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What if making room for yourself is the very thing that helps you show up better everywhere else? Between demanding careers, family responsibilities, and the expectations we place on ourselves, it’s easy to push aside the things that make us feel most like ourselves. In this episode of I Can Fit That In, Erin Coupe sits down with Monica McGurk, accomplished executive, novelist, wife, and mother of three, to talk about ambition, creativity, burnout, and navigating life’s changing seasons. Monica shares how rediscovering writing helped her reconnect with herself, why protecting the things that refuel you matters, and how she makes intentional choices about her career and family. In this episode, you’ll learn: - Why you don’t have to fit everything in all at once - How to protect the personal rituals that give you energy - Why ambition and self-care are not mutually exclusive - How creativity can help you reconnect with yourself after burnout - Why life’s changing seasons require changing priorities - How to make career decisions that align with your values - Why saying no to one thing can mean saying yes to what matters most About Monica McGurk Monica McGurk is an accomplished business executive and novelist who brings her passions for leadership, writing, and advocacy together in a life shaped by curiosity and intentional choices. Through her professional career and creative work, Monica explores meaningful issues, develops compelling stories, and continues to make space for the people and pursuits that matter most. Connect with Monica McGurk: Website: https://monicamcgurk.com Instagram: @monicamcgurkwrites Connect with Erin Coupe: Instagram: @authenticallyec LinkedIn: Erin Coupe

What if the way we measure performance at work is holding people back? As AI takes over more routine tasks, organizations have an opportunity to rethink what great work really looks like. David Hanrahan, a seasoned people and HR executive who has held leadership roles at Twitter, Zendesk, Eventbrite, and SolarWinds, joins Erin Coupe to challenge traditional ideas about productivity, performance reviews, and employee engagement. Together, they explore why working longer hours doesn't necessarily mean creating more value, how AI could give people room to think more deeply, and why human skills like empathy, judgment, and systems thinking matter more than ever. In this conversation, you'll learn: - Why being the hardest-working person on the team doesn't automatically make you a high performer - How AI can create space for critical thinking, creativity, and more meaningful work - Why traditional performance reviews often miss the full picture - How leaders build trust by communicating the reasoning behind decisions - Why empathy tends to erode as organizations grow, and what leaders can do about it - How systems thinking helps people solve complex problems across teams - Why the future of work depends on using technology to become better humans, not simply more productive employees David Hanrahan is a people and HR executive with more than two decades of experience helping organizations navigate growth, change, and performance. His work focuses on people strategy, leadership, employee engagement, and building the conditions that help teams do their best work. Connect with David Hanrahan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidhanrahan Connect with Erin Coupe: Instagram: @authenticallyec LinkedIn: Erin Coupe #Leadership #FutureOfWork #ArtificialIntelligence #HumanPerformance #PeopleStrategy

What happens when you’ve accomplished a lot, built an impressive career, and still wonder if any of it really matters? John Miles, founder and CEO of Passion Struck and author of The Mattering Effect, joins Erin Coupe to explore why achievement, titles, money, and recognition don’t always translate into a genuine sense of worth. John introduces the idea of the mattering gap, the distance between the value you provide to the world and how much you actually feel that you matter. After years as a Fortune 50 executive, Navy officer, and entrepreneur, John experienced that gap personally. He shares the wake-up calls that forced him to reconsider what he was building, how burnout can become an inside job, and why mattering starts with learning to value yourself before looking outside yourself for proof. In this conversation, you’ll discover: - Why success on paper doesn’t always feel fulfilling - What the “mattering gap” reveals about achievement and self-worth - How burnout can signal a deeper disconnection from yourself - The six elements of John’s M.A.T.T.E.R. framework: meaning, autonomy, trust, time, energy, and reciprocity - Why people become disengaged at work when they can’t see how their contributions matter - How leaders can help their teams feel seen, valued, and connected to the larger mission - A simple morning ritual John has used for nearly a decade to live more purposefully John Miles is the founder and CEO of Passion Struck, host of the globally recognized Passion Struck with John Miles podcast, and a former Fortune 50 executive and Navy officer. His new book, The Mattering Effect, explores why mattering is a fundamental human need and how we can build a stronger sense of significance and contribution in our lives. Find John Miles: Website: matteringeffect.com Instagram: @johnrmiles Connect with Erin Coupe: www.erincoupe.com Instagram: @authenticallyec LinkedIn: Erin Coupe #Leadership #PersonalGrowth #TheMatteringEffect #Burnout #CareerGrowth

