Can you imagine leaving where you are raised and blaze a completely new trail? Meet Emily Kazungu. She is a fabulously interesting person and you are in for a treat as she immediately resonates her passion to make a difference in this world. Emily is from Kenya and came to America as an international student. We talk about the process and how she managed—as well as a little insight into the VISA process. We talk of some of the culture shocks she experienced from Southern accents and what she knew from TV shows. Every day for her is a new discovery. We get into where Emily is today and what her plans are for the future. It will open your eyes— As a young adult woman, Emily is in Kenya right now and she is continuing to grow herself personally and professionally. This episode stretches what we know and what we are familiar with day in and day out. I didn’t edit some of my own heartbreak that Emily and I talk about her leaving the US and her disappointment and the difficult period. She prepared herself for anything to happen as she knew the opportunities would not be the same. She never approached her life as being braze—she is curious and has a need and desire to learn. There are life lessons and characteristics that Emily gained in her family. Her advice to international students is to embrace the unknown and the experiences that are coming your way. This young professional is a true believer in herself and says that not worrying about what others think of her allows her to go forward and embrace the moments right in front of her with trust. Emily has videos on her YouTube Channel which she created for a space of information and laughs. Go follow her there. Tune in for this episode! Music “STOMP” is used by permission of the artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

This episode is a special Mother’s Day conversation with me the host, Amy Stackhouse and my three kids Isaac, Becca and Tori. This goes all through being a mom and having kids. We talk about the opportunities on both sides and the impact. Being a mom is not the easiest job, but it is fulfilling. There is grace and there is growth. I hope you enjoy and get insight on who we are and even more, look at who you are. Moms are essential. Moms are involved in way more than they get credit for each and every day. This was fun for me and a bit insightful. My goal as a mom was and is to be present. Tune in! Music “STOMP” is used by permission of artists Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Jen Garrett is in the studio for this episode and you will hear of her transformation from the corporate world being a leader in that domain and now she’s transitioned into — a life of an entrepreneur. Her experience brings so many levels and people groups. She brands athletes and she definitely works with an array of people that includes professional athletes and she is an acclaimed author. Jen wrote a book called Move the Ball and she parallels the world of how and athlete works and how those skills translate. You can also hear her podcast called Move the Ball. The notion of constant development and the team aspect to come together for a common objective is true on and off of the field. There are important insights she offers on the subject to beat out the competition. You are in for a treat to glean her direct steps that you can actually implement today making yourself better than you were before. We talk about the specifics of managing your own brand because of all of the available platforms. If you want to know more about the process of becoming an author, Jen shares some of that effort she put forth and how she as a first time book writer listened to the input of her editor. As you settle in for this episode, you will hear the truly involved path that Jen took — she holds seven academic degrees! Her advice is to take advantage of opportunities that you may have presented to you. She loves learning and with this she becomes a more valuable resource. Jen addresses mindset and how that can dictate your day — “make sure you show up, suit up and move the ball.” We dive into why she’s doing what she’s doing and how it happened that she stopped and assessed where she was heading in this life and decided to jump toward her career. There are a few pillars that Jen sites that set the foundation for her path. Learning, pushing, being a bit stubborn, plus having a personal drive have all created the mix for her success. One more topic that we covered was a bit of parenting and her philosophy of how to put a recipe together for kids to thrive. Jen creates a balance by planning her priorities and being intentional. Tune in! Song “STOMP” used by permission of the artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Valerie Oliver is an educator and she is a part of Oliver Farms. Family makes her tick. We learn about what it was like for her to jump into a business world and she’s become a person who is passionate about all things local and investing into people and she's extremely community oriented. We will learn what Oliver Farms is and how the business evolved into what you see today bith on location and online. We even get a bit of insight of the oil press process. They started at Oliver Farms with Sunflowers and cold press oils. Fresh out of the ground. They seem to press every seed they can get their hands on and maintan super strick rules to keep the process and consumers safe. At first it was an education for themselves and then teaching others. Today there are over 100 acres of sunflowers -- and yes you can go take photos there. They work with local sources to get their seeds and maintain a very homegrown feel. Valerie talks about her biggest challenge being — time— and taking on the new opportunities. Time gets her spread thin to keep it all going. You’ll hear about business, education, family, being a wife and mom. Her days start early every day. In this episode we talk about work ethic and how she learned in her childhood to what she pushes everyday. One word of encouragement is that each day is a new beginning and you can’t worry about what doesn’t work one day. There is a new start tomorrow. Don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed. This discussion will make you want to up your oil game and appreciate the beautiful flavors.

