebook: @glowupgyrlatl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices