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AI is changing the way we work. But I’ve been thinking about what happens to us when the things we’ve spent years becoming good at begin to change. What happens when you’ve spent twenty years becoming exceptional at something, and suddenly a machine can do a good portion of it in seconds? What happens to the designer, the writer, the lawyer, the business owner who has built an entire identity around being needed for a particular skill? And because I work as a coach, I couldn’t help turning the question toward myself. This episode addresses that. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jasnaburza.substack.com

What if some of the sleep advice you’ve been following isn’t actually right for your body? Neurologist and sleep specialist Dr. Michael Howell joins Jasna Burza for a fascinating conversation about what we’re getting wrong about sleep—and why understanding your own biology may matter more than following the latest sleep rules. They explore the biggest sleep lie Dr. Howell sees, why your chronotype matters, whether you really need eight uninterrupted hours, why you can sleep all night and still wake up exhausted, and what chronic poor sleep may be doing to your brain and long-term health. Dr. Howell also breaks down sleep apnea, blue light and screens, sleep trackers like Oura Ring, catching up on lost sleep, snoring, cold plunges before bed, sleeping separately from your partner, and how elite athletes use sleep as a tool for performance. And perhaps most reassuringly: better sleep doesn’t require perfect sleep. This conversation may completely change the way you think about the thing you spend nearly a third of your life doing. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jasnaburza.substack.com

What if the thing you think is helping you get ahead is actually keeping you stuck? After spending time with two extraordinary women recently, I started noticing a pattern I couldn’t stop thinking about. It made me question how we create, where our best ideas actually come from, and whether some of our most useful modern tools might have an unexpected downside. In this solo episode, I’m sharing what I noticed, why I think it matters more than ever right now, and one question I believe every person trying to build, create or do something meaningful should be asking themselves. This one might change the way you approach your next idea. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jasnaburza.substack.com

Are travel sports, elite teams and expensive training actually helping our kids succeed—or are parents being sold a version of youth sports they don’t need? In this episode of Rise to More, recorded at Grand Casino Arena, home of the Minnesota Wild, Jasna Burza sits down with Mike Snee, Vice President of Foundation and Community Relations for the Minnesota Wild and creator of Skate It Forward, for an important conversation about youth sports, youth hockey and the growing commercialization of kids’ athletics. Mike shares what makes Minnesota hockey different, why community-based sports are worth protecting, and what happens when fear of missing out convinces parents that their kids need elite teams, year-round training and expensive travel programs just to keep up. We also talk about Skate It Forward, the Minnesota Wild’s initiative to strengthen community hockey and help make the sport accessible to more kids. In this conversation, we talk about: When youth sports became big business Travel sports, elite teams and the pressure parents feel to keep up Whether kids really need elite training to succeed The risks of specializing too young Why Minnesota’s community hockey model is different The rising cost of youth sports and who gets left behind Why local, community-owned ice rinks matter Making hockey accessible to more families through Skate It Forward What sports teach kids beyond winning The role of fun, failure, resilience and simply playing What parents should remember when deciding how much is enough The future of community hockey in Minnesota Mike also shares one of the simplest lessons hockey teaches children: everyone falls. You learn how to get back up. This conversation is for parents of young athletes, hockey families, coaches and anyone wondering whether youth sports have become too expensive, too competitive and too focused on getting to the “next level.” ABOUT MIKE SNEE Mike Snee is Vice President of Foundation and Community Relations for the Minnesota Wild and creator of Skate It Forward, an initiative of the Minnesota Wild Foundation focused on preserving, strengthening and celebrating community hockey throughout Minnesota. Rise to More with Jasna Burza explores the people, ideas and conversations shaping how we live, lead and make an impact. Jasna sits down with leaders, founders, athletes, executives and changemakers to uncover the lessons behind meaningful success.Subscribe for conversations about leadership, personal growth, business, community, purpose and what we can learn from people doing extraordinary work. To hire Jasna as life and business advisor, go to www.jasnaburza.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jasnaburza.substack.com