Having a core that is separate from your career gives you an agility that allows you to take chances with confidence. Meet Dr. Amber Paulk in this episode who is a young professional in the academic world. She is a first generation college graduate and she says she had a great deal on her shoulders to show she could do and that she could pay her way. That gave her the grit and focus to take on every single task—she says she never felt like she could take her foot off of the gas. Her world was filled with mentors and opportunities to stay focused and not squander. People believed, encouraged and supported her along the way. Meeting a challenge for Amber was fun. She fell in love with teaching and that is a significant part of her career. We talk about what it was like to be a first generation college student and the idea that she didn’t have time to whine and be frustrated and disappointed. That level of resilience enabled her to figure life out—she called it her secret weapon that allowed her not to get stuck. Amber speaks to how you focus on your own unique and individual talents and zero in on your strengths and how you level those on your life. What are you doing right? What are you doing well? You’ll glean a look into positive side of life and how she mentors using that tactic. You’ll hear Amber talk about her passion project to help STEM to get into rural high schools to give a lift for STEM to get into these schools and help these graduates to find their path to college—she wants to be a part of the solution to get these students to college and help guide them through a system of support to help them persist and give a feeling of belonging. She touches on healthy boundaries and how important that is in helping provide the tools. Tune in for this episode to hear parenting and family skills that she and her husband implement to create their family dynamics and the process to see how they spend their time. There is a balance and sometimes in life you have to do things you don’t want to do—her advice comes naturally because it is incorporated in how she actually lives. She recommends a book called 365 Conversations which gives them intentional conversations for 3 years in their family. Connect daily. Join us. The music “STOMP” is used by permission of the artists Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Where this guest comes from originally you are not an individual— you are one of many. Meet Sami who is definitely her own person. She is from Vietnam and makes her home Atlanta Georgia where she opened a tea shop. People are generally interested in other cultures and what they can take from them. Sami came to the United States to get her masters degree from a University in a small north Alabama town. We get to talk about what it is like to figure out what you believe and how that comes together as you sort out the facts of life. She found her identity and sorted through mounds of information to figure out what is true. This woman is strong and determined. We talk about her leadership style and that is for her to call out the best in people—she’s humble in saying that being a leader means that the responsibility of a team falls on her in the managerial roles—she likes the idea of people doing their best, together. Her upbeat nature comes through. Her advice to herself is that one should read more and write more. The more you invest in yourself, the better. Music “STOMP” used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Today’s podcast features two women who are in the jujitsu world, but it’s more than a pastime hobby because they are trailblazers. Taking the chance to use their resources to bring others into a position to help a cause is why we have met and why we bring the conversation to you. Meet Laura Kent and Sabrina Kelley. The cause is empowering women and offering support to a local organization in their community that addresses the needs of those involved in domestic abuse situations. Domestic abuse is an ongoing pattern of controlling behaviors used to physically, emotionally, sexually, and psychologically exert power over a current or former intimate partner or family member. Empowering victims of abuse and domestic violence prevention are core to the mission and accomplishments of The Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County (DAP). Annually, thousands of victims of abuse and their children are supported through the 24/7 hotline, emergency safe shelter, counseling and legal advocacy. Though this organization is the one these ladies chose to benefit from this event, the awareness and need throughout the country is huge. Laura and Sabrina came up with the idea to host “Sub Out Domestic Violence” … a non-profit jiu jitsu event created by women, for women, and to benefit women. The response to become involved was tremendous and the card filled up quickly. This is likely to become a repeat event. Get to know these ladies as Laura is active on the competition scene and has been involved in the sport for years. She saw it helped her deal with issues in her life. She is an encourager and created open mats for women only — which rock in terms of participation! Her experience puts her in connection with those who are committed to the sport. Sabrina came onto the mat a bit later in life even though she had been around the sport through her husband. But when she found herself in a vulnerable situation and felt fear, she wasn’t sure her strength was enough. She wanted to be more in control of what life may hand. Sabrina is a mom of two and she sees how this sport can translate into the confidence of how they handle themselves as well—and training as a family at a gym they own is a plus to spending time together. As a school psychologist she sees so many situations that tug your heart and you’ll hear what led her to this idea to create “Sub Out Domestic Violence” . We talk about overall how jujutsu helps center life and how important it is to be in an environment where you feel comfortable to come in and learn Have you ever thought about what you spend your time doing and how that can lead into something bigger and have impact in other people’s lives? Here’s your chance. Tune in for this episode and get involved. The song “STOMP” used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

This guest does not live a life of regret. Meet a jack of all trades who has raised three independent and very successful young ladies. This episode features our host’s cousin, Sonya Deese Farrell. There’s a little reminiscing and you’ll hear that this lady— who was the youngest of our pack— had more knowhow than the rest of us about horses and we found out the hard way. A mom, horse farm owner, wife and friend, you’ll be in awe of Sonya and will be amazed at her life as she graciously impacts so many. Sonya had a great life growing up and she felt her parents were always interested in everything she attempted to do. As a child she had an imaginary black horse named Midnight who ran along side the car everywhere she went. The day came when her parents bought her a real horse and from that moment on she has owned at least one horse and developed that passion and even shared it with one of her daughters who fell in love with the massive animals too. In this episode we deal with some terrifically hard topics that are truly personal. Sonya talks about mental health issues that have slammed their family up close and personal. She’s married to an amazing man, Brian and he deals with PTSD from experiences in his military career. In their family, it is not unusual for them to address a situation head on and figure out what they can do— together. They also have a tremendous christian faith. Horses have always been a part of Sonya’s life and she seems to be getting more and more serious about the gentle giants. She noticed that her husband could work through his PTSD by spending time with his horse. This family doesn’t believe in keeping a good thing to themselves and they started a horse camp for grooming and riding for kids — some who had needs including PTSD. Making connections between the person and the animal there is trust and Sonya says that it is really about the horse understanding us. They recently moved to snow country and bought another horse farm and this one has a racetrack. We talk about war and being a christian and how she and her spouse brought the discussion to the forefront. We talk about what it’s like to be a military wife and having an immediate deployment and we talk about marriage and how they adjusted their blended family. Sonya opens up about suicide attempts and how that came crashing into their world and she shares advice on how we should check on our people. If you need advice on attitude, Sonya puts life in perspective and how she stops stressing over the situations that arise and focuses only on what she has control over. This episode is packed full and you’ll be inspired to get moving. Song “Stomp” used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

