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THE WOMEN BEFORE ME is an International multi generational, and multi-cultural project and upcoming podcast dedicated to honoring the WOMEN who shaped who we became. Mothers. Grandmothers. Aunts. Teachers. Coaches. Mentors and more.

Women whose influence continue for generations. This is an invitation to give tribute to a woman in your life and to remind us all that "Our legacy is every life we touch" as Maya Angelou once said.

Officially launching on International Women’s Day, the podcast features interviews with recognized leaders, compelling stories, and real-time voicemail tributes submitted by people across the globe. Together, these conversations reveal a shared truth: none of us stand alone. We are all part of a bigger legacy story.

Consider this as your invitation to participate:

Leave a brief voicemail tribute below honoring the woman who positively impacted your story, for an opportunity to be featured on THE WOMEN BEFORE ME podcast.

When you record, please share:

Your name and where you are recording from

Who is the woman who came before you, and how did she shape your life?

What lessons did she pass down?

How does her influence shape the way you live today?

Together, let’s create a ripple effect that honors the women before us, reminding us that generations matter, influence matters, and the choices we make echo far beyond ourselves.

We can’t wait to listen to your voicemails and hear the story of the woman who left a lasting imprint on your life.

Go to Svetkapopov.com and leave us a voice-memo of a woman who made a positive impact on your life.

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-Links-

https://www.svetkapopov.com/

https://www.instagram.com/svetka_popov/

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What if the biggest threat to your future isn’t fear…isn’t failure…but distraction?

And what if the reason you feel stuck isn’t laziness but unresolved wounds quietly shaping your identity?

Today we sit down with licensed therapist and author Trey Tucker to talk about purpose, trauma, masculinity, and the lie of “not good enough.” This isn’t self-help fluff. It’s practical tools for building real strength, and solid identity.

Trey Tucker touches on a few important points.

• Why chasing happiness makes it harder to find, and what to pursue instead
• How distraction rewires your brain and weakens your sense of purpose
• The difference between toughness and true strength
• How EMDR therapy “files” traumatic memories so they stop hijacking your present
• Why “I’m not good enough” is often born from small misinterpreted moments
• A practical way to test the stories you tell yourself
• How to build identity through daily evidence instead of feelings
• The distinct role fathers and mothers play in shaping resilience

If you’ve been busy but not fulfilled… productive but not peaceful… this conversation is for you.

Connect with Trey Tucker:

www.ruggedcounseling.com

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https://www.svetkapopov.com/

https://www.instagram.com/svetka_popov/

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What does it actually take to break generational cycles and build a meaningful life you’re proud of?

In this episode, I sit down with Leigh Grames, a photographer, mother, and creative who has defied the odds by building a successful business, cultivating a strong family life, and walking through the courageous journey of adoption.

Leigh shares her story with honesty and depth, offering insight into what it means to choose resilience, redefine legacy, and live intentionally both personally and professionally.

A conversation about non-linear healing, courage, and how people can be both the source of our pain and the path to seeing ourselves differently. We all need at least one person to believe in us.

In this episode you will walk away with:

• A real-life example of how generational patterns can be broken
• Honest reflections on motherhood, adoption, and choosing purpose over fear
• Practical wisdom on resilience, self-trust, and rewriting your personal narrative
• Inspiration to live intentionally and define success on your terms

This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered:
“Can I create a different story than the one I was handed?”

If this episode encouraged you, share it with a friend.

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https://www.svetkapopov.com/

https://www.instagram.com/svetka_popov/

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We pause before the new year to reflect on what the year has been, name its themes, and choose intentions over resolutions. Along with my top books from 2025.

Thank you for following along THE ONES WHO DARED podcast. Wishing you a happy and healthy New Year!

Feel free to share this podcast with a friend or send me a direct text below. Would love to hear from you, your year and your top reads from 2025.

Support the show

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https://www.svetkapopov.com/

https://www.instagram.com/svetka_popov/

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Life will throw you curveballs – create JOY anyway! Consider this your friendly reminder to carve out moments of joy and delight when life feels heavy.

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https://www.svetkapopov.com/

https://www.instagram.com/svetka_popov/

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I’m launching a new series called The Women Before Me and I’m looking for women with a story to tell.

This is a generational storytelling project designed to celebrate the powerful women who shaped us.

Each episode invites a guest to bring forward a woman from their lineage biological or chosen and share who she was, what she taught, the impact she made.

These are the stories often told in kitchens, car rides, and the type of stories that rarely make it onto a microphone but leave a lasting impact.

