363 Taking Inventory

As the New Year begins it’s time for us to take a step back and reflect on the stories, messages, and values we want to bring into 2025. Just like tending to a garden by removing weeds and adding nutrients, we must also tend to the garden of our lives. 

In this episode Sarah Elkins, Emily McVey, and Chris Wang discuss the stories that shaped them into who they are as well as how they have chosen to tell their stories through thoughtful and meaningful actions.

Highlights

• What are the coping strategies you developed?

• What connects you to other people? Even if you’ve never seen them. 

• What skills did you develop from a chaotic situation that manifested into a valuable tool for you to use throughout life?

• What generational curses are you breaking? What situations will you never allow others to endure because you had to endure them?

• Remember to step back and look at the bigger picture, instead of viewing the situation through a lens or holding the subjects to a higher standard.

• What brings you peace and calm?

Quotes

“If you play music, if you play an instrument, and you listen to the music, it’s almost like you’re having a dialogue with this person even though you’ve never seen them.” - Chris Wang

“We are not doing this to our children.” -Emily McVey

“There’s the traditional definition of success which is more tied to- you know- maybe more defined by money and career and that kind of stuff, which I kind of pursued and did my share, but then I realized it’s incomplete. I was still deeply unhappy.” -Chris Wang

“Don’t go out on the floor and ask the girls to work on their issues if you’re not willing to work on your own.” -Emily McVey

Dear Listeners it is now your turn,

What inventory are you gonna take about what you ran from or what you’re running toward? And who in your life needs to hear from you? That you believe in them and that you’re there to support them and to help them move into whatever they’re running toward.

And, as always, thank you for listening. 

About Emily

Emily has lived in Montana her whole life. She and her husband, Mike, raised their three children in Helena, participating in several extracurricular activities such as Boy Scouts and all of the sports. Emily’s background includes a formal education in culinary arts, sociology, and public relations, and she has a master’s degree in public administration.

Her nonprofit experience includes working at Florence Crittenton Home, Montana Youth Homes under Rocky Mountain Development Council, as well as volunteering for many other nonprofit organizations and is a suicide prevention QPR trainer. Emily worked for the State of Montana for six years and continues to contract services for licensing kinship foster families for Child and Family Services. Emily also now does home visits for the FLEX student exchange program. Emily was glad to return to the nonprofit sector in 2019 to work alongside other nonprofits to make meaningful change happen in the tri-county area.

When she is out of the office, Emily enjoys cake decorating, and trying out new hobbies by taking adult education classes.

Be sure to check out Emily’s Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn! As well as the links she provided for more information about ACE; Violence Prevention, ACE Quiz, and Know Your Resilience Score. 

About Chris

Not Available.

About Sarah

"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."

In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.

My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.

The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!

Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.

Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!

362 Stories Influence Our Identity and Personal Narrative 

As we close the chapter on 2024 and begin to start anew in 2025, it’s time that we take a step back to reflect on the narratives and stories that we have been harboring. We must take it upon ourselves to determine if these stories still serve us or if it is time to let those stories stay a product of their time and remain in the past so that we can create new stories that reflect us who we are now. 

In today’s monologue Sarah Elkins ruminates on the effect the story The Giving Tree had on her as both a child and a mother, and how it has inspired her to reflect on other stories that no longer serve her. 

Highlights

• What stories are you telling yourself that do not stand the test of time?

• How do the stories you’ve heard influence you and the relationships with the people around you.

• It’s not too late to change the ending of your story. Will you choose a kinder conclusion or will you choose the option that gives you peace?

Quotes

“Think about the stories that you read to your children in the hopes that they’ll absorb some morality lessons; Like Aesop’s Fables, maybe stories from the bible, or maybe books from your culture or religion. We can’t expect children to absorb those lessons but ignore the ones in Cinderella and The Giving Tree. It doesn’t work like that, literature is Literature.”

“As we head into the new year it’s a really good time to consider our impact on the people and environment around us, and to make an effort to be more intentional about that impact.”