This is an episode that is an honor as this young extroverted woman is influencing her circle and beyond by embracing the sport of jujitsu. We go elementary in talking about the sport so we can all learn a bit. Her personality is enthusiastic and she can make a room light up. Meet Anna Cononge who describes herself as an average hard working corporate woman by day and a badass by night. In the work world she said that it’s who you know that gets you in the door, but how you work that keeps you on the job and helps you progress. She works in IT and has worked from home since the pandemic. Jujitsu is her motivation to get her work done. She wants to train every day and her friends are there doing the same grind and that’s how she wants to end her day. She tries to make sure she gets everything done and using that self motivation helps to keep her on task. Anna’s at 10th Planet Atlanta and prefers grappling because she hates getting punched in the face. She got in this sport because wrestling was something she wanted but her mom wouldn’t let her sign up in high school…but she watched in high school and then when her body builder father passed away, she wanted to do something physical that she could dedicate to him. Every time she competes, it is a tribute to her dad. Jujitsu is more than a sport. It is humbling and your ego gets checks immediately. She rolls with guys who are way bigger than she is and that is not always the most popular move when you submit them. You create bonds within your gym and throughout the community. Leadership, responsibility, and mental strength all develop on the mat. As a competitor you grow because there are times it feels like you aren’t improving. It could be easy to quit, but as you keep going you want to be that better person. Leadership skills develop and improve as you’re representing yourself, your team, your coach and your lineage. You have to show good sportsmanship and be a role model for the lower belts. In a fight camp you have to be there. It is balanced. Anna does get intimidated when she’s competing against some of those big names that you’ll hear her say and probably recognize—but it is a real opportunity. Change in the sport creates developing interests and that can give you an aspect to set yourself apart. We get some inside emotions of an event and the mind games that are played on you and those you play yourself. There is travel and expense and gear that all deepen the commitment. Hear as we talk about times that could end her career and she describes some huge life moments. In this episode Anna shares a story of a tremendous win where her performance and technical ability along with her execution came through as well as the fact that she had everyone in her corner. But she walks away with more—it’s about the team—doing what you are trained to do and being a part of something bigger than you as an individual. Have you thought of you diet and how you self care? Athletes tend to pay attention to their body recovery and Anna addresses that for herself. We talk about injuries and how shifting her diet helps. She takes care of her body so that she can function in this sport as long as she can. Her biggest challenge is how she may transition into a role where she can train more and also finding her identity outside of jujutsu. This athlete questions what would life be without the sport and who would she be without it. There is much to gain from this discussion and you’ll be inspired. Tune in! Song “STOMP” used by permission from artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff.

Meet Lori Korthals who’s a young mother of three who describes herself as a mom of three including a child with autism, is in her doctoral program, and she works in brain development where her passion centers around human development and child and family relationships. She teaches Zumba a little on the side and simply has a love for life. Lori works in the extension program in Iowa and serves her community in child development with varied focus. You’ll be fascinated as we talk about the perspective of brain development. Did you know that the brain doesn’t stop growing until we are 25 years old? We discuss new moms and advice to talk to their baby and communicating through touching your baby and settle down with all of the gadgets—focus on the simple. Lori shares her own personal story of her path with her autistic daughter and how she navigated brain development and temperament that they have with her and celebrating the differences. The how’s and whys that we parents parent each of our children differently matters. In this podcast you’ll hear Lori describe how she balances not just her career, but how she balanced her knowledge in childhood development and needing to navigate. Lori realizes how much her professional knowledge helped her and that spurs her to share with others. In this episode Lori talks of how she armored up to protect the whole family. We are all different and we all have special needs and need help in various ways at various times. Many times Lori shares special needs as one’s temperament—her perspective is fascinating. Research on parenting can coexist in actively raising kids and you can infuse your own reality. There are many pieces that come into play. Her advice is that parent’s don’t need to beat themselves up if a research based best practices doesn’t work for them individually — then move on and work on your own experience. Want to know what the research says happened to families during the pandemic? Parents needed some solid foundation to parent on and that is what Lori shares. Try this — Stop, breath and talk creating a foundation depth. Do more than survive. Don’t wallow. Thrive. Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff