Empowered Team Podcast

Katie Richardson Interview: The Vital Framework for Aligned Leadership

In this episode of the Empowered Team Podcast, host Kari Schneider engages with Katie Richardson, a visionary entrepreneur and business coach celebrated for building a multimillion-dollar business and helping leaders elevate their game.

Katie shares her inspiring story of growing her brand from scratch, balancing life as a mother of four, and working in partnership with her husband.

Listeners will gain insights into Katie’s 'Vital Framework'—a proven strategy for identifying and addressing the root causes of business challenges, fostering team alignment, and leading with integrity.

This episode is perfect for leaders and entrepreneurs who want to optimize their decision-making, strengthen partnerships, and create a sustainable path to success.

To apply to work with Katie visit - https://now.katierichardson.com/casestudy

Follow Katie on Instagram @katie.live or Facebook @katierichardson.live

Website - https://katierichardson.com/

Fear as Fuel: Transforming Discomfort into Breakthroughs

"Everything you ever wanted is on the other side of fear." – George Adair

 

In this empowering episode of The Empowered Team Podcast, host Kari Schneider dives deep into understanding, harnessing, and transforming fear. As we approach a new year full of possibilities, Kari challenges us to face our fears head-on and see them as signals for growth rather than barriers. Drawing from personal experiences, client stories, and even lessons from sports, she unpacks actionable steps to turn fear into a tool for success.

Key Takeaways:

1. Fear as a Signal, Not a Stop Sign: Fear isn't an enemy but a signal that you're pushing the boundaries of your comfort zone. Embrace it as a guide.
2. Understand Fear: Learn how your brain's amygdala triggers fear, often overreacting to perceived threats. Recognize it for what it is—a survival mechanism.
3. Harness Fear's Energy: Use fear-induced physiological changes (like heightened focus and adrenaline) as fuel to sharpen your performance.
4. Transform Fear into Growth: Step outside your comfort zone and activate your brain's prefrontal cortex, enabling adaptability and creativity.
5. Reframe Fear as a Worthy Opponent: Like athletes facing challenging competitors, respect your fear as a catalyst for learning and growth.

Practical Applications:

• Public speaking anxiety? Break it down into small, actionable steps like practicing with friends.
• Afraid of feedback? Use active listening and actionable steps to shift from defense to growth.
• Facing big decisions? Break them into manageable parts and seek diverse perspectives.

Triple Threat Planning: Your 5-Step Guide to a Successful 2025

Start 2025 strong with Kari Schneider’s signature Triple Threat Planning system, featured on the Empowered Team Podcast. This episode equips you with a 5-step method to turn your vision into reality:

1. Set clear goals: Identify your top 1-3 priorities.
2. Establish milestones: Map out key steps to achieve your objectives.
3. Define actions: Break milestones into practical, manageable tasks.
4. Build accountability: Share your goals and track progress with others.
5. Schedule and adapt: Plan effectively while staying flexible.

Using relatable examples, including her own book launch, Kari demonstrates how to align with your values, stay focused, and navigate challenges. Whether you're an entrepreneur, leader, or simply looking to make the most of the year ahead, this episode provides the tools and motivation you need.

👉 Access your free planning workbook in the show notes to kickstart your journey! 

https://www.theempowered.ca/year-reflection-workbook-freebie

2024 Year in Reflection: 10 Questions to Celebrate, Learn and Prepare for 2025

In this episode of The Empowered Team Podcast, Kari Schneider shares a powerful guide to closing out 2024 with clarity and purpose. With over 25 years of experience in personal growth and leadership coaching, Kari explains how reflection isn’t just a feel-good activity—it’s a scientifically backed tool to enhance your well-being, sharpen decision-making, and build self-esteem.

This episode is packed with actionable insights and inspiring stories, including Kari’s transformative experience in 1999 that shaped her future success. You’ll walk away with 10 proven questions (and bonus prompts!) to help you process your year, celebrate your wins, and set meaningful goals for 2025.

✨ What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The Power of Reflection: Why reflecting on your past is essential for personal growth and alignment.
• Celebrate and Learn: How to identify your biggest wins and most impactful lessons from 2024.
• Plan for 2025: Tips for creating actionable goals rooted in gratitude and clarity.
• Bonus Insights: Discover what three words will guide your new year and how to let go of beliefs that no longer serve you.

🎧 Why You’ll Love This Episode:

• Backed by research on the benefits of reflection.
• Engaging personal stories that inspire and motivate.
• A free, downloadable workbook to make reflection simple and repeatable.

Whether you’re a leader, entrepreneur, or someone ready to align with your goals, this episode will give you the tools to start 2025 with intention and focus.

👉 Listen now and grab the free reflection workbook: https://www.theempowered.ca/year-reflection-workbook-freebie

Love the Moment: No Matter What

In this powerful episode of The Empowered Team Podcast, Kari Schneider explores how to find happiness and contentment in every moment, even when life feels difficult or overwhelming. Drawing from her own experience overcoming a painful back injury that disrupted her ability to de-stress and enjoy life, Kari discusses the essential mindset shift that allows us to love the moment no matter the circumstances.