What happens when you spend years building something extraordinary, and then suddenly it’s over? Amy Hopfinger knows that feeling. After helping build the organization behind the FIFA World Cup 2026 from the ground up, she’s entering a new chapter where the question isn’t what comes next on her resume, but what comes next for her. Amy Hopfinger is the former Chief Business and Strategy Officer for FIFA World Cup 2026, where she helped build an organization from its first employee to more than a thousand people while navigating 16 host cities across three countries. Erin and Amy go way back to their college days at Saint Louis University, giving this conversation a rare perspective on ambition, leadership, career transitions and the parts of ourselves that remain constant as our lives change. What you’ll take away: - Why taking a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity sometimes means stepping into something with no blueprint - How Amy learned that saying no can still come from a place of respect and strong relationships - Why she stopped treating work-life balance as a fixed destination - How endurance training helped her protect her identity and become better at work and in her relationships - What it feels like to reach an enormous professional goal and finally have permission to ask, “What do I actually want next?” Amy Hopfinger has spent more than two decades working in sports, including leadership roles with U.S. Soccer and FIFA World Cup 2026. She brings a behind-the-scenes perspective on what it takes to build and lead at an extraordinary scale. If you’re in a season of transition, achievement or asking what comes next, listen to the conversation and give yourself permission to sit with the question instead of rushing toward the answer. Connect with Erin Coupe: Instagram: @authenticallyec LinkedIn: Erin Coupe Connect with Amy Hopfinger on LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/in/Amy-H

What if the hardest thing that ever happened to you didn't get to decide how you lived the rest of your life? John O'Leary's story is a powerful reminder that we get to choose what we do with the life we've been given. In this deeply personal episode of I Can Fit That In, Erin Coupe sits down with John O'Leary, whose extraordinary story of surviving a devastating childhood fire has been shared around the world and brought to life in the feature film Soul on Fire. But this conversation goes far beyond the event itself. Erin and John explore resilience, intentional living, leadership, presence, and what it really means to define success on your own terms. There's an especially meaningful connection between Erin and John: they both grew up in the St. Louis area and attended Saint Louis University, a place that played a formative role in both of their lives. Erin watched Soul on Fire with her two boys, who are close in age to John when his accident happened, and the experience stayed with her. She and John talk about how their own experiences with adversity shaped the way they see life, family, faith, and the responsibility we have to use what we've been given to lift other people up. What You'll Take Away: - How John's father's question, “Victim or victor?”, became a lifelong framework for responding to adversity - Why John's definition of success has less to do with achievement and more to do with how you use what you have to serve others - How to shift from asking “Why me?” to recognizing the possibility and responsibility within your circumstances - Why intentional living requires paying attention to how you lead, love, communicate, and treat the people around you - How presence and gratitude change the way you experience the life you're already building Guest Bio: John O'Leary is a bestselling author, speaker, and survivor whose story of overcoming a devastating childhood fire has inspired audiences around the world. His life story was adapted into the feature film Soul on Fire. If this conversation makes you look differently at your own life, take a moment to share it with someone you love. Sometimes the conversations that stay with us longest are the ones that remind us what we already have. Connect with Erin Coupe: Instagram: @authenticallyec LinkedIn: Erin Coupe Connect with John O'Leary: Website: johnolearyinspires.com LinkedIn: John O'Leary Facebook: @JohnOLearyRisingAbove

