Play It Brave Podcast

For years, I recognized Pamela Anderson without knowing much about the woman behind the image. Seeing her differently made me question what I'd overlooked—and how often people do the same with us. In this solo episode, I explore what happens when your brand keeps introducing an earlier version of you. I share my own evolution from photography into coaching and writing, a lesson from helping rebrand a client, and three questions to help you see whether your brand reflects the work you want to do now.

If your brand feels beige, the question may go deeper than fonts, photographs, or a new website. What happens when being unmistakably yourself still feels unsafe? After visiting Glastonbury, D'Arcy explores the fear of being seen through the archetype of the "dangerous woman," the patterns women may carry through family and culture, and the ways we edit our gifts to remain acceptable. She offers a different understanding of safety: trusting yourself to meet criticism, misunderstanding, or rejection without abandoning who you are. For the artists, healers, intuitives, and women building businesses, this is an invitation to become visible one honest act at a time—and to imagine what we could create with the energy we once spent hiding.

What happens when you build the business everyone else dreams about—and realize you don't want to live that life anymore? India Earl had become one of the most recognizable photographers in her industry. She traveled the world, had clients waiting years to work with her, built an enormous audience, and created an education business capable of generating hundreds of thousands of dollars. From the outside, it looked like extraordinary success. Inside, she was exhausted. India originally hired D'Arcy because she thought they were going to make the business even bigger: better funnels, better marketing, more passive income. Instead, one question changed everything: What if you didn't have to keep doing any of it? What followed was a years-long journey through burnout, identity, boundaries, archetypes, embodiment, creativity, the wild feminine—and ultimately an entirely different relationship with success, work and herself. In this episode, India and D'Arcy talk about what it means to leave something that is still working, why success can make reinvention harder, learning to disappoint people instead of abandoning yourself, taking a creative sabbatical, and trusting that if you built something extraordinary once, you can create again. If you're wondering whether you've outgrown your business, career, identity or the life you worked so hard to create, this conversation is for you. PLUS: D'Arcy is opening three private 1:1 coaching spaces at her current rate before her pricing increases October 15. Details and clarity-call link below Clarity-Call Link

I charged $4,500 to photograph the wedding. Then the mother of the bride logged into the gallery and, within about an hour, ordered $7,000 in prints. And she came back and ordered even more. That experience completely changed the way I thought about what happens after a photographer delivers the images. We spend so much time trying to book the next client that we often forget there is revenue, marketing, referrals and future business sitting inside work we've already created. In this episode, I'm breaking down how I've used galleries, physical prints, albums and vendor relationships to make one wedding keep working long after the wedding day is over. You'll hear: The simple thing I did before that $7,000 print order Why gallery delivery shouldn't be the end of the client journey How prints and albums can create revenue without another photoshoot Why your gallery itself is part of your brand How I've used curated galleries to help book clients before I ever photograph them How I photograph specifically for wedding vendors so they actually want to share my work My strategy for getting the entire vendor team to market a wedding on the same day How I use Pic-Time to make the entire process easier The question I want you asking after this episode is: Are you constantly chasing the next client while ignoring the value already sitting inside the work you've created? TRY PIC-TIME

