Podcast Summary: "What Are You Made Of?"

Episode: Resilience, Reinvention, and Living Unapologetically with Petia Kolibova Burns

Host: Mike "C-Roc" Ciorrocco
Guest: Petia Kolibova Burns
Date: February 11, 2025

Episode Overview

In this inspiring episode, Mike "C-Roc" Ciorrocco sits down with Petia Kolibova Burns—a life coach, podcast host of “Unapologetically Abundant,” and entrepreneur. The conversation dives deep into themes of resilience, reinvention, intuition, and the power of living unapologetically. Petia opens up about her journey from a small Czech town to building a thriving life and business in America, overcoming adversity, navigating entrepreneurship, motherhood at 40+, and empowering women to own their stories.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Are You Made Of?—Petia’s Ingredients

• Resilience & Resourcefulness
  Petia shares that her life has been defined by repeatedly bouncing back from adversity and “being resilient and keep going, no matter…”. She recounts her experiences with depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, toxic relationships, and an abusive stepfather, all of which shaped her into who she is today.

  • “All of that made me stronger, but also made me think there is something wrong with me. So I had to really shift perspective.” (03:10)

• Celebrating Difference & Unapologetic Living
  Petia highlights how, despite a childhood of feeling out of place, she now sees her differences as her strength.

  • “It took me literally almost 40 decades to realize that being different, it’s who I came here to be.” (04:27)
  • She relates deeply to the show's theme of living "unapologetically."

2. Early Life and Leaving Home

• Motivation to Leave Czech Republic

  • Petia never felt she belonged, noticing community patterns she found small-minded and unfulfilling.
  • “You’re really living for this? …I knew there must be more. But I couldn’t see then.” (06:16)
  • A rocky relationship led her to move to London, then Spain for four years (08:21), before eventually coming to the U.S. for education.

• Following Intuition—A Pivotal Moment

  • Petia shares a powerful story about narrowly avoiding a train bombing in London due to an uncharacteristic act of listening to her inner voice.
    • “Normally I was very obedient… But that day, I said no. That day on that train, there was a terrorist attack.” (09:19)
    • Her intuition, she emphasizes, has “literally saved my life and not once.” (11:11)

3. Cultural Adjustment and Personal Development in the U.S.

• Culture Shock & Therapy

  • Moving from Spain’s warm, communal vibe to “go, go, go” Las Vegas was a tough adjustment, leading Petia into therapy to process the differences.
    • “It’s not as warm and family friendly. I had such a big cultural shock, Mike, that I started to go to therapy here…” (14:46)

• Discovering Entrepreneurship by Accident

  • After being laid off from her corporate job, she founded a social media marketing agency, thinking entrepreneurship meant grinding endlessly.

    • “…The example of entrepreneurship I had seen was sacrificing your health, sacrificing your family… And that was my first business. I actually did this.” (16:30)

  • Burnout led to an epiphany during a tech-free weekend, revealing the importance of rest and mindset.

    • “I completely freaked out, Mike. But after a walk, I finished everything in a few hours with renewed energy. That’s when I started to realize it might not be just seven days a week working and no breaks.” (17:50)

4. Coaching, Scaling, and Empowering Women

• From Undervaluing to Thriving

  • Petia’s entry into coaching began accidentally—a mastermind organizer wanted to discuss life and habits with her and paid her $100 per session.

    • “That was the biggest challenge, raising my price from 100 to 150. Because I was thinking, nobody will pay that.” (20:41)

  • As her clients saw greater results, prices increased, and her confidence grew.

    • “The more I was charging, the more committed the women were, the better results they were getting.” (21:27)
    • Now charges $2,000/month for coaching.

• Scaling Authentically

  • While she acknowledges the standard pressure to “scale,” Petia prefers depth to breadth—focusing on intimate group programs that match her life stage as a mom.

    • “What truly, deeply fulfills me is the one on one… I want to see her growing up. I don’t want to be grinding here.” (24:14)
    • Her "Soulful Success" group shows women they can succeed without self-sacrifice.

  • “So many people think it has to be hard... But very often for women, if they can just replace what they were doing in their 9 to 5 job, that would be a huge win.” (26:38)

5. Overcoming Fear and Getting Started

• Podcasting Journey
  • Petia’s experience with starting her own podcast, “Unapologetically Abundant,” underscores overcoming self-doubt.
    • “It took me a year and a half to start because I was overthinking… my accent sucks… who would care?” (27:47)
  • Inspired by her husband’s directness, she launched her show and encourages others to “just start.”

6. Motherhood at 40+ and Challenging Conventional Wisdom

• Personal Experience with Loss and Healing

  • Petia candidly discusses losing twins, healing via spiritual and natural practices, and eventually conceiving her healthy daughter.
    • “I got pregnant, like, right away, the next cycle with twins. But I lost that pregnancy… it was really hard.” (31:09)

• Debunking Myths About "Late" Motherhood

  • She credits mindset, choosing informed providers, and questioning outdated medical narratives for her positive experience.
    • “All the things we were told are old beliefs… it got medical, it got as a problem, it got looking for what’s wrong. And I don’t believe that.” (33:00)
    • Recommends the book “The Joy of Late Motherhood” for those exploring pregnancy later in life.
  • “I just believe that all the things we were told are old beliefs… I’m 41 in April, and I’m planning for at least two, three, four, God willing, more.” (34:37)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On resilience and transformation:

  “There was so many times that I could and I really wanted to give up… all of that made me stronger, but also made me think there is something wrong with me.”
  —Petia Kolibova Burns (03:10)

• On intuition:

  “That day, I just didn’t feel like going in a train… that day on that train, there was a terrorist attack… my intuition, listening literally saved my life.”
  —Petia (09:19)

• On undervaluing & raising prices as a coach:

  “That was the biggest challenge, raising my price from 100 to 150… But the more I was charging, the more committed the women were, the better results they were getting.”
  —Petia (21:27)

• On feeling fulfilled:

  “What truly, deeply fulfills me is the one on one… I want to see her growing up. I don’t want to be grinding here.”
  —Petia (24:14)

• On starting despite self-doubt:

  “It took me a year and a half to start because I was overthinking…my accent sucks…who would care?”
  —Petia (27:47)

• On challenging late motherhood stereotypes:

  “All of my conversations now are happening in a park… There was a lady …she was like, ‘I’m 41, I’m too old.’ I was like, girl, I’m 41 in April, and I’m planning for at least two, three, four, God willing, more.”
  —Petia (34:37)

Important Timestamps

• Petia defines what she’s made of (resilience, inspiration): 02:11 – 05:36
• Leaving Czech Republic, story of intuition saving her life: 06:05 – 11:12
• Arriving in the U.S., culture shock: 14:38 – 15:56
• First business, burnout, discovering coaching: 16:54 – 20:41
• Raising prices, building a coaching practice: 21:27 – 23:59
• Motherhood at 40+, loss, and beliefs about late pregnancy: 30:17 – 34:37

Tone & Style

The episode is warm, honest, and motivational. Petia is candid about her struggles and dedicated to demystifying and simplifying success for women. Mike creates space for vulnerability, humor, and directness—keeping the conversation authentic and relatable.

Key Takeaways

• You are stronger and more resilient than you think; your differences are your superpower.
• Listen to your intuition—it could change (or save) your life.
• Real success doesn’t require sacrificing everything; you can define your path and do it unapologetically.
• It’s never too late for new beginnings, whether in business or motherhood.
• Just start—action, not overthinking, is the key to progress.
• Empowerment comes with crystal clarity on who you help and why, and by honoring your worth.