Advertise on podcast: The Purpose Pivot

What does your calendar reveal about the life you’re actually building? In this episode of The Purpose Pivot, Host Melissa Gonzalez sits down with executive, startup investor, and bestselling author Fran Hauser to explore the relationship between time, ambition, and how we define success. Drawing from her new book, Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour, Fran challenges the idea that longer hours automatically lead to better outcomes. She shares the four patterns that quietly consume our time—perfectionism, people pleasing, procrastination, and padding—and explains how a simple calendar audit can reveal what is energizing you, what is depleting you, and what may be crowding out what matters most. Melissa and Fran also talk about Fran’s own pivot from corporate leadership to a career with greater flexibility, why busyness can become a way of proving ourselves, and the moment when optimizing your schedule is no longer enough—you may need to rethink how you are living altogether. Because sometimes a full calendar is not evidence of a full life.

What does your calendar reveal about the life you’re actually building? In this episode of The Purpose Pivot, Host Melissa Gonzalez sits down with executive, startup investor, and bestselling author Fran Hauser to explore the relationship between time, ambition, and how we define success. Drawing from her new book, Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour, Fran challenges the idea that longer hours automatically lead to better outcomes. She shares the four patterns that quietly consume our time—perfectionism, people pleasing, procrastination, and padding—and explains how a simple calendar audit can reveal what is energizing you, what is depleting you, and what may be crowding out what matters most. Melissa and Fran also talk about Fran’s own pivot from corporate leadership to a career with greater flexibility, why busyness can become a way of proving ourselves, and the moment when optimizing your schedule is no longer enough—you may need to rethink how you are living altogether. Because sometimes a full calendar is not evidence of a full life.

Entrepreneurial journeys often originate from unexpected life challenges, as exemplified by Arielle Cole, founder and CEO of Arid Blayne. Arielle's personal story, as shared on "The Purpose Pivot," highlights how her greatest challenge transformed into her greatest purpose. Experiencing severe night sweats as a side effect of medication for depression, Arielle found herself confronting a problem that hadn't been adequately addressed in the sleepwear industry. This led to the foundation of Arid Blayne, a luxury sleepwear company focusing on alleviating night sweats and overheating for both women and men. In this episode of The Purpose Pivot, host Melissa Gonzalez sits down with Arielle Cole, founder of Arie Blayne, to talk about the decision to ask for help with her mental health—and how that one choice ultimately led her to build an entirely new company and purpose. They talk about depression, vulnerability, entrepreneurship, redefining success, and what can happen when you stop seeing a setback only as an interruption.

What happens when you climb from cashier to running a $2B retail business, only to get unexpectedly fired? In this episode of The Purpose Pivot, host Melissa Gonzalez sits down with Loretta Soffe, former Nordstrom executive and author of 'Balance is B******t,' to discuss the brutal reality of the achievement trap and what happens when your identity is tied entirely to your title. Loretta shares how her sudden exit from corporate life forced her to step back, heal from burnout, and build a new framework for living. Together, Melissa and Loretta break down: - The Myth of Balance: Why "balance" is actually a craving for permission to set boundaries and say no. - Work-Life Alignment: Why trying to balance everything is a trap, and how to strive for alignment instead. - The Self-Architect Method: A step-by-step framework to audit your time, rebuild your routines, align your priorities, and leverage accountability. - Letting Go of Perfectionism: How to build sustainable habits and embrace the power of community. Stop chasing an impossible standard. As Loretta says, "Success without purpose is not success." Subscribe to The Purpose Pivot on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to listen to the full conversation.

What if workplace well-being were treated not as a perk, but as essential business infrastructure? On this episode of The Purpose Pivot, host Melissa Gonzalez sits down with Dilan Gomih, founder and managing partner of Dilagence, to explore her journey from the high-pressure world of Wall Street to building a career focused on well-being, leadership, and sustainable performance. Dilan shares how working 90-hour weeks on a trading floor, discovering the power of movement, and witnessing the real consequences of chronic stress reshaped her understanding of success. Today, she works with organizations to connect employee well-being with performance, productivity, engagement, and long-term health. Melissa and Dilan discuss why corporate wellness programs often go underused, how organizations can make well-being resources easier to access and more relevant to employees, and why leaders need to move beyond an all-or-nothing approach to health. They also explore the power of small actions, from a 10-minute walk or a few minutes of movement to simply starting the day before reaching for your phone. The conversation ultimately makes the case for something surprisingly simple: sustainable performance does not require doing more at all costs. It requires giving people the tools, permission, and infrastructure to take better care of themselves. Learn more about Dilan Gomih: https://www.dilangomih.com/ Connect with Dilan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dilangomih/ Learn more about Dilagence: https://www.dilagence.com/meet-the-founder Explore more episodes of The Purpose Pivot: https://www.marketscale.com/creator-hubs/the-purpose-pivot/