Dear Listeners it is now your turn,

I challenge you to take inventory of a few things; before you make any new years resolutions, before you pick a word of the year, or as you consider your goals for personal growth in 2025, ask yourself these questions. What influenced my identity as a child or young adult that maybe it’s time to review and consider whether they still resonate and why? What stories have I been told about myself as a child that no longer align with who I am or how I want to experience myself moving forward? And what evidence can I point to, recent stories, that contradict those childhood labels that no longer fit? Lastly, what stories am I continuing to share about other people; my children, my friends, my family, and others in my community and at work, that might be contributing to negativity and division? 

And, as always, thank you for listening.

About Sarah

"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."

In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.

My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.

The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!

Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.

Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!

361 Tools For Change

Change is an unstoppable force of nature. From the great Rocky Mountains to the spring flowers, all of us are subject to change, whether it be for positive or negative is entirely up to you and the choices you make in utilizing your skills and natural talents. 

In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and her guest Sally Magee discuss how change can be dealt with in a constructive and helpful way to not only better yourself but those in your life as well.

Highlights

• Personal experience affects professional experience, and we need to find balance.

• Sometimes a language barrier or miscommunication can leave a humorous memory you can bond over.

• Using every tool in your arsenal to help yourself and others.

• Set a small but manageable goal. 

Quotes

“I think sometimes people get short sighted in seeing the tool for; “Oh, well this only applies at work, or it only applies in certain areas” You know; “At work I’m this way, at home I’m this way.” And your strengths apply to every part of your life and there is no separation.”

“Our strengths are our natural way of being.”

“Dive into something where you can build relationships with other people who are on a similar path as you.”

Dear Listeners it is now your turn,

It doesn’t have to be about sobriety necessarily, but a big goal in terms of redefining what you want out of life and how you’re gonna get it. Using your natural talents to first of all identify what that why is; Why do you want to make a change? And then using your talent to really be successful in making a significant change in your life. I’m really curious, what will be your big change, what is the transformation you’re seeking? Is it to be sober? Is it to lose weight? Is it to start your own business?  

And, as always, thank you for listening. 

About Sally

Hi, I’m Sally! Founder of Magee Coaching Solutions, a Strengths-Based Sobriety Coaching practice, that provides a judgment-free coaching services for “gray area drinkers” to examine their relationship with alcohol. For the sober-curious, I run an Alcohol-Free Challenge and 31-Day Course, and for the “sober-serious” I offer a 6-month coaching experience. I’m passionate about helping people experience life on the other side of alcohol and thrive alcohol-free.

Be sure to check out Sally’s Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn! As well as her website Magee Coaching!

About Sarah

"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."

In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.

My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.

The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!

Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.

Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!

360 Taking Your Own Advice

Sometimes in life we are told by those who come to us for guidance how valuable and insightful our input can be, however it is often difficult for us to take our own words to heart. This can be for a myriad of reasons, but if our personal board of directors insist that we have a good head on our shoulders, certainly we must turn inward and offer advice to ourselves. 

In this episode, Sarah Elkins ruminates on the importance of taking your own advice and being mindful of how your stories impact those involved in it, especially when they aren’t around to hear the story being shared. 

Highlights

• Appreciating the facets of the people in your life and how they influence your stories.

• Finishing what you started, especially when you don’t think you can.

• Being mindful of how you share the stories about the people in your life.

Quotes

“You have to finish the commitment you made (for the summer). Because if you don't, this challenging situation will come back to you in different forms until you learn the lesson the universe is trying to teach you.”

“It doesn’t require much criticism to believe the bad stuff.”

Dear Listeners it is now your turn,

What stories are you sharing with the intent to teach or learn or to grow, that might actually be hurting someone you care about? Can you see whether that’s damaging the relationship with that person even if they haven’t heard the story you’ve been sharing? The stories we tell about other people say a lot about who we are. So please, the next time you start sharing a story; pay attention, figure out how you can share it in a way that’s positive and shows the beautiful light of you and the people in your life.

And, as always, thank you for listening. 

About Sarah

"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."

In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.

My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.

The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!

Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.

Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!

359 What is Success?

Success and our paths to reaching it look different for every person, especially when it's to someone who isn’t an achiever and doesn’t care for titles. Our own personal success is often more meaningful than a trophy.

In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Robin Hamilton discuss their own personal definitions of success as well as the trials and hurdles on their paths to self discovery and success.

Highlights

• Showing appreciation for your stories and the stories of others.