What happens when your pursuit of excellence turns into an endless need to do more? Dr. Amy Athey joins Erin Coupe to unpack “psychotic grit” and why high performers can push themselves far beyond what actually supports great performance. Dr. Amy Athey is a performance psychologist and executive coach who has spent more than two decades working with elite performers across sport, military, and business. Erin and Amy explore what high performers have in common, why excellence can sometimes turn into perfectionism and compulsive overwork, and how the human stress response can make us fall back on our most rehearsed behaviors when the stakes are high. They also get into recovery, sleep, nervous-system regulation, and the physical foundations that allow leaders and athletes to perform consistently. For anyone who’s ambitious, driven, and always looking for the next thing to optimize, this conversation offers a different way to think about high performance. What you'll take away: - How to recognize when healthy grit has crossed into “psychotic grit” - Why high performers often respond to stress by doing more, even when more is exactly what they don't need - Why recovery and sleep aren't breaks from productivity but foundations of high performance - How perfectionism can make you rigid when the ability to adapt is what the moment actually requires - Simple ways to interrupt stress, reframe difficult moments, and create rituals that support your performance About Dr. Amy Athey: Dr. Amy Athey is a performance psychologist and executive coach who works with elite performers and leaders across sport, military, and business. She is the founder of Athey Performance and the author of Moment Ready. Subscribe to I Can Fit That In for more conversations about intentional leadership, high performance, and creating a more sustainable way to succeed. Connect with Erin Coupe: Instagram: @authenticallyec LinkedIn: Erin Coupe

What happens when the next rung on the ladder stops being enough? For many leaders, the hardest part of growth isn't building more. It's deciding what actually makes a life successful. In this episode of I Can Fit That In, Erin Coupe talks with Cabot Earle, a three-time CEO who has led family-owned, investor-backed, and private equity-backed companies, including organizations ranging from early-stage startups to nearly $100 million in revenue. Today, Cabot works alongside business owners and CEOs as an outside peer partner, bringing firsthand experience to the challenges of business growth, leadership transitions, ownership dynamics, and scaling. Cabot and Erin explore what sustainable leadership actually looks like when you're responsible for a growing organization while also trying to build a meaningful life outside of work. They talk about managing pressure, knowing when to bring in an outside perspective, letting go of responsibilities as a company grows, and why professional ambition and personal ambition don't have to compete with each other. What You'll Take Away - Why growth isn't linear and how strong leaders build resilience through the inevitable highs and lows - How to recognize when you're still carrying responsibilities that your growing business no longer needs you to carry - Why outside perspective becomes especially valuable when a company reaches a level of complexity you've never experienced before - How to think about work-life balance as an ongoing recalibration rather than a perfect 50/50 split - Why success, wealth, and achievement can take on an entirely different meaning as your career evolves Guest Bio Cabot Earle is a three-time CEO with experience leading family-owned, investor-backed, and private equity-backed companies. He now works as an outside peer partner to business owners and CEOs, helping leaders think through growth, transition, and complex business decisions. If you're a leader who has ever wondered whether the next milestone will actually make you feel more successful, subscribe to I Can Fit That In for more conversations about building ambitious careers and meaningful lives. Connect with Erin Coupe: Instagram: @authenticallyec LinkedIn: Erin Coupe Connect with Cabot Earle: Website: www.cabotearle.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/cabotearle

What if the habits that helped you become successful are the very things keeping you from feeling fulfilled? Buzz Williams joins Erin Coupe to talk about success, identity, leadership, and learning to live from a place of victory instead of constantly fighting for it. Buzz Williams is a longtime college basketball coach who came to this conversation wanting to talk about something far more personal than his career. After reading Erin's book, he began questioning the beliefs, habits, and identities he'd built his life around — and whether they were still serving him. In this deeply personal conversation, Buzz and Erin explore how our relationship with work affects the way we lead, why constantly carrying more can become a form of burnout, and what happens when we stop defining ourselves by our titles and accomplishments. Buzz also shares his shift from "fighting for victory" to learning how to live from victory, and why what leaders believe about their work ultimately shows up in how they lead. What you'll take away: - How to recognize when productive habits have become draining habits - Why your identity can't depend entirely on your title, achievements, or career - How leaders' internal beliefs and nervous systems influence the culture around them - Why doing more doesn't necessarily increase your capacity — and can instead add more weight to carry - How to become more intentional about where you put your energy and attention About Buzz Williams: Buzz Williams is a college basketball coach whose conversation with Erin goes well beyond his career, exploring leadership, personal growth, identity, and the beliefs that shape how we show up in our lives. Subscribe to I Can Fit That In for more conversations about intentional leadership, meaningful work, and creating a more fulfilling life. Connect with Erin Coupe:  Instagram: @authenticallyec  LinkedIn: Erin Coupe www.erincoupe.com Connect with Buzz:

Executive presence isn't about performing confidence. It's about staying connected to yourself so you can communicate with confidence, authenticity, and impact. In this episode, Erin Coupe sits down with Ann Keil Dux, Emmy Award-winning Executive Presence Coach and Strategic Communication Advisor, to explore what really makes someone a powerful communicator. Drawing from her career as a television news and investigative reporter, Ann shares how leaders can strengthen executive presence, communicate with authenticity, and stay grounded when the pressure is high. They talk about why so many smart professionals don't actually have a communication problem — they have an access problem. Ann explains how active listening, body language, emotional intelligence, and intentional storytelling can help leaders connect with an audience instead of getting stuck performing the version of themselves they think people want to see. What you'll take away: - Why executive presence starts with access to yourself, not a perfect presentation technique - How quiet leaders can create more presence by slowing down and using fewer words - Why the emotion you want your audience to feel may matter more than the emotion you're feeling before a presentation - How to identify the personal "through line" that connects your career experiences and helps you communicate your value during a career pivot - Ann's Starter Bag framework for preparing for high-stakes conversations, presentations, pitches, and difficult conversations About Ann Keil Dux: Ann Keil Dux is an Emmy Award-winning Executive Presence Coach and Strategic Communication Advisor who helps leaders communicate with greater authenticity, confidence, and impact. If you're enjoying I Can Fit That In, subscribe to the show so you don't miss the next conversation about intentional leadership, personal growth, and creating a more meaningful way to work and live. Connect with Erin Coupe: Instagram: @authenticallyec LinkedIn: Erin Coupe

What if putting yourself first isn't selfish? What if it's the first step toward becoming more fully yourself? In this episode of I Can Fit That In, Erin Coupe sits down with Kerry Docherty, cofounder of lifestyle clothing brand Faherty and author of the memoir Selfish: Unlearning, Reclaiming, and Telling the Truth. Kerry opens up about the pressure to be good, adaptable, generous, and available to everyone around you, and what happens when you realize you've lost touch with the person underneath all those roles. Kerry and Erin explore self-awareness, creativity, leadership, career identity, relationships, and the courage to tell the truth about what you actually want. Kerry shares how creativity helped her reconnect with herself, why the personal and professional parts of our lives can't really be separated, and how asking "Do I want to?" can be more important than proving "Can I?" Her memoir Selfish grew out of that same process of reclaiming her voice and making space for the parts of herself she had pushed aside. What You'll Take Away: - Why the roles you take on can slowly overshadow your sense of who you are - How unresolved personal patterns can affect the way you communicate and show up at work - Why creativity can be a powerful way to reconnect with yourself - The difference between asking "Can I do this?" and "Do I actually want to?" - How telling the truth about your own experience can change the way you approach work, relationships, and your next chapter Guest Bio: Kerry Docherty cofounded the lifestyle clothing brand Faherty with her husband and his identical twin. A Yale and Pepperdine Law graduate, she is also the author of Selfish: Unlearning, Reclaiming, and Telling the Truth, a memoir about putting yourself back into your own life. If this conversation made you think about where you've been putting yourself last, subscribe to I Can Fit That In and share this episode with someone who needs the reminder that their own needs matter, too. Connect with Erin Coupe: Instagram: @authenticallyec LinkedIn: Erin Coupe Connect with Kerry Docherty: Instagram: @kerrydocherty Read Kerry's memoir: Selfish: Unlearning, Reclaiming, and Telling the Truth Kerry Docherty's official site