What if improving your health did not require overhauling your entire life, but instead started with a few intentional decisions each day? In this episode of The Purpose Pivot, host Melissa Gonzalez speaks with Sarah Wragge, founder and CEO of Sarah Wragge Wellness, about how a personal health crisis led Sarah to discover the transformative power of nutrition and ultimately build a career helping others feel and perform their best. Sarah shares her experience with chronic digestive issues, inflammation, acid reflux, and rheumatoid arthritis, along with the nutritional changes that helped reshape her health. She also breaks down the Sarah Wragge Wellness Method, a practical framework centered on blood sugar balance, proper hydration, protein-forward meals, intentional fueling, and restorative sleep. The conversation explores why protein, healthy fats, and fiber are essential for sustained energy; how strength training and muscle development support long-term health; and why high-performing people often overlook the planning required to properly fuel their bodies. Sarah also explains the importance of listening to your body, supporting your nervous system, and recognizing when rest may be more productive than pushing through another workout. Listeners will leave with realistic steps they can use immediately, including starting the day with water, making protein the foundation of the first meal, planning ahead for demanding schedules, and creating a consistent wind-down ritual. Learn more about Sarah Wragge Wellness: https://sarahwragge.com/ Follow Sarah Wragge Wellness on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahwraggewellness/ Explore more episodes of The Purpose Pivot: https://marketscale.com/shows/the-purpose-pivot/

We're taught that joy is the reward at the finish line: it comes after the promotion, after the milestone, after we've proven ourselves. But what if we've had it backwards this whole time? What if joy isn't the prize for success, but the foundation that makes success sustainable in the first place? In this episode of the Purpose Pivot, host Melissa Gonzalez sits down with Bose Akadiri, motivational speaker, corporate trainer, CEO of Goal and Grind, and author of The Stay Joyful Method. Bose built an extraordinary career after moving from Oklahoma City to Chicago with no job and no network, and she did it by letting joy lead. She shares how she applies joy across the four key areas of life (personal, professional, health, and financial), why the real opposite of productivity is burnout rather than joy, and how leaders can treat joy as a genuine strategic advantage instead of a soft "culture initiative." Along the way, Bose and Melissa dig into the difference between being successful and feeling successful, how to use joy as a litmus test for hard career and financial decisions, the power of an accomplishments journal and a "joy bubble" you can return to on your worst days, and why the "no" that stings today so often turns out to be the gift that opens the right door. If your outer life looks like a win but something inside feels off, this conversation is your invitation to say yes to yourself, quiet the outside noise, and let joy amplify everything you build. Connect with Bose: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goalandgrind/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boseakadiri/ Learn more: https://www.goalandgrind.com/about

What happens when the life you carefully planned stops unfolding the way you expected? In this episode of The Purpose Pivot, host Melissa Gonzalez speaks with Khirma Eliazov, founder and CEO of Kika Nutrition, about the personal health journey that transformed her understanding of wellness, motherhood, and success. After experiencing pregnancy loss and infertility, Khirma discovered that despite eating well and living an active lifestyle, her body was severely depleted of essential nutrients. That realization led her to rebuild her health, become a mother, and ultimately create a company designed to make family nutrition simpler and more accessible. Khirma shares how she learned to stop overriding her body’s signals, why consistency matters more than perfection, and how becoming a mother changed the way she approaches both health and entrepreneurship. She also discusses the five-year process of developing Kika’s flavorless, all-in-one nutritional powder, her mission to remove complexity from wellness, and the importance of building a brand grounded in education, community, and trust. The conversation explores what it means to be present, how difficult experiences can reveal a deeper purpose, and why fulfillment often begins when we stop measuring success only by what we accomplish next. Connect with Khirma and Kika Nutrition Instagram: @kikanutrition Instagram: @khirmanewyork Website: kikanutrition.com