• Don’t forget to keep your eyes open and grateful to the opportunities presented to you.

• What do you want to do? And what are the next steps in reaching that goal?

• Are you presenting yourself in a way you can be proud of as well as those who rely on you?

Quotes

“You need to take the blinders off, and you need to be careful of the story or the narrative you’re telling yourself of what should be and be open to what is in front of you.”

“You’re doing all of this work anyway, why don’t you just do it for yourself?”

“I always felt that when your talents can support you and sustain you, in the way you want them to, that is what I believe success to be.”

Dear Listeners it is now your turn,

One thing that really caught my attention was the story of the woman that was interviewing Robin and said “We think much of ourselves don’t we?” When do you get to be the woman that says, “Damn girl, you really know what your value is. We have this range in our salary and that’s at the upper range, I can try to push this through but what if we start here?” When can you be the woman who says “You’re right. You aren’t asking enough.” We need to be that woman for the women around us. It should never be a woman who tells another woman, she’s not the value she thinks she is.   

And, as always, thank you for listening. 

About Robin

Robin Hamilton is an Emmy-award winning journalist, television host, moderator and writer.

As a journalist, Ms. Hamilton has worked for network affiliates around the country, including Florida, New York, and Massachusetts. Based in Washington, DC, she was the host for the public affairs news magazine program This Just In.

In 2012, she founded the ARound Robin Production Company, where she creates videos for non-profits to help with fundraising, marketing and messaging.

In 2016, she was awarded a Fulbright grant to travel to Myanmar to help facilitate a communication campaign between local organizations and their government.

She received two master’s degrees, one from New York University, with a concentration in broadcast journalism, and a second in public administration from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, with a focus on policy and media.

Her company has also produced five documentary films.

Check out Robin’s Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram! As well as her website Around Robin!

About Sarah

"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."

In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.

My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.

The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!

Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.

Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!

358 Inner Leaders

No matter how much of a master we think we are at the things we do, we can always learn more. Whether that be in the form of learning a new hiking path, learning a new crochet stitch, or how to best use your behavior in the workplace to encourage others to thrive. In this episode Tanya Bugbee and Sarah Elkins discuss the importance of having a coach, and using the skills that connect us to others. 

Highlights

• Sometimes it takes time for us to accept and share the important details of our lives.

• Practice and leaving reminders for yourself to work on the behavior you want to make an adjustment to. 

• We need someone pragmatic and straight to the point to coach us.

Quotes

“It connects us, those stories. We make a connection when we share something vulnerable or whatever we’re sharing. It’s a way to connect and to bond and to understand.” 

“We need to have strong inner leaders in our voices.”

Dear Listeners it is now your turn,

If you are a coach, who are you reaching out to for coaching to make sure you are bringing your best to your clients? If you’ve considered hiring a coach, what are the outcomes you want as a result of working with them, because that can help inform which coach is going to be the best fit for you. Think about the people you admire and respect the most because of interactions with you and know that your best coach connection will be with somebody like that, someone you will listen to and feel confident and safe to be vulnerable with. I highly encourage you to consider hiring a coach especially if you’re a business owner and you just need somebody with really good ideas, and good listening skills, that can help you and make sure that they are in your corner.

And, as always, thank you for listening. 

About Tanya

Tanya’s clients don’t just meet their goals—they soar beyond them. From earning promotions to becoming top producers, Tanya’s clients achieve with confidence, courage, and a plan. Known for her skill in creating customized strategies that lead to measurable results, Tanya is the coach who transforms ambitions into achievements.

Her path to coaching is as vibrant as her approach: she’s been a top-producing realtor in three states, a corporate trainer for Jenny Craig, a sailboat flipper, and even ran a flight school. Oh, and she earned her pilot’s license at 26. Her stories inspire and her strategies deliver, equipping every client with the tools they need to thrive.

Outside of work, Tanya is all about adventure and family—whether it’s taking her bike out on a new trail, enjoying live music, or savoring grandmotherhood.

Be sure to check out Tanya’s Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn! As well as Tanya’s Website!

About Sarah

"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."

In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.

My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.

The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!

Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.

Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!