What if the thing people keep telling you to soften is actually one of the reasons you’re so good at what you do? I kept thinking about that while reading Bobbi Brown’s Still Bobbi. Throughout her career, there were plenty of people with bigger titles and more traditional credentials telling her what she should change. Sometimes she listened. But often, she trusted herself—and some of the things others wanted her to change were the very things that made what she built extraordinary. It made me think about how often capable women are told they’re too demanding, too particular, too intense or too difficult to please. And sometimes we are. But I think we’re so quick to correct those qualities that we forget to ask: What if she actually does know better? There’s a difference between arrogance and earned judgment. When you’ve spent years doing something, made thousands of decisions, developed an eye and lived with the consequences, your instincts contain information. Constantly overriding them because someone else has a better résumé isn’t always humility. I am particular. I notice language, positioning, how something looks and how it feels. I could absolutely make my life easier by caring less about some of those things. But I also know some of my best work exists because I care so much. The question I’m learning to ask is whether my standard is creating excellence or simply creating unnecessary friction. Sometimes I need to communicate better, loosen my grip or listen more carefully. And sometimes I need to trust that I know what I’m doing. Become a better leader. Listen to smart people. Own it when you’re wrong. But don’t spend years sanding down the very qualities that made you exceptional just because they make someone else uncomfortable. They will call you bossy. Build it anyway. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jasnaburza.substack.com

What does it look like when one of the most recognizable sports organizations in the country uses its influence for something bigger than football? In this episode of Rise to More, Jasna Burza sits down at TCO Performance Center with Brett Taber, Vice President of Social Impact for the Minnesota Vikings, for a conversation about leadership, service, community, and what it really means to use your platform well. Brett has spent nearly two decades with the Vikings, beginning his career in an unexpected place: inside the mascot costume. Today, he leads work designed to create measurable change in the lives of young people and families across Minnesota. Jasna and Brett talk about why sports may be one of the “last great unifiers,” how the Vikings think differently about community impact, and why doing good should be about changing outcomes—not simply generating headlines. They also explore the extraordinary growth of girls flag football in Minnesota, the story behind Vikings Table and its 100,000th meal, and how players including Justin Jefferson, J.J. McCarthy, Brian O’Neill, and Aaron Jones use their platforms to support causes that genuinely matter to them. But some of the most powerful moments in the conversation have nothing to do with football. Brett shares the story of Bob Jensen, his middle-school teacher in rural Iowa whose lessons about integrity, service, and “we, not me” continue to influence the way Brett leads decades later. It becomes a reminder that we rarely know how far one act of kindness, mentorship, or belief in another person will travel. In this episode: How Brett went from Vikings mascot to VP of Social Impact Why sports can bring people together when almost nothing else can The Minnesota Vikings’ approach to creating measurable community impact Justin Jefferson and the power of showing up for one family The rapid growth of girls flag football in Minnesota Vikings Table and what 100,000 meals really represent Why authenticity matters when athletes and organizations give back The leadership lesson Brett still carries from his middle-school teacher Why relationships matter as much as ambitious goals What it means to build programs you hope the world eventually no longer needs Brett’s answer to the question: What does it mean to Rise to More? This conversation is ultimately about something much bigger than the Minnesota Vikings. It is about what each of us chooses to do with whatever influence we have. You may not have a famous name, a massive organization, or millions of people watching you. But you have people in front of you. You have opportunities to open doors, give your time, make someone feel seen, and leave something better than you found it. And you may never know how far that impact goes. Connect with Rise to More:Subscribe to Rise to More wherever you listen to podcasts and on YouTube for more conversations with leaders, founders, changemakers, and people doing meaningful work in the world. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jasnaburza.substack.com

What if the life you’re supposed to want isn’t actually the life you want? After spending nearly a month in Europe, I came home with a realization that surprised me: I couldn’t wait to work. I missed my clients, Rise to More, creating, building—and instead of questioning why I couldn’t simply relax longer, I realized how deeply I love the life I’ve built. In this solo episode, I’m talking about what it means to finally know yourself well enough to stop apologizing for the way you’re wired. For the first time in thirteen years, all of my kids are on the same school schedule, and I suddenly have eight uninterrupted hours in my day. Rather than filling them with more, I’m choosing depth: my clients, the podcast and my body. I also share why I’m stepping back into social media after years of delegating it, what it feels like to become a beginner again in my 40s, why I want Rise to More to reach millions of people, and the uncomfortable lesson I’m learning about asking for help. This season isn’t about being busier. It’s about becoming more intentional with the life I already love. My word for it is BUILD. And the question I hope you leave with is this: If you stopped performing the life you think you’re supposed to want, what would you actually want to do with your days? Subscribe to Rise to More wherever you listen to podcasts, and come find me on Instagram and YouTube as I learn, build, fail, adjust and keep going. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jasnaburza.substack.com