Eileen Budd comes from a long line of Scottish storytellers. Her grandfather came home from the war with shrapnel in his legs, took a job driving a tour bus, and out-earned every other driver in Scotland — because he told stories while he drove. Nobody discovered Eileen was legally blind until she was eight, so she learned the world by ear: story by story, told out loud, passed down. In this episode she tells three complete folk tales on air — including the three rules for surviving the Queen of the Fairies — opens her Travelling Folk Museum of donated, two-hundred-year-old objects, and makes the case that the stories of the village, not the castle or the church, are the ones that bring people together. Plus: why we've outsourced our imaginations to our phones, what a story did to a $30 compass on eBay, the folk tale that is secretly about postnatal depression, and how to find the story only you can tell. Your imagination: use it or lose it. How to Tell a Story People Can't Stop Repeating — with Scottish Storyteller Eileen Budd Some stories disappear almost as soon as they're told. Others survive for hundreds of years. They cross villages, families, kitchens, campfires, churches, pubs and generations without ever needing an algorithm to carry them. That is the kind of story Eileen Budd knows how to tell. Eileen comes from a long line of Scottish storytellers, and she learned the world by listening. Nobody discovered she was legally blind until she was eight, so while other children were reading the room visually, Eileen was absorbing voices, details, rhythms and stories. And in this conversation, she reminded me of something I think many of us are losing: storytelling is not the same thing as content. A story asks something of your imagination. It leaves space. It lets you see something that is not physically in front of you. And the best stories become portable. Someone hears them, carries them away, and tells them again. That is what this episode is really about. Eileen tells three complete folk tales on the podcast, including the story of a midwife summoned to the Queen of the Fairies, the rules she must follow to survive, and a changeling story that carries an unexpectedly compassionate understanding of postnatal depression. But we also talk about what happens to imagination when we fill every empty moment with scrolling, why an ordinary $30 compass became worth $1,000 when it had a story attached to it, and why the stories of ordinary people — the stories of the village — may be the ones that connect us most deeply. One of my favorite things Eileen says is that we have started to outsource our imaginations. And I haven't stopped thinking about that. Because imagination requires empty space. Daydreaming. Wondering. Following an image somewhere without immediately needing it to become useful. And if you are an artist, photographer, writer, entrepreneur or simply a person trying to live a more creative life, I think this conversation will make you want some of that space back. Inside the episode We talk about Eileen's grandfather, who returned from war with shrapnel in his legs and became a Scottish tour-bus driver — eventually earning more than the other drivers because he told stories while he drove. Eileen explains the difference between stories of the castle, stories of the church and stories of the village, and why the stories of ordinary people are often the ones that bring us together. She shares why she resisted writing oral stories down for years, what changed her mind, and what can be lost when a living story gets trapped on a page. We talk about daydreaming, imagination and the way constant scrolling can crowd out the inner world. You'll hear the story of a $30 compass whose value changed completely once a story was attached to it, a 200-year-old willow rattle filled with quartz, the full tale of the midwife and the Queen of the Fairies, and Eileen's beautifully simple way of teaching someone how to become a storyteller. And we end with a Scottish origin story about the giants of day and night. If you make anything for a living, I especially want you to listen to the distinction running underneath this whole conversation: People may consume information. But they carry stories. Connect with Eileen Podcast: Scottish Folk Instagram: @eileenbudd Books: Eileen's seasonal folklore collections from Wide Open Sea https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/scottish-folk/id1674005044 https://www.wideopensea.co.uk/product/seasonal-folklore-summer

There is an awakening happening in women right now. It isn't simply about making more money, building a bigger business, or becoming more successful. It's the question underneath all of it: Is this actually how I want to live? This week, D'Arcy sits down with her friend Kara Campbell — coach, gatherer of women, and founder of the Momentum mastermind — for a conversation about what happens when women stop proving, controlling, and doing everything alone... and start trusting themselves enough to receive. Kara shares the 63-hour labor that shattered her illusion of control and gave her a mantra she still lives by: I allow. I do not force. She talks about the voice that told her to be kind to yourself after years of self-hatred, and the moment she realized that counting money as an adult was carrying the same fear as counting calories in her twenties. Together, Kara and D'Arcy explore self-trust, feminine leadership, loneliness, desire, receiving, and the kind of female friendships that don't tell you who to become — they remind you who you already are. They talk about why queens don't compete with other queens, why the right women help return you to your own knowing, and what it means to be truly witnessed in your grief, joy, ambition, and becoming. And D'Arcy shares one of the hardest seasons of her own life — when she discovered that independence could no longer save her, and she had to learn how to ask her circle to carry her. Near the end, Kara shares something extraordinary: When a female elephant is vulnerable or in danger, the other females gather around her and form a circle. They stay there until the danger passes. This episode is about building that kind of circle — and allowing yourself to stand in the middle of it when it's your turn to be held.

