Welcome to Episode 100 of the Be She Podcast — Be seen, be heard, be empowered.

This milestone episode is more than just a celebration. It's a reflection, a reckoning, and a reclamation.

After taking a few intentional weeks of rest during treatment and the holidays, this moment marks not just a return—but a renewal.

For years, I believed consistency meant never stopping. That strength meant pushing through. That leadership meant always being "on." But this season asked something different of me: to slow down, to listen, to heal, and to choose myself—not as a reward, but as a requirement.

In this episode, I'm taking you behind the mic and into the journey of becoming a woman who chooses to be seen.

We talk about:

🌱 Why rest is not a setback but a sacred part of growth

🌱 How visibility is an inner transformation, not a marketing strategy

🌱 The tiny, shaky, brave moments that built this podcast

🌱 What it means to show up when you'd rather shrink

🌱 Healing the parts of yourself you buried just to survive

🌱 Choosing courage over confidence, every single day

🌱 The identity shifts required to reach 100 episodes—especially doing it solo

You'll hear the truth behind the early days: the shaking hands, the trembling voice, the fear of being seen in the middle of divorce, exhaustion, and rebuilding. You'll hear how visibility became less about spotlight moments and more about choosing to tell the truth, take up space, and stop hiding.

Because visibility isn't about perfection.

It's about presence.

It's about healing.

It's about becoming.

And reaching 100 episodes? It represents courage, persistence, and transformation—not just mine, but yours. Because you've been here. You've listened, supported, and grown alongside me. This community has become a home for women who are rising.

Here's to the next chapter.

Here's to choosing visibility as a lifestyle.

Here's to becoming the woman you were always meant to be.

Connect with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidischalkcoaching

FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/femaleentrepreneursandleaders

Spotlight to Scale: https://www.spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/

Ready to grow your biz: scalewithheidi.com

In this episode of the Be S.H.E. Podcast, Heidi welcomes former TV news anchor and reporter Mary Avila-Shears. Mary shares her journey from the newsroom to motherhood, her battle with postpartum depression, and how she turned her struggles into purpose by launching The Momalogues Podcast. Through candid conversations and heartfelt truths, Mary empowers moms to feel seen, heard, and reminded they’re never alone.

Mary Avila-Shears is a former TV news anchor and reporter with nearly 15 years of experience covering everything from breaking news, entertainment, and human interest stories. She's interviewed everyone from lawmakers to celebrities. One of her proudest on-the-job moments? Locating a fugitive that federal and local authorities couldn’t track down. After the pandemic, Mary stepped away from the newsroom to be a full-time mommy and support her kids through virtual learning and stepped into a new, powerful chapter of her life.

Now a mom of three, Mary launched The Momalogues podcast after walking through postpartum depression for the second time. Her experience opened her eyes to the silent struggles many mothers face and inspired her to create a space where moms feel seen, heard, and reminded they’re not alone. Through candid conversations, humor, and heartfelt truth, she shares motherhood's messy and magical parts. Mary also leads a growing motherhood ministry at her church, offering spiritual and practical support to mommas in need. Whether behind a mic or beside a momma in crisis, her mission is simple: to help mothers know their story matters and they don’t have to walk it alone.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Website: http://themomalogues.com

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/the_momalogues

Connect with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidischalkcoaching

FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/femaleentrepreneursandleaders

Spotlight to Scale: https://www.spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/

Ready to grow your biz: scalewithheidi.com

In this heartfelt episode, Heidi sits down with master coach and author, Robin Ferguson, to explore the power of personal transformation, the courage to trust your gut, and the journey of rewriting your story. Robin shares insights from her ,The Phoenix Effect, inviting us to sift through the noise, honor our intuition, and rise with purpose. If you’ve ever felt stuck in old narratives or unsure how to step into your full self, this conversation is your gentle nudge forward.

Robin Ferguson is a leading voice in the field of personal transformation and serves as an unwavering advocate for living life authentically, offering people permission to be human while challenging everyone to live a life of passion and purpose. As a Master Certified Coach, she empowers individuals, leaders, and organizations to embrace their full potential.

Robin's unique perspective is shaped by her diverse background as an organizational leader, coach, interfaith minister, and nurse, blending hard-earned wisdom with deep compassion. As a result, she approaches coaching from a holistic perspective, knowing that as women, we bring all of ourselves to every situation. She supports women in finding more balance, boundaries, and bravery – inviting them to put themselves at the top of their priority list.

