Podcast
Sweet but Fearless Podcast
Hosted by Mary Sullivan, Cooper Alexander, Gale Northrop · EN
Step into the world of the Sweet but Fearless podcast, your go-to weekly destination for exploring the challenges confronted by women leaders on the frontlines. With a blend of engaging interviews featuring accomplished women leaders, entrepreneurs, and industry experts along with solo episodes, you'll gain insight and actionable advice to guide you on your fearless career journey.
22episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Career Pivots: Turning Past Experience into New Opportunities with Katie Whipple, Area Sales Manager, Kastenbery (S11: Epi 299)
2w ago00:32:32Tap to summarizeMaking an intentional career pivot isn't about starting over, it's about building on everything you've learned along the way. Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Katie Whipple about her varied career journey and how the knowledge, skills, and experience she gained in each role helped her make thoughtful, strategic career changes. Today, Katie brings that diverse experience to her role as Area Sales Manager for Kastenbery, helping small-business owners find smarter ways to save time, reduce costs, and work more efficiently. She shares how embracing a nonlinear career path helped her recognize new opportunities and move forward with greater clarity and confidence. ABOUT KATIE WHIPPLE: LinkedIn – Katie Whipple Website - Kastenbery ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS: Website - Sweet but Fearless LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless
Transcribe →How to Overcome Burnout and Build Sustainable Success with Paula Houlihan, author and founder of Choice Mastery (S10: Epi 298)
3w ago00:28:38Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless talks with Paula Houlihan, founder of Choice Mastery, to explore her inspiring journey from corporate burnout to successful entrepreneur. Paula shares how she once believed that long hours, constant stress, and relentless hustle were simply the price of success. After experiencing burnout firsthand, she transformed her approach to work and life, developing the Choice Mastery Model, a practical framework built around four key steps: Assess, Evaluate, Choose, and Act. Together, Mary and Paula discuss the habits of thought and behavior that contribute to burnout, how intentional choices can lead to lasting change, and why redefining success is essential for both personal and professional fulfillment. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, navigating a career transition, or looking for a healthier path to success, this conversation offers practical insights and empowering strategies you can start applying today. ABOUT: PAULA HOULIHAN LinkedIn – Paula Houlihan Website – Paula Houlihan Book: Hijacked: The Surprising Neuroscience Behind the Choices You Think You're Making and How to Take Back the Controls ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS: Website - Sweet but Fearless LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless
Transcribe →The Truth About Reaching the C-Suite: Political Fluency, Strategic Leadership & Executive Success with Kristine Frost, founder of Shattered Glass Advisory (S10: Epi 297)
Jul 2000:30:39Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless talks with Kristine Frost, Founder of Shattered Glass Advisory, about the honest truth behind reaching the C-suite and why political fluency is an essential leadership skill. Drawing from more than 25 years of leading people and culture in the automotive industry, Kristine shares her journey as one of the few women in executive leadership, the importance of being in the rooms where key decisions are made, and how women can avoid getting stuck in transactional leadership by developing an enterprise mindset that helps move an organization forward. Together, Mary and Kristine explore the shift from seeking external validation to finding fulfillment from within, while discussing the resilience, pragmatism, strategic thinking, and courage required to reach the next level of leadership. Whether you're aspiring to the C-suite, navigating a career transition, or redefining success on your own terms, this conversation offers honest insights and practical wisdom to help you move forward with confidence. ABOUT: KRISTINE M. FROST LinkedIn – Kristine M. FrostWebsite – Shattered Glass Advisory ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS: Website - Sweet but Fearless LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless
Transcribe →Work-Life Balance: Finding Fulfillment Without Leaving Your Career with Wendy Meadows (S10: Epi 296)