Many of us know the feeling: you rack up accomplishments, hit the milestones you once dreamed of, and still there’s a quiet voice asking, “Am I really good enough?” Imposter syndrome has a way of showing up even in our strongest moments, often right when we’re stepping into new opportunities or chapters of growth. And with so many people juggling career, family, and personal expectations, that pressure to “do it all” can make self-doubt feel even louder. Beyond the emotional toll, research shows these impostor feelings are linked to anxiety, diminished job satisfaction, and burnout — proof that this quiet inner battle can have a very real impact on our lives. So, how do we move from overwhelm to ownership? How do we quiet the voice that says “not enough” and replace it with one that trusts, delegates, and grows? These are the questions at the heart of this episode of The Purpose Pivot. Host Melissa Gonzalez is joined by childhood friends and powerhouse professionals Kristen Paladino, Casting Director and Founder of Paladino Casting, and Lisa Mateo, Business Correspondent at Bloomberg News. Together, they explore how imposter syndrome creeps into even the most impressive careers, how life’s wake-up calls can force us to delegate and slow down, and why community, presence, and self-trust matter more than ever. The discussion spans medical turning points, career reinvention, social comparison, and the small daily practices that help both women stay grounded. What you’ll learn… Letting go to grow: Kristen shares how a medical crisis became the catalyst for delegating, slowing down, and building a healthier, more sustainable business — proving that even founders can’t control everything.Rewriting the inner voice: Lisa opens up about struggling with imposter syndrome despite decades of accolades, and how therapy, affirmations, and community helped her reclaim her confidence.Presence, boundaries, and the power of “no”: Both guests discuss learning to step back, prioritize, and create space for rest, connection, and purpose — without guilt.Kristen Paladino is a celebrated casting director and founder of Paladino Casting, known for discovering highly specialized and diverse talent across film, television, voiceover, commercial, and digital content. Her work has contributed to projects premiering at top global festivals, including Sundance, Tribeca, SXSW, and Cannes. In addition to her casting career, she serves as a Senior Media Advisor and Board Member for the Mental Health Global Network, advocating for expanded mental health education and awareness. Lisa Mateo is an Emmy-nominated journalist with more than 20 years of on-air experience across television, radio, and digital platforms, covering breaking news, business, entertainment, and lifestyle. She currently serves as a Business Correspondent for Bloomberg News and has previously held prominent roles at CBS News, iHeartMedia, and WPIX-TV. In addition to journalism, she is a CEO, keynote speaker, and wellness coach, bringing a multifaceted voice to media and storytelling.

As conversations about leadership and well-being continue to evolve, many high-achievers are confronting a familiar tension: they’re excelling publicly while quietly running on empty. Energy is both one of the most valuable—and most depleted—resources for many balancing ambition, impact, and personal purpose. At the same time, interest in holistic and integrative healing is surging, with more people looking beyond conventional medicine for approaches that honor the whole person. Against this backdrop, the conversation shifts toward deeper questions: how do leaders protect their alignment and energy in a world of constant connectedness? And what practices allow them to move forward with clarity, vitality, and intention? Welcome to The Purpose Pivot, hosted by Melissa Gonzalez. In this episode, Melissa sits down with Dr. Gabrielle Francis, owner of The Herban Alchemist—a naturopathic doctor, chiropractor, acupuncturist, massage therapist, and renowned healer to touring rock stars. Together, they unpack how ancient wisdom, global medical traditions, and holistic detox rituals can help realign leaders with their purpose. Key highlights… How Dr. Francis’ global immersion with indigenous healers—from India and China to Brazil and Mexico—deeply shaped her philosophy on honoring ancient medical traditions and integrating them into modern practice.The hidden health pitfalls common among driven, high-performing leaders—and the holistic tools she uses to help them replenish energy, restore balance, and realign with purpose.Why detoxing is more than a diet: how emotional, spiritual, and environmental clearing becomes a rite of passage that unlocks clarity, creativity, and new direction in one’s life.Dr. Gabrielle Francis is a naturopathic doctor, chiropractor, acupuncturist, and licensed massage therapist with over 35 years of experience, leading her New York–based practice, The Herban Alchemist, and her touring clinic for performing artists, Backstage Alternative. Her multidisciplinary training—spanning chiropractic medicine, naturopathic medicine, acupuncture, Oriental medicine, and functional medicine—allows her to create deeply personalized, root-cause treatment plans that blend natural and traditional healing systems. She is also the author of The Rockstar Remedy and has studied with master healers around the world, integrating global healing traditions into her clinical work.