This series bridges generations, honors passed down wisdom, and inspires the women to come.

It’s not about Not your story…
but her story.
The mother, grandmother, aunt, mentor, or soul-sister who shaped you.
The woman whose courage, lessons, or love still ECHOS in your life today.

If there’s a woman you wish the world knew,
If there’s a story you’ve carried but never shared,
I want to honor her with you.

This is your invitation to be a guest on the show
To highlight her name, Share her impact,
And inspire the next generation of women who are still becoming.

Each episode brings you one woman’s story

told by the person whose life she touched.
Not celebrities.
Not icons.
Just the real heroes: The Women

To be clear you don’t have to be a woman to nominate, sons, grandsons and men are also encouraged to share about the women who shaped you, and she can still be in your life or passed on. The purpose is to highlight that ONE woman who made the greatest impact in your life. I want to know how, what did she do that stood out, that left a lasting impact.

TO NOMINATE A WOMAN IN YOUR go to my instagram sveta_popov and send this DM “The Women”

If you do not have instagram go to the description portion of this podcast episode and scroll to the bottom until you see.

A like that says “send us a text” click on that and type in “The Women” and tell me why she deserved to be nominated, what I am looking for is

1. What was she like in three words?
2. What lesson from her became part of your DNA?
3. What do you want the world to know about her, and why was she so special to you?
4. Tell me a short story, don’t just say she was a hard worker and taught me to work hard. No show me, take me into the scene of when it happened, how did she teach you to work hard? Captivate me with her character. So that the listeners can be impacted too..
5. Whats one think she did that you thought was dumb, but now you see value as an adult..

THIS IS YOUR SHOT TO SHOUT ABOUT HER FROM THE ROOFTOPS!

Roday, I want to highlight THE WOMEN who made me: My mother

One unusual thing my mom did which ended up saving my life on more than one occasion.

This is actually a chapter I wrote for my book, that may or may not make it into the final manuscript, and my agent may or may not be upset for giving you an early preview.

So bear with me as I do the unusual thing and read to you a story that took place in the former Soviet Union.

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https://www.svetkapopov.com/

https://www.instagram.com/svetka_popov/

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Are dreams just random thoughts or are they personal invitations from God?

In this episode, visionary storyteller Paige Collins, founder of Icon Media Group and author of Awaken Dream Journal: Understanding God’s Voice in Your Dreams, explores how our nighttime visions can become a language of intimacy, direction, and creativity.

Paige shares her own moment of awakening the night she heard her own voice asking for interpretation and how that question launched a season of vivid encounters and divine clarity. She explains how to set a nightly tone of peace, record what you see, and interpret your unique dream language through context and prayer.

From symbols of movement and water to warnings and promises, Paige unpacks how dreams can guide our choices, fuel creativity, and reconnect us with a God who still speaks.

Beyond her work as an author, Paige Collins is a seasoned media strategist, ideator, writer, and publicist with more than 20 years of experience crafting powerful messages that move hearts and minds. She has booked hundreds of television interviews, led publicity campaigns for major films, and produced red-carpet events and press conferences. As a screenwriter, producer, and founder of Honeybee Entertainment, Paige now develops faith-driven stories for film and television that uplift and inspire.

If you’ve ever sensed that your dreams were trying to tell you something… maybe they are.

Guest links:

iconmediagroup.com

honeybeeentertainment.com

Support the show

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https://www.svetkapopov.com/

https://www.instagram.com/svetka_popov/

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What if a single “yes” could reroute your life and bring hope to millions?

In this episode, we sit down with Pat Bradley, founder of Crisis Aid International, to trace his unlikely journey from alcoholism and divorce to a global mission feeding the hungry and rescuing girls from trafficking.

What began as a broken heart and a yellow post-it note became feeding centers across Africa, trauma-informed safe homes in the U.S., and a model for faith-driven, sustainable aid.

Pat shares the night a famine headline sent him halfway around the world with nothing but conviction and the moment a spontaneous rescue in a red-light district grew into a full anti-trafficking network. Along the way, he opens up about failure, reconciliation, and the faith that fuels impossible steps.

If you’ve ever felt unqualified, uncertain, or overwhelmed by injustice, this conversation offers a new roadmap: start small, act on compassion, and let provision meet you in motion.

Because sometimes, redemption begins where comfort ends and your yes might just lead to the purpose you are searching for.

Support the show

-Links-

https://www.svetkapopov.com/

https://www.instagram.com/svetka_popov/