She Lift Project Podcast

Sara Marler is the founder and managing partner of Marler Law Partners, a family law firm in St. Louis built around a concept that is still rare in the legal profession: trauma-informed practice. By combining rigorous legal representation with healing-centered care from a licensed therapist, Sara and her team have created a firm where clients are seen as whole people navigating one of the hardest seasons of their lives, not just cases to be won or settled. The goal is to turn the temperature down, protect the family unit wherever possible, and leave every client better than they found them. This episode is for anyone navigating a difficult family situation, working in a high-stress profession, or leading a team through hard things. You will hear how to actually help your kids on transition days after a split, why "I just have to get to 18" is the wrong finish line, and what it means to leave someone better than you found them. Sara also walks through collaborative divorce, how her office is designed down to the scent and the chair sizes to create psychological safety, and what she is teaching law firms and universities about a better way to practice. This is a masterclass in combining emotional intelligence with professional excellence.

In this inspiring episode of the She Lift Project podcast, host Cynthia Kirkpatrick sits down with Ali Hogan, founder of Rung for Women, a transformative St. Louis nonprofit. Ali created a holistic program that bridges the critical gap between crisis intervention and sustainable independence by providing women with career training, mental health support, financial coaching, physical wellness resources, and community—all under one roof. The conversation explores how Rung for Women empowers over 500 women through cohort-based programs in advanced manufacturing and IT, helping them move from survival mode to thriving careers earning $60K-$70K+ annually while building confidence, skills, and lasting sisterhood. This episode is for anyone passionate about women's empowerment, nonprofit leaders seeking collaborative models, employers looking to diversify their workforce, and individuals wanting to understand how comprehensive support systems create lasting change. Listeners will learn about the power of addressing the "whole woman" rather than just job placement, the importance of community and coaching in transformation, and how Rung for Women's partnerships with healthcare providers, therapists, and employers create a unique ecosystem of support. After listening, you'll understand how to get involved with Rung for Women as a volunteer, donor, employer partner, or applicant, and you'll be inspired to think differently about what it takes to create generational change in your own community.

Welcome to Episode #61 of the She Lift Project Podcast, where host Cynthia Kirkpatrick sits down with Dr. Vedica Sharma, a board-certified intensivist and entrepreneur. Dr. Sharma is an ICU physician who treats the sickest patients on their worst days, and is also the co-founder of Vivia Concierge, a first-of-its-kind concierge services company offering everything from in-home spa services to house management. This episode explores her journey through medical training during COVID-19, the lessons she learned about time and mortality, and how she built a thriving business without a business degree or roadmap. This episode is for ambitious professionals, working parents, and anyone feeling stretched thin while trying to do it all. Listeners will learn how to embrace failure as a learning tool, why asking for help is a strength not a weakness, and how the smallest acts of self-care can make the biggest difference in your life. After listening, you'll be inspired to push beyond your comfort zone, stop limiting yourself, and take action on that idea you've been overthinking—because life is too short not to chase what makes you happy.

In this powerful episode of the She Lift Project Podcast, host Cynthia Kirkpatrick welcomes Dr. Leslie Davis, a relationship therapist, owner of Eva Empowered, and international speaker. Dr. Davis specializes in helping women heal from toxic relationships, increase self-worth, and walk in freedom by knowing their truth. The conversation explores self-silencing among women, recognizing toxic relationship patterns, and the unique mental health challenges facing single mothers. This episode is for any woman who feels like she's shrinking herself to fit into relationships, whether romantic, professional, or familial. Listeners will learn to identify the signs of toxic dynamics including gaslighting, love bombing, and codependency, understand why self-silencing is so damaging, and discover practical strategies for having difficult conversations. After listening, you'll be equipped to recognize when you're making yourself invisible, know how to ask for help without feeling like a burden, and start building healthier connections in all areas of your life.

Join host Cynthia Kirkpatrick as she interviews legendary artist and entrepreneur Mary Engelbreit, creator of one of America's most beloved illustration brands. Mary has built a multi-generational empire through greeting cards, calendars, children's books, licensing deals, retail stores, and a beloved lifestyle magazine. In this episode, Mary shares the simple truth about building a creative business over five decades, from selling hand-drawn cards for 25 cents in high school to creating over 14,000 copyrights. This episode is essential listening for creative entrepreneurs, artists looking to monetize their work, and anyone building a values-driven business. Listeners will discover how to stay authentic while scaling, when to pivot away from successful ventures that don't align with your vision, and why imperfection is often the gateway to opportunity. After listening, you'll have a roadmap for building a sustainable creative business that can weather decades of change while maintaining its core identity.

Laura K. Sawyier, founder and CEO of LKS Styling and Consulting, joins Cynthia Kirkpatrick for an inspiring conversation about the intersection of style, psychology, and personal transformation. Laura helps clients build confidence through strategic styling, using a revolutionary digital closet platform that functions like the famous Clueless movie wardrobe system. This episode explores how getting dressed is actually an act of creativity and psychological self-care, diving deep into the science behind why what we wear affects how we think and perform. This episode is perfect for anyone who feels overwhelmed by their closet, struggles with decision fatigue, or wants to understand the deeper psychology behind personal presentation. Listeners will learn about enclothed cognition research, practical gratitude techniques, and how to turn style mistakes into growth opportunities. After listening, you'll be able to approach your wardrobe with more intention, practice self-compassion in challenging moments, and understand how visual communication can be a powerful tool for personal and professional success.

Meet Courtney English, a trademark business attorney and founder of Upscale Law who specializes in helping small business owners and entrepreneurs navigate the complete business lifecycle from startup to scaling. With expertise in brand protection, trademark law, and business contracts, Courtney has built her practice around being proactive rather than reactive, focusing on preventing costly legal problems before they arise. In this episode, she shares her journey from a small farm town to building a thriving legal practice, while revealing the critical legal steps every business owner must take to protect what they've built. This episode is essential listening for current and aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women who are considering leaving corporate careers to start their own businesses or those already running small businesses without proper legal protection. Listeners will learn the three foundational legal steps every new business needs, how to protect their brand from copycats and domain thieves, why contracts are non-negotiable, and how to advocate for themselves in business relationships. Armed with this knowledge, business owners should immediately assess their current legal vulnerabilities, conduct trademark searches for their business names, establish proper contracts for all services, and most importantly, shift their mindset from seeing legal protection as an expense to viewing it as an investment in their business's future success.