What if pressure isn't the problem? What if the way you carry it is what's holding you back? In this episode of I Can Fit That In, Erin Coupe sits down with Jeff Salzenstein, former top 100 world-ranked tennis player, Stanford All-American, NCAA Champion, and now a leadership speaker, performance advisor, and coach. Jeff draws on more than a decade competing at the highest levels of professional tennis, as well as deeply personal experiences with his brother's addiction and loss, to explore what high performers can learn about resilience, stress, identity, and leadership. Jeff introduces his Own Your Zone framework, built around three areas: restoring the body, rewiring the mind, and reconnecting the heart. He and Erin also unpack how to handle pressure, build emotional resilience, reshape limiting beliefs, and create the internal foundation needed to perform well without sacrificing your well-being. Key Takeaways - How to build the skill of bouncing back when things don't go your way - Why your identity is shaped by your repeated thoughts, choices, emotions, and actions - How the Own Your Zone framework can help leaders strengthen their physical, mental, and emotional foundation - A simple “up until now” technique for interrupting limiting beliefs and creating new possibilities - Practical habits that can help you regulate stress and perform better under pressure, including morning sunlight, breathing practices, and intentional transitions between work and home Guest Bio Jeff Salzenstein is a former top 100 world-ranked tennis player, two-time Stanford All-American, NCAA Champion, and leadership speaker, performance advisor, and coach who helps leaders and organizations perform at their best under pressure. If this conversation gave you a new way to think about pressure, performance, or leadership, subscribe to I Can Fit That In and share the episode with someone who could benefit from these ideas. Connect with Erin Coupe: Instagram: @authenticallyec LinkedIn: Erin Coupe Connect with Jeff Salzenstein: LinkedIn: Jeff Salzenstein Instagram: @jeffsalzenstein

Your biggest career detour might be the very thing that makes you a better leader. Nina Fluck shares why your unique experiences, strengths, and even failures can become your greatest professional assets. In this episode of I Can Fit That In, Erin Coupe sits down with Nina Fluck, a people and culture leader with more than 15 years of experience helping organizations build high-performing teams and strong workplace cultures. Nina shares how her early career as a professional performer shaped the way she approaches leadership, collaboration, and people strategy, and why the skills you develop in one chapter of life can follow you into the next. The conversation explores leadership development, workplace culture, team performance, career transitions, and self-awareness, with a central question: What happens when you stop trying to fit a traditional definition of success and start recognizing what makes you different? Nina also shares practical ways leaders can create stronger connections with their teams and help people see the unique qualities they bring to the organization. Takeaways: - How experiences from seemingly unrelated careers can become powerful leadership skills - Why the unique qualities of people on a team can create a genuine competitive advantage - How leaders can make development conversations more meaningful than a simple performance checklist - Why staying connected to your own energy, interests, and sense of fulfillment makes you a better leader - How to stop comparing your current chapter to an earlier version of yourself and embrace what's next Guest Bio Nina Fluck is a people and culture leader with more than 15 years of experience helping organizations build high-performing teams and strong workplace cultures. Before moving into HR and people leadership, Nina was a professional performer, an experience that continues to shape her approach to leadership and collaboration. If this conversation made you think differently about your own strengths, career path, or leadership style, subscribe to I Can Fit That In and share the episode with someone who's navigating their own next chapter. Connect with Erin Coupe: Instagram: @authenticallyec LinkedIn: Erin Coupe

Success isn't defined by the title you hold. It's defined by how you grow through every season of your life. In this episode of I Can Fit That In, Erin Coupe sits down with former professional basketball player and financial services executive Ryan Robertson to talk about reinvention, leadership, and building a meaningful career after sports. From playing at the University of Kansas, competing professionally with the Sacramento Kings and across Europe, to becoming Managing Director and Co-Head of U.S. Distribution at Future Standard, Ryan shares how discipline, resilience, and self-awareness shaped every chapter of his journey. Key Points: - Why your identity should grow beyond your career or title - Leadership lessons Ryan carried from elite athletics into the business world - How feedback and self-awareness help great leaders continue improving - Why managing your energy matters more than trying to manage every minute - How to redefine ambition as your priorities evolve through different seasons of life About the guest: Ryan Robertson is Managing Director and Co-Head of U.S. Distribution at Future Standard. A former University of Kansas standout and professional basketball player, he now helps lead one of the industry's respected investment firms while mentoring teams through intentional leadership. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-robertson-77aaa4aa If this conversation inspired you to think differently about leadership, growth, and reinvention, subscribe to I Can Fit That In and leave a review to help more people discover the show. Connect with Host Erin Coupe 💫Instagram: ⁠@authenticallyec⁠ 💼 LinkedIn: ⁠Erin Coupe⁠ 🌐 Website: ⁠ErinCoupe.com Connect with Ryan Robertson: https://www.futurestandard.com/fs-people/ryan-robertson