Recorded live at Target Field, this conversation goes far beyond baseball. Nancy O'Brien has spent more than two decades building the Minnesota Twins' community impact work — girls baseball teams, adaptive sports clinics, youth development programs, and a free community clinic tradition that started in 1961 and hasn't stopped since. Jasna and Nancy talk about what real leadership looks like when no one's watching, the difference between performing professionalism and actually leading, and the small, quiet moments that remind you the work matters — including one afternoon when a young girl at an adaptive baseball clinic looked at her mom and said, "they all look like me." What We Cover Nancy's path from brand marketing to community impact leadership The Twins Community Fund's three pillars: empowering youth, fostering belonging, sustainability The purple marker story — and what it taught her about authentic leadership Building the first Major League Baseball-affiliated girls national baseball team How to measure impact you can feel but can't always quantify Imposter syndrome, and what she does instead of ignoring it What it takes to lead in rooms that weren't built for you Building true corporate partnerships instead of transactional ones Quotes Worth Sitting With "There isn't one way to lead. There isn't one way a leader looks." "If you're not finding your place, if it doesn't fit, don't stay." "Mom, they all look like me." This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jasnaburza.substack.com

I used to walk into every room and scan it first. What do they need from me? How do I come across as credible without coming across as too much?I built a real career that way. I was also exhausted in a way I couldn't name.In this episode I'm being honest about something I don't talk about enough - the performance. The softening. The slow, quiet habit of making yourself smaller so other people feel more comfortable. And what it actually costs you every single day you keep doing it.I share the specific moment it started to crack for me, what I found on the other side, and three questions that might change something for you if you sit with them long enough.This one is for you if you're building something real and you know - somewhere deep down — that you're still not showing up as your full self.In this episode:— Why softening yourself doesn't make you more likable, it makes you trust yourself less— The difference between humility and hiding— What changed for me when I stopped performing: in my clients, my energy, and my income— Three questions to find out where you're still playing small🎙 Rise to More is a weekly podcast for founders, executives, and anyone building a life that actually means something. New episodes every Tuesday. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jasnaburza.substack.com

Guest: Tony Sanneh — Former U.S. National Team soccer player, 2002 World Cup veteran, 2026 National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee, and founder of the Sanneh Foundation Episode Description There's a version of Tony Sanneh's story that ends with the World Cup. Boy from St. Paul makes it to soccer's biggest stage, wins, lives well. The end. That's not his story. In this conversation, Tony and Jasna talk about what happens after the trophy — the fifteen years he spent building a free youth foundation that's now a ten-million-dollar organization, the moment fame nearly disconnected him from who he actually was, and the fear he carried for decades that he was finally ready to name out loud. This one is personal for Jasna. Her own kids learned to play soccer on a field Tony built, years before she knew the full story behind it. What We Cover Growing up in St. Paul and the moment his mother told him he could be anything The 2002 World Cup, and the strange, full-circle nature of his career in Germany What fame does to a person — and the friend who refused to let it change him Starting the Sanneh Foundation while he was still a professional athlete Building a $10 million, 130,000-square-foot dome that funders told him was impossible The Bush Foundation Fellowship and the fear he finally confronted at 30+ years in Why most professional sports organizations get philanthropy wrong — and what real partnership looks like instead What he wants his son to understand about him, and why it has nothing to do with the Hall of Fame Quotes Worth Sitting With "I'm more concerned about the world around him than I am with him." "Athletes don't change. The people around us change — and sometimes that changes us." "If someone's going to say no, I'm going to say why. My job is to make you understand it." "We didn't say we're going to come and fix you. We said: we have these resources, how can we work together to make your life better?" Tony built more than a soccer dome — the foundation now runs free youth camps, after-school mentoring, a food security program, a community center on St. Paul’s East Side, and job training for young adults entering the workforce. If this episode moved you, here’s how to get involved: Donate · Volunteer · Explore Programs · Follow on Instagram This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jasnaburza.substack.com