You can know exactly why you do something and still keep doing it. You can know where the pattern came from. You can have journaled about it, talked about it, analyzed it, named it—and then Tuesday comes around and there you are, doing the thing again. Because understanding a pattern and changing a pattern are two different skills. In this episode, I'm taking you inside the work I've fallen completely in love with: how I lead a client through a major Breakthrough. Not a quick mindset shift. Not another affirmation pasted over something you don't actually believe. The deeper work of finding the emotions, decisions, internal conflicts and old conclusions that may still be influencing the life you're living now. I'm also sharing what this work has changed in me—including the end of my own panic attacks, the difference between being watched and being seen, and the three words I'm choosing to organize my own life around now. And for the first time, I'm opening a small number of private Breakthrough spaces at founding pricing. If there's something in your life you understand—but still can't seem to change—this episode is for you.

For the first time, the whole story of the last two years — told from the other side. In this episode: The heroine's journey — the map: the hero comes home with the treasure; the heroine realizes she is the treasure, and she is the home The launch that cracked it open: 21 yeses where 90 used to say yes — and the sentence that took over December 2024: the call that was harder than the breakup — and why it turned out to be the first brave decision of the rebirth THE VALUES AUDIT — five signs your season is a values change, not a collapse: (1) the wins land flat, (2) you're still funding your old self, (3) you envy the "wrong" people, (4) you keep changing the strategy but never question the goal, (5) "it's not working" has become a sentence instead of a fact Tonight's ten-minute exercise: your calendar + your bank statement — still, or was What ten days of silence in India returned — and what the new values are building now (new episodes every Tuesday and Friday, starting this week) Timestamps : 00:00 — Cold open: the training and the December call 03:57 — The heroine's journey: the map 05:57 — The empire years 08:19 — Values have seasons 09:21 — The whisper: "It's not working" 10:42 — Trying to fix it 12:22 — December 2024: the call 14:35 — "The first brave decision of the rebirth" 15:36 — It wasn't a failure — it was a values change 18:32 — Old strategies, new values 19:47 — The Paris apartment and the cabin 22:08 — The Values Audit: #1, the wins land flat 22:48 — #2, funding your old self 23:51 — #3, envying the wrong people 24:31 — #4, new strategy, same goal 26:27 — #5, a sentence, not a fact 27:24 — Tonight: calendar and bank statement 27:48 — India, Bali, the silence 30:07 — The return 31:57 — Money and meaning 34:02 — If you're in this season 35:54 — "You are the treasure"

Success came easy. Love didn't. If you've built the business, the body of work, the beautiful life — and love is still the one thing that won't land — this conversation was recorded for you. D'Arcy sits down with self-love and relationship expert Sanaiyah Gurnamal — two-time TEDx speaker and host of Project Loving Myself (a Spotify Top 50 podcast with 1M+ downloads) — to name the three love blocks that keep high-achieving women single or stuck: the People Pleaser, the Commitment-Phobe, and the Runaway Bride. In this episode: why women who fight for everything never learn to receive [22:46] · the 3 love blocks [25:58] · the airplane story that redefines meeting your own needs [15:45] · grieving a relationship while keeping the growth [43:30] · the journal prompt that reveals your block [52:13] D'Arcy also tells the truth about turning 49, never marrying, and dropping the belief that being single means you love yourself wrong. Connect with Sanaiyah: Project Loving Myself podcast · @sanaiyahgurnamal on Instagram + YouTube · The Love Blocks quiz Full show notes: darcybenincosa.com/love-blocks-high-achieving-women Get the Sunday letter: darcybenincosa.com