Jul 1300:22:02Tap to summarizeCan you build a successful career and still create a life that feels truly fulfilling? In this episode, Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Wendy Meadows, attorney, life coach, and author, about redefining success without walking away from the career you love. Wendy shares how her early years in a family law firm taught her the fundamentals of business, time management, and efficiency, while also revealing the personal cost of constantly pushing forward. After discovering health and wellness coaching, she found a path that complemented her legal career and helped her reconnect with herself. Today, Wendy continues to practice law while empowering others through coaching and her book, "sparkle & GRIT", showing that fulfillment comes from nurturing every aspect of your life, not just your career. ABOUT: WENDY S MEADOWS LinkedIn – Wendy MeadowsWebsite – Wendy MeadowsBook – "sparkle & Grit: Live a Technicolor Life by Finally Finding Balance, Escaping Monotony, and Beating Burnout" ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS: Website - Sweet but Fearless LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless
Transcribe →Unlocking the Power of Your Story with Laura Nespoli, Founder of Meshin Movement (S10: Epi 295)
Jul 600:27:55Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Laura Nespoli, Founder of Meshin Movement, to explore the transformative power of story. After experiencing profound personal growth, Laura discovered that embracing and sharing her own story became the catalyst for breaking through limitations and becoming the woman she was meant to be. That journey led her to study the science of storytelling and how our personal narratives can fuel growth, deepen self-awareness, strengthen our relationships, and create meaningful connections within our communities. Together, Mary and Laura discuss why stories matter, how storytelling shapes our experiences, and how reclaiming your own narrative can create lasting movement in your life. ABOUT: LAURA NESPOLI LinkedIn – Laura NespoliWebsite – Meshin MovementBook – "Threads of Me and You: Unravel Your Limits and Weave Growth from Within" ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS: Website - Sweet but Fearless LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless
Transcribe →Beyond the Label: Growing into Strategic Leadership with Teresa Gregory, Founder of G Squared Consulting (S10: Epi 294)
Jun 2800:26:27Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Teresa Gregory, Founder of G Squared Consulting, talk about how too often, we become pigeonholed by the very skills that make us successful. When you're known as the person who can always get a specific job done, others begin to define you by that role and it's easy to start believing that label yourself. Teresa shares why it's important not to lean into those limitations, but instead to intentionally promote your broader capabilities and position yourself as a strategic leader. Mary and Teresa also explore how technology is reshaping leadership. Rather than viewing AI as a replacement for people, they discuss how leaders can embrace it as a powerful tool that enhances decision-making, innovation, and impact. If you're ready to move beyond labels, think more strategically, and lead with confidence in an AI-driven world, this conversation is for you. As the founder of G Squared Consulting, Teresa has partnered with industry leaders—including Microsoft, Kaiser Permanente, and major corporate teams—to design high-impact leadership programs that elevate culture, accelerate growth, and equip managers with the skills needed to lead confidently in a changing world. ABOUT: TERESA GREGORY LinkedIn – Teresa GregoryWebsite – Squared Success ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS: Website - Sweet but Fearless LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless
Transcribe →From Corporate Accounting to Entrepreneurship: Linda Hunt on Reinvention, Money, and Why Everything Is Figureoutable (S10: Epi 293)
Jun 2100:27:08Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Linda Hunt, founder of SumSolutions, to explore the winding path from corporate accounting professional to successful entrepreneur. Linda shares how many of us hold tightly to goals we set years ago, even when they no longer align with who we've become. She reflects on the importance of giving ourselves permission to evolve, recognizing when our interests have changed, and embracing opportunities that may look very different from the careers we originally envisioned. The conversation also tackles one of business's most important, and often, uncomfortable topics - money. Linda explains why accounting is far more than numbers on a spreadsheet. Financial data tells the story of a company, revealing patterns, highlighting priorities, and providing the clarity leaders need to make informed decisions. While accounting may not directly generate revenue, it plays a critical role in profitability, growth, and long-term success. Throughout the discussion, Linda's guiding philosophy shines through: "Everything is figureoutable." ABOUT LINDA HUNT:LinkedIn – Linda HuntWebsite – Sum SolutionsBook – The Money Conversation: Speak the Truth. Set the Standard. Get Paid Without Apology ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS: Website - Sweet but Fearless LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless
Transcribe →Don't Accept the Status Quo: Breaking Free from Outdated Leadership Models with author Meghan French Dunbar (S10:Epi 292)
Jun 1500:28:03Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Meghan French Dunbar, founder of Conscious Company Magazine and author of This Isn't Working, for an honest conversation about burnout, identity, and defining success on your own terms. After founding and scaling a nationally recognized media company, and serving as CEO for years, Meghan found herself exhausted, disconnected, and questioning the very definition of success she had worked so hard to achieve. What followed was a period of deep reflection that transformed how she approaches leadership and personal fulfillment. Meghan explores how traditional leadership models have been shaped by masculine ideals and how many women have been conditioned to believe they must adopt these traits to succeed. Meghan shares insights on what she calls the "half-leadership trap", the tendency to value only one side of leadership while overlooking the strengths that qualities often viewed as feminine bring to the table. She discusses why the most effective leaders embrace both masculine and feminine traits, blending decisiveness and ambition with empathy, collaboration, and intuition to create a more balanced and authentic approach to leadership. ABOUT MEGHAN FRENCH DUNBAR:LinkedIn – Meghan French DunbarWebsite – Meghan French DunbarBook – "This Isn't Working: How Working Women Can Overcome Stress, Guilt, and Overload to Find True Success"Podcast – UnbehavedInstagram - Meghan French DunbarTedx – Why Success Isn't Making You Have & How to Fix It ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS: Website - Sweet but Fearless LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless
Transcribe →How Women Leaders Can Avoid Burnout While Pursuing Success with Jinesha Jain, Senior Analyst (S10:Epi 291)
Jun 800:25:53Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Jinesha Jain, Senior Analyst and TEDx Speaker, to explore the hidden pressures that often accompany ambition and achievement. Despite advancing quickly in her personal and professional life, Jinesha realized that success had come with an invisible cost when her mother observed that she no longer carried the same smile she once had. That moment became a turning point, prompting Jinesha to reevaluate what true success and well-being really mean. That realization led Jinesha to discover Bhramari pranayama, or "humming bee breath," a yogic breathing practice that helped her reduce stress, improve focus, and reconnect with herself. Together, Mary and Jinesha explore the importance of internal growth alongside external success, reminding women that sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is pause, realign with what matters most, and care for ourselves while pursuing our goals. ABOUT JINESHA JAIN:LinkedIn – Jinesha JainInstagram – Jinesha JainTEDx – The Power of Stillness: How One Breath Can Break Burnout ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS: Website - Sweet but Fearless LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless
Transcribe →Leading Without Self-Sacrifice: Dr. Alicia Newsome on Health and Sustainable Leadership (S10:Epi 290)
Jun 100:30:10Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Dr. Alicia Newsome, functional medicine doctor, author, speaker, and advocate for helping women reclaim their health and their lives. Dr. Newsome shares why taking time to pause and center yourself in truth can create the clarity needed to move forward with confidence. She introduces her Integrated Leadership Framework, a holistic approach that aligns your business, body, and beliefs/being so that every part of your life works together rather than competing for your attention. Together, Mary and Dr. Newsome explore the importance of intentionally designing a life that supports both success and well-being, the challenges women face when they constantly feel the need to be strong, and how rest can become a leadership strategy rather than a luxury. They also discuss Dr. Newsome's upcoming book, "Worthy of Rest," a Faith-Rooted Guide for the Woman Who's Tired of Being the Strong One and Ready to Lead Without Self-Sacrifice. ABOUT DR. ALICIA NEWSOME:LinkedIn – Dr. Alicia NewsomeWebsite – Dr. Alicia NewsomeBook – "Worthy of Rest" (coming 2026)YouTube – Dr. Alicia Newsome ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS: Website - Sweet but Fearless LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless
Transcribe →