Most people wait until they’re ready.Greta Siedow raised her hand when she was 80% there, and ended up leading one of the largest women’s sporting events in the country. In this episode of RISE TO MORE, Greta — VP at Optum Rx and General Chair of the 2026 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine, shares what happens when you stop waiting for permission and start trusting what years of showing up quietly build.1,300 volunteers.50,000 fans.One championship.Decades in the making.But this conversation is not really about golf.It is about courage.About raising your hand before you feel fully ready.About opening doors for others because someone once opened one for you. In this episode, we talk about -Why waiting until you feel “ready” may be holding you back. -The moment she raised her hand for a role nobody handed her -Leading through influence instead of authority -Building trust across 1,300 volunteers and one shared missionWhy women supporting women changes careersFaith, pressure, purpose, and sustaining yourself through seasons of growth -What it means to make sure all ships rise New episode is live now. Because sometimes the biggest moments in life begin with simply saying:I think I can do this. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jasnaburza.substack.com

Hey beautiful humans, this week, I did a solo episode for you all. One thing keeps coming up over and over again in my conversation with incredible women - they don’t trust themselves fully. And yet - I believe that inside of us is this magic power that is our superpower. And this is something I teach all my clients. Today, I am sharing it with you. You were not given a brain and a body. You were given a whole intelligence system. And the most powerful part of it is not your logic. It is your knowing — that quiet, certain, unshakable knowing that has been with you your entire life. The question was never whether your intuition is right. The question is whether you’re brave enough to trust it. She already knew. She has always known. And so do you. Trust yourself. Love you people! RISE TO MORE podcast is a series of deeply human conversations exploring what it truly takes to live a meaningful life and build something that matters. Through thoughtful, heart-to-heart conversations with founders, leaders, creators, and cultural voices, this top Minnesota lifestyle podcast explores the deeper questions of ambition, purpose, resilience, and becoming. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jasnaburza.substack.com

Some people have a career. Some people have a calling. Very few get to live both.Christine (Christy) Sovereign is one of them.For decades, she built her career at the highest level, and quietly, something else was always there. Her sister.In this week’s Rise to More, Christine shares what it looks like when a career and a calling finally become one, not by leaving one behind, but by bringing both together.Today, she is leading the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, the largest humanitarian sporting event in the United States this year.She talks about the moment she said no and why she’s grateful they didn’t accept it, about leading at the highest level while building something deeply personal, and about the reality of underemployment for individuals with intellectual disabilities.4,000 athletes. 20,000 volunteer shifts. 75,000 fans. All 50 states represented.But this is bigger than an event. It’s about perspective, inclusion, and recognizing ability where the world has overlooked it. How to get involved: Website: https://2026specialolympicsusagames.org/ Volunteer, donate, get tickets, and find out about fan zones and community events. The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games run June 20–26 in Minnesota. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jasnaburza.substack.com

In this episode of RISE TO MORE, Megan Tamte, co-founder and CEO of EVEREVE, opens up about entrepreneurship, identity, faith, fulfillment, and the real emotional cost of building one of the most beloved retail brands in the country.From the moment she stopped watching other people chase their dreams and decided to pursue her own, to the challenges that came with success, this is a conversation about ambition, alignment, purpose, and becoming who you were always meant to be.A powerful episode on business, leadership, growth, and what truly matters.Share your thoughts in the comments and subscribe for insights that spark real change. Follow Megan on IG: https://www.instagram.com/megantamte/ Shop Evereve : https://evereve.com Learn about Ever Wonder Campaign: https://evereve.com/pages/ever-wonder Learn more about Jasna: www.jasnaburza.com RISE TO MORE podcast is a series of deeply human conversations exploring what it truly takes to live a meaningful life and build something that matters. Through thoughtful, heart-to-heart conversations with founders, leaders, creators, and cultural voices, this top Minneapolis lifestyle and business podcast explores the deeper questions of ambition, purpose, resilience, and becoming. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jasnaburza.substack.com