What does it actually look like to evolve from a successful photographer into a fully embodied luxury brand? In this deeply personal episode of the Play It Brave podcast, I'm taking you behind the scenes with my client and dear friend, Kristen Marie, as she walks through a massive identity shift, creative rebirth, and business rebrand. Kristen has been photographing weddings and adventure elopements for over eight years, and after years of success in the elopement world, her body finally told her something had to change. Together, we talk openly about burnout, redefining success, and the emotional process of growing out of an old identity that no longer fits. We also share what happened during Kristen's immersive coaching retreat at my cabin, where we explored her values, archetypes, subconscious beliefs, and the deeper emotional patterns underneath her business. Then, in a rare behind-the-scenes look, we bring you directly into one of Kristen's real coaching calls along with her brand designer, Kass. You'll hear us brainstorm everything from visual identity and positioning to luxury storytelling, artistic authority, nature-inspired branding, and what it truly means to create a brand that resonates instead of imitates. In this episode, we talk about: The hidden burnout that can happen even inside a successful photography business Why Kristen realized she could no longer continue as an overextended adventure elopement photographer How identity work and nervous system healing play a huge role in luxury rebranding The values and archetypes that shaped Kristen's new direction Moving from "cute girl with a camera" into grounded artistic authority The difference between copying luxury branding and creating true resonance Building a brand inspired by nature, stillness, cinematic storytelling, and emotional depth Why luxury positioning is often more about embodiment than skill level The visual and emotional references influencing Kristen's rebrand, from Ralph Lauren campaigns to Terrence Malick films How photographers can evolve their businesses without abandoning themselves in the process One of the biggest things I hope you take away from this episode is that rebranding is never just about aesthetics. It's not just new fonts, prettier colors, or a more elevated website. A true rebrand asks you to become honest about who you are now, who you've been, and who you're ready to become. Watching Kristen move through this process with so much courage, self-awareness, and openness has been incredibly beautiful. She's not simply trying to book higher-paying weddings. She's learning how to trust herself, honor her energy, deepen her artistry, and create a business that actually supports the life she wants to live. That's the kind of transformation that changes everything. I cannot wait for you to hear this behind-the-scenes conversation and witness what it really looks like to build a brand from the inside out. Click here for more ways to listen to this episode.

On this episode of the Play It Brave podcast, I'm taking a conversation I started on Instagram and going deeper into something I care deeply about: manifestation, intuition, and personal power. Because here's the truth, I don't believe you when you say you don't know who you are or what you want. I say that with love. What I've found, both in my own life and in working with so many of you, is that "not knowing" is often a protection mechanism. It's a way we stay safe from the courage, change, and disruption that comes with actually claiming what we want. So today, I'm breaking down what manifestation really is and what it is not, why your intuition isn't missing, and how subconscious patterns may be quietly running your life and your business. Key Takeaways Manifestation isn't broken. You're just stuck on the first floor Writing lists, vision boards, and affirmations aren't wrong. They are just the beginning. True co-creation requires stepping into your power as a sovereign adult, not staying in a childlike wish and hope dynamic. Most of what you think you want isn't actually yours Your dream life may be shaped by culture, family, religion, or social media. Real manifestation begins when you ask: is this truly my desire, or something I've been taught to want? You don't lack intuition. You're afraid to follow it Intuition often asks you to make hard choices, face uncertainty, or let go of what feels safe. Most people don't want clearer intuition. They want a version that guarantees comfort and certainty. "I don't know what I want" is often a protective pattern When following your truth feels too costly, whether emotionally, financially, or socially, you learn to shut it down. Not knowing becomes a way to avoid the consequences of knowing. Your power leaks in three key places Will I still belong if I change? Will I be safe financially, physically, or emotionally? Will I be judged, envied, or rejected if I grow? Subconscious patterns shape what you believe you're allowed to have Whether it's tying love to achievement, suppressing your needs, or making yourself smaller to be accepted, these patterns directly impact what you try to manifest. You can't out-strategize a subconscious block No marketing plan, sales funnel, or branding strategy can override beliefs like "I'm not allowed to be seen" or "I have to earn love." This is identity work, not just business strategy. Receiving is often harder than giving Many of us are conditioned to overgive because it feels safe. Receiving love, support, money, and rest can feel uncomfortable or even threatening to the nervous system. Transformation happens in the body, not just the mind Real change comes from identifying and rewriting subconscious agreements you made long ago. It is not just about thinking differently, but embodying something new. You likely already know your path. You've just been choosing not to know The real question isn't what you want. It's whether you're willing to stop avoiding it and become the person who can hold it. If there's one thing I want you to take with you, it's this: You are not lost. You are not confused. You are not lacking clarity. You already know. Maybe not every detail, but the direction, the desire, the truth of who you are has been there for a long time. The real work is having the courage to release the patterns that have been keeping you small. Manifestation is not about asking for more. It is about becoming the version of you who can receive it. Book your Receiving Map session here Click here for more ways to listen to this episode.