Success without sacrifice—that’s what more leaders are striving for. As burnout rates climb among high-achieving professionals balancing leadership, entrepreneurship, and family, the question of how to build sustainable success without sacrificing health or identity has never been more timely. Gallup’s research shows that burnout is far from rare: roughly three-quarters of U.S. employees say they feel it at least occasionally, and one in four admit it’s become a constant part of their work life. Yet few take the time to uncover the internal pillars that sustain their purpose and resilience. So, how do you discover and stay grounded in your own guiding pillars—those core values that help you thrive through pivots, growth, and reinvention? In this episode of The Purpose Pivot, host Melissa Gonzalez sits down with Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and founder of BrainTrust and LumiNicole Beauty. Together, they unpack the lessons learned from breaking down and building back up, redefining success through faith, focus, and alignment. The conversation explores how to turn high-pressure ambition into purposeful growth, and how to build a life and career that serve both vision and wellness. Top insights from the talk… Define success on your own terms: Kendra shares how her “pillars” of community, mentorship, education, and capital guide every decision and keep her purpose-aligned through each entrepreneurial chapter.Listen to your intuition: Trusting your gut, Kendra says, is key to making better business and life choices—and to walking away from opportunities that don’t serve your values.Pivot and thrive through self-awareness: From breakdowns to breakthroughs, she reveals how patterns of overwork led to deeper self-reflection, better boundaries, and a renewed approach to wellbeing.Kendra Bracken-Ferguson is an award-winning executive, venture capitalist, and visionary founder known for turning ideas into scalable, sustainable businesses. With over two decades of experience in CPG, digital, and operations, she is the Co-Founder of LumiNicole Beauty, a next-generation retail marketplace reimagining how beauty is discovered across airports, hotels, campuses, and events. A three-time founder with two successful exits, she also leads BrainTrust, a digital brand consultancy, accelerator, and venture fund. Kendra has helped over 200 brands generate $100M+ in revenue and raised more than $30M in capital.

Gut health has moved from fringe to front page, with consumers overwhelmed by protocols, powders, and “miracle” cleanses. As interest surges, so do questions about what actually works day to day—and why it matters now. One reason: an estimated 65% of the population is dairy intolerant, complicating popular bovine colostrum trends cited for immunity and gut benefits. Meanwhile, personalization and functional testing are exposing how nutrition choices ripple across hormones, energy, mood, and longevity. So what’s worth building into a realistic daily routine—and what’s hype? How can food-as-medicine become practical, craveable, and sustainable for busy lives without 12-pill mornings or crash cleanses? On this episode of The Purpose Pivot, host Melissa Gonzalez sits down with Lisa Odenweller, CEO of Kroma Wellness, to unpack foundational habits, the philosophy behind Kroma’s Five-Day Reset, and why a new non-dairy, precision-fermented colostrum (lactoferrin) could be a category shift. The conversation spans gut optimization, habit formation, and founder lessons from Beaming to Kroma. Key Takeaways from the Episode: Food first, not famine: Starvation-style cleanses backfire. Kroma’s Five-Day Reset emphasizes protein (~100g/day), fat, and fiber to ignite—not suppress—metabolism, creating behaviors that actually stick beyond Day 5.Fix the terrain, then supplement: Probiotics help only when the gut environment is hospitable. Foundational moves—removing common inflammatory triggers, using binders strategically, and adding collagen/bone broth—set the stage for results you can feel.A new take on colostrum: Traditional bovine colostrum raises tolerance, quality, and ethical questions. Kroma’s SuperCore uses precision-fermented lactoferrin for 100% traceability and potency, aiming to support gut lining integrity, immunity, iron regulation (ferritin), skin, and regularity—without dairy.Lisa Odenweller is a pioneer in the food-as-medicine movement. She founded Beaming, one of the first superfood café concepts in the U.S., introducing mainstream audiences to adaptogens and functional nutrition. After hard-won founder lessons, she launched Kroma Wellness, a system of instant, high-function foods and beverages designed for modern routines—highlighted by the Five-Day Reset, Beauty Matcha, Bone Broth, and the new SuperCore (non-dairy lactoferrin). Odenweller studied integrative nutrition (IIN) and is known for translating cutting-edge wellness into delicious, doable daily habits.