357 The Objects That Matter To You

Connection, especially in today’s day and age, is becoming a lost art. Today we are given the unique and groundbreaking idea from Lisa Weiss, to ask about the objects that are held onto by the people around us, connecting with them through the shared love of holding onto pieces of the past that have shaped us into who we are today. 

Highlights

• What are you keeping from the past?

• What commonality do you look for in others?

• What do you surround yourself with that matters to you?

Quotes

“I don’t want to live an unlived life.”

“I tend to like objects that make me feel like I matter to someone else.”

Dear Listeners it is now your turn,

One of the first topics in this conversation was considering the depth of the object you’re holding on to. So what is an object in your life that you can look at and tell a story about that includes other people, other characters in your story matter. How can you share that with people? Think about opportunities to use objects to connect with people around you, because right now in our global community with the polarization we are facing this is so critical. Asking a question, not to change somebody's mind, not to try to persuade somebody, but asking them with the intention of connecting. Ask the question that will bring depth and connection in that moment around you.   

And, as always, thank you for listening. 

About Lisa

Lisa Weiss is the 3X Emmy® Award-winning founder + CEO of Storybeat Studio, a storytelling and public relations company combatting invisibility, disconnection, and disengagement among individuals and organizations. She has more than two decades of experience as a media executive and writer for iconic brands, including Oprah Winfrey and CBS News. Through her work with Storybeat Studio, Lisa was named a Forbes Next 1000 entrepreneur (December 2021) and a Tory Burch Fellow (2021-2022). She is the creator of the Object Diaries project: Stories About Human Connection Told One Secret Object at a Time.

Be sure to check out Lisa’s LinkedIn! As well as Object Diaries, the adjoined Newsletter, and Story Beat Studio!

About Sarah

"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."

In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.

My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.

The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!

Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.

Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!

357 Sarah’s Hike

Many times in life it feels like we’re in the plot of a movie franchise from 2003, hopelessly watching and waiting for the inevitable drop of the other shoe, the logs or cars to fly off of a semi-truck on a highway that we have to take. Often this stress and future-tense fear can become all-consuming, blinding us to the people we share the car and road with. However if we remember to take a breath and slow down, letting those in your car offer their insight and assurance, you will make it to your destination and this too shall pass. 

In this episode, Sarah Elkins offers some insight she found on a hike in the beautiful snowy mountains of Montana, sharing her boundless optimism and valuable thoughts. 

Highlights

• Where do you find inspiration?

• Are you in a place where you are waiting for the other shoe -or in this case car- to drop? Is that really the most healthy place for you to grow and learn?

• Who is the company in your car as you are stuck behind the semi of unpredictability?

Quotes

“She told me that sometimes when she’s having a hard time she imagines that she’s on a 2 lane highway, with a giant semi-truck -a car carrier- in front of her. And she’s watching as that last car on the truck is bouncing and she’s waiting for it to just fall off the car carrier and onto her car.”

“As I give it some space, I realize there is beauty all around me. I just couldn’t see it because I was too close.”

Dear Listeners it is now your turn,

Consider what is the semi that you are driving too close to. Consider who you want as company in the car. Who needs you to take that space between you and that truck? 

And, as always, thank you for listening. 

About Sarah

"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."

In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.

My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.

The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!

Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.

Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!

Labels and judgment are an unfortunate symptom of society, more often than not people will be framed in a particular light without any chance to defend themselves or for a full explanation to be given. Because of one person saying something, one bad interaction, or one misinterpretation a person can be frozen in time under whatever label was given to them.

In today’s episode Sarah Elkins ruminates on enlightening experiences that have recently occurred that have helped continue to shape her perspective on the damage of labels and unfair judgment. 

Highlights

• Art imitates life and more often than not, not for the better.

• Labels and keeping someone frozen in time can warp our perceptions of others and ourselves. 

• Work on strategies to help yourself avoid judging another and labeling them unjustly.

Quotes

“Their spouses, families, and friends are all shocked of course, and they say things like “My whole life with you is a lie!” I desperately wanted to ask those family and friends, Did you feel loved and cared for all those years you were together? Are you going to ignore all that you know to be true about this person because of something they did over twenty years ago?! I want to shake them!”

“Labels are a form of judgment and no one likes to be judged, especially from someone else’s limited information about us.”