She is the also the author of The Phoenix Effect: Transcend Limitation and Ignite the Power Within You, a revolutionary approach to self-empowerment.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Website: http://robin-ferguson.com

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/robinaferguson

The Phoenix Effect Book: https://amzn.to/4nYUqfn

Connect with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidischalkcoaching

FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/femaleentrepreneursandleaders

Spotlight to Scale: https://www.spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/

Ready to grow your biz: scalewithheidi.com

In this radiant episode of the Be S.H.E. Podcast, Heidi welcomes Linda Albright, founder of Albright AI. Linda shares how she pivoted from high-level corporate roles to empowering women through disruptive tech, all while honoring her inner artist and yogi. If you’ve ever felt torn between creativity and strategy, or overwhelmed by the tech world, this conversation will inspire you to lead with vision, simplify with AI, and stay rooted in your why.

Linda Albright is an early-adopter entrepreneur passionate about disruptive technologies that transform the way we work and live. With a background spanning Web 1, 2, 3 — and now AI — she’s helped scale multiple startups and played a key role in securing millions in Series A and seed funding.

Today, she helps hard-working entrepreneurs and startup CEOs navigate the noisy and confusing AI landscape, so they can cut costs, save time, boost profits, and stay ahead of the competition. Certified in AI Strategy, Implementation, and Data Science, Linda combines practical expertise with a deep understanding of business growth.

She also co-manages the Stamford AI Meetup, helping to foster local innovation and education around AI tools and trends.

When she’s not in the AI trenches, you’ll find her on a yoga mat—defying gravity in handstands and teaching others how to stay flexible in mind and body.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Website: http://www.albrightai.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindaalbright/

Connect with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidischalkcoaching

FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/femaleentrepreneursandleaders

Spotlight to Scale: https://www.spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/

In this episode of the Be She podcast, we’re joined by the incredible Letizia Alto, physician, real estate investor, best-selling author, and CEO of Semi-Retired MD. Letizia shares how she and her husband went from working nonstop as doctors to building a real estate portfolio that gave them true financial freedom.

Her journey began with a single book and a desire for more time, more purpose, and more impact. Now, with over 175 personal units and thousands more syndicated, she’s helping others do the same. We talk about falling into purpose, redefining success, and what it means to be empowered in both life and legacy.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone craving freedom, clarity, and the courage to pivot.

Letizia Alto is a physician, real estate investor, best-selling author, blogger, podcaster and the CEO of Semi-Retired MD.

She and her husband, Kenji, started investing in cashflowing rental real estate in 20152105 and achieved financial freedom three years later. Since then, they have grown their personal portfolio to over 175+ units of long and short-term income-producing rentals across the United States and have syndicated an additional 2,100+ units.

In 2018, Letizia and Kenji started Semi-Retired MD to help other doctors and high-income earners build their own real estate portfolios, securing a steady source of income outside of their day jobs. Over 3,500 doctors and high-income professionals have taken Semi-Retired MD’s online courses, many of whom have gone on to build their own real estate portfolios of cashflowing rentals and become financially free.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCibjmeDUNn568Egl5TppnPg

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letiziaalto/?hl=en

Website: https://semiretiredmd.com

Book: Amazon best-seller Life On Your Terms https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CK3JQK2K?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_WW9BQ45CEYPSXYM280QJ

Ignite Your Journey: https://semiretiredmd.com/leti-live

Connect with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidischalkcoaching

FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/femaleentrepreneursandleaders

Spotlight to Scale: https://www.spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/

Ready to grow your biz: scalewithheidi.com

In this empowering episode of the Be S.H.E. podcast, I welcome fellow Floridian and spiritual breakthrough coach, Karen Rudolf. Together, we dive deep into Karen’s transformative journey, from burnout and personal loss to soul-aligned leadership and healing. Karen shares how her background in nursing, motherhood, and emotional overwhelm led her to uncover the root causes of inner struggle and reclaim her voice. Tune in as we explore the power of communication, the cost of masking symptoms, and how women can shift their inner narratives to lead with clarity, confidence, and purpose. This is a raw, real, and restorative conversation you won’t want to miss.