In today’s world of rapid transitions—career moves, geographic relocations, and shifting personal identities—community has become more than a comfort; it’s a lifeline. Studies show that strong social ties can increase well-being, reduce stress, and even improve physical health. For those navigating high-pressure environments, like the partners of professional athletes, having access to a supportive, informed community rooted in women’s empowerment can be the difference between isolation and belonging. So the question is: what does it really take to build a community with that kind of impact? How do we move beyond surface-level connections to create networks that nurture growth, resilience, and lasting belonging? This episode of The Purpose Pivot, hosted by Melissa Gonzalez, dives into those questions with entrepreneur, podcast host, and public speaker Dr. Atoya Burleson. Together, they explore Burleson’s journey from athlete to NFL wife, and ultimately to founder of Ladies Playbook and InsideLINES Podcast. Their conversation reveals how shared experiences and intentional design can transform support into legacy. Key takeaways from the discussion… From personal experience to purposeful action: Burleson’s time in the NFL community revealed unseen challenges for women, inspiring her to launch InsideLINES Podcast and later Ladies Playbook, an app designed to provide resources and real community for NFL partners.Building trust through inclusivity and feedback: Her ambassador and beta testing groups ensured the platform addressed real needs, from local recommendations to safe spaces for honest dialogue.Legacy and self-care: Through her new journal, Her Legacy, Burleson shares the lessons of her “soft era,” encouraging women to prioritize self-care and reflection as tools for empowerment.Dr. Atoya Burleson is an entrepreneur, podcast host, and public speaker with expertise in community building and media. She is the Founder & CEO of Ladies Playbook, a platform supporting NFL women with relocation resources, networking, and business connections, and the Co-Host of InsideLINES Podcast, which amplifies women’s voices in and around sports. With over six years of leading conversations at the intersection of sports, entrepreneurship, and empowerment, she is recognized for creating trusted spaces where women can thrive.

For too long, women’s healthcare has fallen short—shaped by stigma, overlooked by research, and limited by a system that often focuses only on fertility while neglecting the rest of a woman’s life. With women today spending 40% of their lives in postmenopause, the lack of medical training and resources dedicated to this stage leaves millions underserved in areas like sexual wellness, longevity, and preventative care. Now, new voices and innovations are reshaping the field: femtech is rising, funding is accelerating, and advocates like Dr. Somi Javaid are leading a movement to redefine what comprehensive women’s health really means. So what would it take to build a system of care that empowers women across all stages of life—not just reproduction—and how do we dismantle the taboos still tied to sexual health and menopause? In the latest episode of The Purpose Pivot, host Melissa Gonzalez speaks with Dr. Somi Javaid, board-certified OB-GYN and founder of HerMD. Together, they unpack the structural challenges women face in healthcare, explore the emerging science of hormones, sexual wellness, and longevity, and discuss what it means to embrace vulnerability as a strength in both medicine and everyday life. In this episode, you’ll learn about… Redefining Care Beyond Reproduction: Why most medical training neglects perimenopause and menopause, and how HerMD is addressing this gap. Sexual Wellness as a Vital Sign: How libido, arousal, and satisfaction impact confidence, relationships, workplace performance, and overall health. Breaking Taboos and Scaling Solutions: From founding HerMD with a small business loan to raising $40 million, Dr. Javaid shares her journey of challenging industry norms and building a movement. Dr. Somi Javaid, MD, FACOG, is a board-certified OB-GYN and the founder and Chief Medical Officer of HerMD, where she has led innovations in sexual health, menopause care, and patient-centered women’s healthcare for over a decade. With nearly 20 years of clinical experience, she has been recognized as a thought leader in women’s health, raising significant venture funding to expand HerMD and serving as a Key Opinion Leader for major pharmaceutical companies. She is also a frequent speaker, educator, and clinical trial investigator, dedicated to closing the gender gap in healthcare through advocacy, education, and innovation.