Dear Listeners it is now your turn,

Do you have cringey moments you look back on, times that when you do look back on them realize they weren’t too great? When have you been labeled and judged unfairly? Are their stories about people in your past that maybe it’s time to reconsider before sharing? 

And, as always, thank you for listening. 

About Sarah

"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."

In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.

My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.

The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!

Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.

Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!

354 Amy’s Mess

Hunger, for the lucky among us, is an inconvenience, the final straw during a bad day that fuels a bad temper, or an awkward moment in a silent room. But for many in our community hunger is painful, difficult, and inescapable making it near impossible to do anything let alone attend school. Approximately 2.5 million children are homeless in the United States, many of whom somehow still have to attend school, often hungry. But we can help, whether it be through donations or time, we can help the children in our communities.

Today Sarah Elkins and Amy Adams discuss Amy’s Mess, a nonprofit organization that seeks to feed the children and families of the Helena Community and to spread awareness of the plight of homeless families. 

Highlights

• Acts of kindness can help your community.

• Doing what you can within your means. 

• Working together with your community to help eachother.

Quotes

“I realize what I’m doing is not a fix, but at the same time these kids have a lot of instability and insecurity in their lives, you know they’re living in a hotel or a camper.  Regardless of what the parent’s situation is these kids are still hungry.”

“I realize you don’t know me, but I know I can help.”

Dear Listeners it is now your turn,

Amy started this just by understanding a need and figured out what she could do and what she could count on to help her make even a small difference in the lives of these students. I’m a huge believer that food and giving in this way is a pathway to reduce drop-outs, to reduce criminal activity, to reduce addiction, to reduce violence at schools. Feeding people, nourishing and nurturing them, especially students is going to make a difference in our communities. What will you do and how do you see the change and the shift? 

And, as always, thank you for listening. 

About Amy

I am just an individual who cared to start something. 

Be sure to check out Amy’s LinkedIn and Facebook!

Visit Amy’s Mess to find out more and donate to help feed hungry families.

About Sarah

"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."

In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.

My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.

The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!

Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.

Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!

355 Create The Community You Need

Building a community can be a daunting yet very rewarding task, in order to find this community often you need to spread out and meet strangers, expanding both your world view and understanding of others. 

In this episode Sarah Elkins and Emily Carlson discuss the importance of building community and making your very own personal board of directors to work together for a better tomorrow.

Highlights

• Knowing what really matters to you and never compromising your values.

• What you want from life changes over time.

• Ask what someone has tried before exploring solutions to a problem. 

Quotes

“I knew I needed to do something in this world and I knew I didn't want to leave my baby.”

“Complete strangers when you begin a call can become apart of your community when you leave.”

Dear Listeners it is now your turn,

You’ve heard a lot of inspiring moments in this conversation, what will you take away from it? Maybe you’ll reach out to someone you admire and respect and ask for a 15 or 30 minute conversation just to find out how you can support them and how they can support you. Will you start to build exactly the personal board of directors, the community you need to take you to wherever you plan to be in the next few years. What will you take from this conversation and what will you do in the next 24 hours to move you in the right direction?

And, as always, thank you for listening. 

About Emily

Emily Carlson is a leading executive and mentor in the Healthcare IT consulting industry. Emily’s 30-year career in Information Technology and Project Management realms has focused on supporting her passion for the healthcare industry by delivering best-in-class quality projects to aid strategic initiatives and grow revenue for her clients.

Emily is a coach and mentor to organizations, the technology industry, and throughout her community. Her podcast, Powered by Authenticity, advocates to change the trajectory of equity and inclusion for females through insightful, inspiring conversations from women who are forging ahead in careers that do not have a balanced female representation. Emily travels the country as a conference and event keynote speaker focusing on topics ranging from her technical expertise to equity and inclusion.

Among her many accolades, Emily is most proud of being chosen in 2021 as one of the Top Women Leaders in Technology, Excellence and Innovation by Consulting Magazine. In 2022 Consulting Magazine awarded her Mentor of the Year acknowledging the unrelenting work she has down in support of other females.

Be sure to check out Emily’s Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram! As well as her podcast!

About Sarah

"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."

In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.

My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.

The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!

Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.

Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!