She showed up to this interview the day after foot surgery. That alone tells you everything you need to know about Wendy Blackshaw. The president and CEO of Minnesota Sports and Events sat down with Rise to More this week and delivered one of the most honest, warm, and genuinely inspiring conversations this show has ever had. Over the course of our time together, Wendy didn’t just talk about the Super Bowl and the sold-out gymnastics trials — she talked about bankruptcy, breast cancer, addiction, imposter syndrome, and how every single one of those things made her exactly who she needed to be. Building something from nothing When Wendy and her colleague Debbie Estes founded Minnesota Sports and Events in 2019, they had two laptops and a belief that Minnesota deserved better. At the time, it was the only state of its size without a permanent sports commission — every major event like the Super Bowl required standing up a temporary organizing committee, and then dismantling it when the confetti settled. “We were literally building the plane as we flew it.” — WENDY BLACKSHAW What followed was remarkable: the Women’s Final Four, the gymnastics trials where Simone Biles and Sunni Lee competed in front of a roaring downtown Minneapolis crowd, World Juniors hockey with bumper cars on ice in Rice Park, and free fan festivals drawing hundreds of thousands of people to the city. All of it funded not through government appropriations, but through corporate relationships built on trust, vision, and Wendy’s signature authenticity. And she did all of this while undergoing treatment for breast cancer — a diagnosis she received the same month the organization launched. The philosophy that carries her If there’s one phrase that defines how Wendy navigates her life and career, it’s this: more will be revealed. Not a polished five-year strategy. Not a Pinterest board of goals. A deep, lived faith that if you stay open and keep taking the next right step, the path will show itself. “I don’t need to solve the whole thing. It’s a little bite at a time. The next right thing.” — WENDY BLACKSHAW This isn’t passive optimism — Wendy is quick to point out she’s also a worrier, someone who can get stuck solving problems in her head. But she’s learned to channel that intensity productively. She spoke about literally waking up one morning with a solution to a problem she’d gone to bed stressing over, after allowing herself to let go and trust the process. That spiritual groundedness is inseparable from her practical determination. The two halves reinforce each other constantly throughout this conversation and honestly, one of my favorite parts of this conversation. Recovery, resilience, and the truth about her north star Wendy was refreshingly open about her journey in recovery. She has been sober since her twenties, introduced to Alcoholics Anonymous at 26 by a woman she met by chance. Her father died of alcoholism. She knew early she was wired the same way and she chose differently. She speaks about her recovery not as a chapter she survived, but as the foundation everything else was built on. The 12-step program, she said, taught her to give things away, and that principle runs through everything from how she leads her team to how she mentors young women coming up behind her. “You never know when there might be someone who is struggling and who might need to hear that you can have an amazing life. You just need to make some choices to get help.” — WENDY BLACKSHAW To any executive listening who is quietly struggling: she said it plainly. Reach out. People want to help. And highly successful people have been through hard things too — she included. On confidence, rooms full of power, and just being real Wendy has sat across from governors, billionaires, senators, and CEOs and asked them for money, for votes, for belief. We asked her what the secret was. Her answer? There isn’t one. She just tells the truth. She described a period working for a difficult boss that slowly eroded her self-worth — something many high-achieving women quietly recognize. Imposter syndrome crept in. She started doing therapy, started getting back in touch with who she actually was, and slowly rebuilt. That experience now informs everything about the way she leads: with warmth, with directness, and without pretense. “In the end, we’re all people. A powerful CEO has problems with their 18-year-old too. You find common ground.” — WENDY BLACKSHAW She talked about Senator Klobuchar as someone she genuinely loved chatting with — a Vikings fan, funny, deeply human beneath the national profile. The message for anyone intimidated by big rooms: relax, be yourself, and make the ask. All they can say is no. What’s at stake right now Minnesota just lost the 2028 gymnastics trials. Despite hosting what USA Gymnastics called a gold-standard event in 2024, the state couldn’t secure the funding to compete for the next one. Other states have permanent, yearly appropriations for events like these. Minnesota has to go back to the legislature every single year with its hat in its hand. Wendy is pushing hard for a line item in the sports betting bill that would direct a percentage of tax revenue to fund these events permanently. It’s a policy change with enormous ripple effects — economic impact, community activation, youth access to sport, and Minnesota’s standing as a world-class host city for years to come. If you believe in what this state can be, this is worth paying attention to. What Rise to More means to Wendy We asked Wendy at the end of our conversation what Rise to More means to her. She paused — and then said it feels like the tagline for every phase of her life. “In every phase there have been these opportunities, and I could have at any given time allowed the challenges to cause me to say I can’t do this. But we can all get through those difficult times and be more — rise to more — and be the best that we can be.” — WENDY BLACKSHAW That’s it. That’s the whole conversation in one breath. Wendy Blackshaw is proof that showing up — imperfectly, authentically, persistently — is enough. The rest gets revealed. Learn more about Wendy and her work: MN Sports and Events This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jasnaburza.substack.com