Confidence isn't something you're born with. It's built one conversation, one courageous ask, and one uncomfortable moment at a time. In this episode of I Can Fit That In, Erin Coupe sits down with leadership sales trainer, speaker, and communication strategist Klyn Elsbury to explore how persuasion, self-advocacy, and authentic communication shape every area of our lives. Drawing from her experience living with cystic fibrosis and building a career around helping leaders communicate with confidence, Klyn shares why sales isn't about convincing people—it's about creating genuine connection and having the courage to ask for what matters. What You'll Take Away - Why confidence is built through action, not by waiting until you feel ready - How "rejection therapy" can help you become more comfortable asking for what you want - Why authentic conversations outperform traditional sales tactics every time - How avoiding difficult conversations creates resentment and holds back personal and professional growth - Practical ways to strengthen your communication, negotiation, and leadership skills every day Guest Bio Klyn Elsbury is a leadership sales trainer, speaker, and communication strategist who helps organizations build trust, strengthen influence, and communicate with confidence. Her work combines real-world sales experience with powerful lessons on courage, resilience, and authentic leadership. Connect with Klyn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/klynelsbury www.leadershipsalestraining.com Revenue Growth Roadmap  https://sales.leadershipsalestraining.com/sos-714503 https://www.youtube.com/@realklynelsbury If this conversation inspired you to have the conversations you've been avoiding, subscribe to I Can Fit That In and leave a review to help more leaders discover the show. Connect with Erin Coupe: Instagram: @authenticallyec LinkedIn: Erin Coupe Chapters 00:43 Meet Klyn Elsbury 01:25 The Story That Shaped Her Life 03:22 From Corporate Sales to Fighting for Survival 05:23 Courage Starts With Asking 07:04 Why People Struggle to Ask for What They Want 11:30 Rejection Therapy and Building Confidence 13:29 Why Selling Feels So Uncomfortable 17:31 Difficult Conversations and Resentment 19:23 Building a Business Through Authenticity 21:14 Confidence Is Built by Winning 23:03 Rituals for Intentional Leadership 25:17 What to Do When You Feel Stuck 26:58 Narrate Your Life Like the Hero 27:56 Where to Connect with Kyln 29:13 Outro

Brad Hargreaves helped build two companies worth over half a billion dollars combined. His biggest regrets aren't the risks he took. They're the quarters he spent grinding on a path he already knew was wrong. In this episode, Erin sits down with Brad Hargreaves, co-founder of General Assembly and Common and founder of Thesis Driven, a publication exploring innovation across the built world. Brad shares how a pandemic moment at home with his one-year-old changed his entire relationship with ambition, and why he built his current business around the life he wants instead of the other way around. It's a candid conversation about entrepreneurship, reinvention, and what real success looks like when you stop following someone else's playbook. What You'll Take Away - Why constraints fuel creativity, and how Brad used a single non-negotiable (being home to put his kids to bed) to shape his entire next business - How General Assembly went from one New York classroom to training Fortune 500 companies in three years, and why timing mattered more than getting everything right - Brad's honest answer to anyone who feels stuck on a fixed path, and the one question that tells you whether it's time to reinvent - The real cost of staying the course when you know it's wrong, and the regret Brad still carries from his venture-backed years - The mantra Brad has repeated to himself 200 times over 20 years of building companies More About Brad Brad Hargreaves is the founder and editor of Thesis Driven, a publication covering innovation in the built world. He previously co-founded General Assembly, a pioneer in skills-based education, and Common, a company reimagining urban housing. Subscribe to I Can Fit That In so you never miss a conversation on building ambition and alignment into the same life. Connect with Brad: 💼 LinkedIn: Brad Hargreaves 🌐 Website: thesisdriven.com 📧 Email: [email protected] Connect with Erin Coupe: 💫 Instagram: @authenticallyec 💼 LinkedIn: Erin Coupe 🌐 Website: ErinCoupe.com