Karen Rudolf is a Spiritual Breakthrough Coach, speaker, and the founder of Tranquil SOULutions™. She specializes in helping women and conscious leaders overcome emotional and subconscious blocks, reclaim their voice, and lead with clarity, confidence, and soul alignment. A former nurse turned transformational coach, Karen’s journey began after facing personal loss and burnout — and realizing that true healing starts within. She now blends neuroscience, intuitive insight, quantum principles, and holistic wellness in her proprietary Clarity Tool™ to guide clients through deep self-discovery and breakthrough. Her mission is to help women remember their power, shift their inner narratives, and create aligned lives of purpose, peace, and impact.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Website: http://www.tranquilsoulutions.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karen.rudolf.14/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tranquilsoulutions/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tranquilsoulutions/

Connect with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidischalkcoaching

FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/femaleentrepreneursandleaders

Spotlight to Scale: https://www.spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/

Ready to grow your biz: scalewithheidi.com

In this episode, I sit down with Kathleen Chan, the powerhouse founder and CEO of Calico. Kathleen shares how her frustration with fragmented supply chains sparked the creation of Calico, and why building the right team is everything, even when you’re building solo.

We talk about risk, resilience, and the mindset shifts required to leap into entrepreneurship again and again. Kathleen opens up about navigating doubt, protecting your vision, and surrounding yourself with people who challenge you to think bigger….like 10X bigger. If you’ve ever felt the tug of a bold idea but hesitated to share it, this conversation will remind you: the right people won’t just support your dream, they’ll help you scale it.

Kathleen Chan is the founder and CEO of Calico, a sourcing co-pilot for consumer brands that streamlines the most complex and fragmented parts of production—using AI to help teams generate manufacturable design concepts, compare regional factory pricing, source the right partners, manage costs, and move from concept to production faster.

A three-time founder with deep experience in fashion and retail, Kathleen previously built and scaled DTC brands in the jewelry and apparel space, where she oversaw everything from design to sourcing to go-to-market strategy. Her frustration navigating global production across time zones, spreadsheets, and unreliable partners became the spark for Calico, which is now used by leading brands to bring speed and resilience to their supply chains.

She began her career at Microsoft and was named one of Sourcing Journal’s 2025 Female Founders to Watch.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Website: https://www.joincalico.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleenchan/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/calicoai/

Connect with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidischalkcoaching

FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/femaleentrepreneursandleaders

Spotlight to Scale: https://www.spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/

Ready to grow your biz: scalewithheidi.com

In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with the incredible Laci Davis, a powerhouse entrepreneur, advocate, and co-founder of The Grit Game. Laci’s journey is anything but ordinary. From cruise director to children’s photographer to marketing leader in a male-dominated industry, her story is one of resilience, creativity, and stepping fully into her purpose.

We talk about the unexpected turns that shaped her career, the power of showing up authentically, and the moment she decided to go “all in”, transforming both her business and her life. This conversation is real, inspiring, and full of wisdom for anyone navigating their own path.

Let’s dive in.

Laci Davis is a trailblazing entrepreneur, advocate, and speaker—and the Co-Founder and President of The Grit Game, a woman-led sales & marketing firm reimagining how growth happens in the pool and spa industry. Her company serves all of the U.S. and Canada and has become known for elevating underrepresented voices in a traditionally male-dominated space.

Featured on the 2024 covers of Spa Retailer’s inaugural 30 under 40 issue, Agency Sales Magazine, and Pool Nation for the being listed as a Next Gen Female Leader, Laci has built a career around breaking norms and building platforms—for products, for people, and for purpose-driven change.

She regularly shares practical advice in Aqua Magazine to help small business owners market smarter, and hosts the Mind Muscle Pro podcast aimed at helping others reclaim joy and mental well-being in a fast-paced world. Additionally her volunteer work combating human trafficking has earned her the title of Hometown Hero in the Tampa Bay Area.

Laci has also grown a personal social media following of over half a million followers by helping women feel confident in the gym, sharing how-to videos that demystify equipment, explain technique, and empower strength training from the very first rep.

Laci is passionate about helping women be seen, be heard, and be empowered—in business and in life.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

Website: www.thegritgame.com

Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/its_a_great_day_with_lacirenee/

Business Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.grit.game/

Personal Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lacidavis/

Business Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-grit-game/

Business Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?=61554806608108

Business Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thegritgame

Connect with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidischalkcoaching

FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/femaleentrepreneursandleaders

Spotlight to Scale: https://www.spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/

Ready to grow your biz: scalewithheidi.com