This episode is a deeply personal one. I sat down with my dear friend Karen McMahon, and while she's known as a high-conflict divorce strategist, this conversation goes far beyond divorce. It's about personal power. It's about self-abandonment. It's about the moment you realize you've been editing yourself to keep the peace, and what it takes to finally come home to yourself. Karen supported me through a major breakup, and what she helped me see changed everything: sometimes what we think is "chemistry" is actually a dysregulated nervous system. Sometimes what we call love is actually a trauma loop. In this episode, we unpack the difference between healthy conflict and high-conflict dynamics, how we lose ourselves in relationships, and what it really looks like to reclaim your voice, your truth, and your life. Key Takeaways Not all conflict is unhealthy, but high conflict has clear signs. Lack of empathy, inability to take responsibility, "my way or the highway" dynamics, and revisionist history are major red flags. If you're constantly questioning your reality, pay attention. What feels like chemistry can actually be trauma. That intense push-pull dynamic? The fighting followed by closeness? It's often a nervous system loop, not deep compatibility. Self-abandonment is usually rooted in childhood survival. If you learned to manage a parent's emotions growing up, you may now overgive, people-please, or edit yourself in relationships without even realizing it. A powerful lens: fear vs. desire. Every decision is either fear-based or desire-based. Fear leads to self-abandonment. Desire leads to alignment. You are not responsible for managing someone else's emotions. You can have compassion for someone's wounds without taking them on as your job to fix. Feelings are valid. Behavior is where boundaries matter. Anger is okay. Hurt is okay. But how someone behaves because of those emotions is what determines what you will or won't tolerate. "Observe, don't absorb." You can witness someone else's emotional experience without taking it into your own body or identity. Boundaries are about your behavior, not controlling theirs. It's not "make them change." It's "this is what I will or won't stay for." The fable of the rope: stop doing someone else's work. When you're holding the rope for someone who refuses to pull themselves up, you're abandoning yourself… and keeping them stuck. You are not responsible for other people's stories about you. Let them misunderstand you. Let them share their version. The people who truly know you won't be swayed. Relationships aren't meant to make you happy. They're meant to grow you. The right relationship will challenge you, expand you, and invite you into deeper emotional maturity. Green flags matter just as much as red ones. Look for communication, trust, respect, and the ability to be honest without fear. If there's one thing I hope you take from this conversation, it's this: You are allowed to choose yourself. Not in a way that disconnects you from love, but in a way that deepens it. Real love doesn't require you to shrink, edit, or abandon who you are. It invites you to become more fully yourself. And that takes courage. It takes the kind of courage Karen talked about: Looking in the mirror, taking responsibility for your own healing, and choosing growth over comfort. Because at the end of the day, the bravest thing you can do is come home to yourself. Meet Karen Karen McMahon is a High Conflict Divorce Strategist, Certified Divorce Coach and Founder of Journey Beyond Divorce. She began divorce coaching in 2010 after recognizing that the pain of her divorce led her on a transformational journey into a powerful and unexpected new life. Karen leads a national team of divorce coaches in supporting men and women around the world to become calm, clear and confident as they navigate divorce. Karen is also the host of the acclaimed Journey Beyond Divorce Podcast, and co-author of 'Stepping out of Chaos: Turning Pain to Possibility". Connect with Karen Journey Beyond Divorce WebsiteFree Rapid Relief CallBoundary BootcampJBD PodcastKaren's Instagram Click here for more ways to listen to this episode.