With insights inspired by Byron Katie’s transformative approach to questioning limiting beliefs, Kari walks listeners through practical ways to turn any situation into one of growth and self-compassion. Learn three essential questions that can help you dissolve stress, enhance emotional intelligence, and bring a deep sense of calm into daily life—especially helpful during the holiday season when expectations can lead to stress and frustration.

Key Takeaways:

How to transform negative thoughts and see challenging moments with a new perspective
Practical applications of mindfulness and self-compassion in leadership and personal life
A simple three-question framework to help you find inner peace, no matter the external pressures


Join Kari in exploring the real power of embracing each moment, and discover how mastering this skill can elevate your leadership, improve relationships, and bring joy to everyday life.

The Fresh Start Effect: Your Secret Weapon for Success

In this episode of The Empowered Team Podcast, host Kari Schneider explores the Fresh Start Effect, a psychological phenomenon that pushes us to take action on our goals during key milestones like New Year’s, birthdays, or even a change of seasons.

Through research-backed insights from scholars like Hengchen Dai and Katherine Milkman, Kari explains how these temporal landmarks help disassociate from past failures and motivate a clean slate mindset.

She shares a relatable personal story about her daughter’s friends experiencing a “fresh start” in high school and provides 3 actionable tips to help you capitalize on your fresh starts for lasting success.

Key Takeaways:

• How temporal landmarks create psychological momentum.
• How to harness the fresh start effect for new goals or long-term projects.
• The importance of planning beyond the initial motivation to maintain consistency.

Whether you're planning for the New Year or your next personal milestone, this episode offers the tools to make those fresh starts work for you.

Back on Track: Easing into Work After Illness

In this episode of The Empowered Team Podcast, host Kari Schneider shares her personal experience recovering from COVID and offers a practical guide to easing back into work after illness.

Kari explains the dangers of rushing back into a full workload, citing research showing that over 80% of people recovering from COVID experience lingering fatigue and cognitive issues, which can affect both productivity and long-term health.

Listeners will walk away with actionable steps to ensure a gradual and thoughtful return to their routines, including starting with lower stress loads, staying hydrated, and keeping open communication with their teams.

Kari emphasizes the importance of self-care and pacing recovery to avoid severe relapses, using personal stories to illustrate each point. This episode is a must-listen for anyone coming back from illness or other setbacks.

Key Takeaways:

• Don’t rush! Start with half-days or lighter workloads.
• Hydration and proper nutrition are essential for recovery.
• Communicate with your team and set clear boundaries.
• Celebrate small wins to maintain motivation during recovery.

Communication for Connection: Without Losing Your Professional Edge

In this Empowered Team Podcast episode, Kari Schneider dives into Communicating for Connection While Maintaining Professionalism—an essential skill for leaders, team members, and professionals looking to elevate workplace communication.

This episode covers the four main communication styles—assertive, passive, aggressive, and passive-aggressive—and how each impacts relationship-building at work. Kari reveals research on the risks of transactional communication in digital spaces, from increased feelings of loneliness to breakdowns in trust, and shares insights on integrating emotional intelligence and active listening to boost engagement, loyalty, and productivity.

Kari’s ACE Framework (Active Listening, Clarity, Empathy) offers actionable tools to foster connection authentically in every interaction. Listeners will learn how to keep conversations focused, professional, and genuine, boosting collaboration and team morale.

Whether you’re a seasoned leader or new to management, these strategies will empower you to connect meaningfully with your team, drive trust, and create a culture of support and psychological safety.

Jordan Thomas Interview: Trauma's Impact on Success

In this compelling episode of the Empowered Team Podcast, host Kari Schneider engages in a transformative conversation with Jordan Thomas, a seasoned psychotherapist and founder of London Trauma Therapy.

Jordan shares her journey of overcoming childhood abuse and severe domestic violence that culminated in profound PTSD. With vulnerability and wisdom, she discusses how trauma impacts high achievers, the hidden emotional toll of relentless striving, and the pivotal steps to reclaim personal worth and step into authentic power.

Listeners will gain valuable insights on recognizing trauma responses disguised as achievement, breaking cycles of people-pleasing, and leveraging vulnerability as a tool for deeper human connection.

Jordan’s experience underscores the importance of embodying resilience and embracing self-worth without external validation.

This episode is perfect for those looking to understand the psychological underpinnings of high achievement, explore self-leadership after trauma, and learn how to transform life’s hardest moments into opportunities for growth.

Don’t miss the opportunity to uncover actionable takeaways for a more connected and fulfilled life!

 

Interests to support https://www.wallettowealth.ca/ 

Reach out to Jordan here: https://www.instagram.com/jorditee/ 

How to Unlock Happiness

In this episode, Kari Schneider dives into the fascinating world of Hedonic vs. Eudaimonic Happiness. Kari shares a personal story about overeating to uncover why many of us chase short-term pleasures and miss out on deeper, lasting happiness. You’ll learn the differences between pleasure-seeking happiness (hedonic) and purpose-driven fulfillment (eudaimonic), backed by research from the likes of Ryan & Deci and insights from the Harvard Grant Study.

Takeaways include actionable tips on how to align your daily actions with long-term happiness and reflections on balancing life’s pleasures with meaningful goals. If you want more joy, health, and a stronger sense of purpose, this episode is for you!

 

The Empowered Team is your ticket to your next level - learn more via the link below:

 

https://bit.ly/TheEmpoweredTEAM