The Conscious Success Podcast

Most high-earning women have had the thought at least once: I can't afford to make a different career choice. The mortgage, the lifestyle, the golden handcuffs. It can feel so visceral and so true that, despite the amount we earn, we still feel trapped. But what if that story is fiction, not fact? What if it’s mostly a narrative we’ve inherited from what we learned about money growing up, and not the actual math of your life?   This week's guest, Tamar Hermes, is the founder of Women Growing Wealth, an 8-figure investor, and the author of The Millionairess Mentality. She grew up the daughter of a Holocaust survivor in a home where money meant survival, then built a portfolio across real estate, private equity, and alternative assets with no financial background at all. This conversation is about a fundamental part of conscious success: money. We get into the enough number (the actual amount of invested capital you need to be free for life), why you don't have to hit that number before you bet on yourself, and how to build an incremental glide path out of a career that no longer fits. We discuss how money should be the thing you earn enough of to live into your values, not the thing you chase so hard you abandon them. The episode will be the permission slip you need to stop moving the goalpost and start investing in yourself. In this episode, you'll hear: How to calculate your enough number, the invested capital you need to be free for life Why golden handcuffs are often a story you inherited, not a financial fact How to build a glide path out of corporate incrementally instead of replacing your income overnight Why you don't have to hit your enough number before betting on yourself How unconscious spending is often escapism from a life that doesn't fit Why self-trust, not a bigger bank balance, is what actually creates a sense of safety Links: Women Growing Wealth Mentorship Women Growing Wealth Podcast Calculate your Enough Number: getyourenoughnumbernow.com Follow Emma on Instagram: @conscioussuccessco Learn more about The Second Mountain Mastermind

"If you want something done right, do it yourself." If that belief has driven your success, then it's the exact thing now capping it. The self-reliance, the grinding, the over-functioning that got you here has a ceiling, and most high-achieving women hit it right around the time life gets bigger: a bigger team, a growing family, more demands than one person can possibly hold. Then comes the resentment, the burnout, and the quiet question, "why am I the only one doing anything around here?" In this solo episode, Emma names the pattern she sees in nearly every high-achieving client she coaches: the hero trap. She walks through why doing it all quietly trains the people around you to do less, and the three moves that turn you from the burned out hero to the force-multiplying coach.  In this episode, you'll learn: Why the self-reliance that got you here ("if you want it done right, do it yourself") is the exact thing capping your next level How constantly over-functioning quietly trains the people around you to under-function, and breeds the resentment you feel How to shift from hero to coach with three moves: Define the Outcome, Empower the Person, Hold the Bar How to hold a high standard without lowering the bar or snatching the work back (compassion, not criticism) How the same delegation moves work everywhere: your team, your partner, your kids, even an AI tool Links: Learn more about The Second Mountain Mastermind Mini course (Nervous System Regulation) Follow Emma on Instagram:@conscioussuccessco

What does it actually take to chase a creative dream for years before it materializes? To keep showing up through rejection, through industry contraction, through every "no" that lands in your inbox? That's the heart of this week's conversation with TV writer and cookbook author Meredith Dawson, whose credits include ABC's The Wonder Years, Hulu's Four Weddings and a Funeral, and AppleTV+'s Central Park. Her debut cookbook, Party for One, hits shelves May 19th. If you have a dream you've been quietly chasing while wondering if it'll ever land, this one is a masterclass in staying power, delusional positivity, and loving your craft more than the wins. In this episode, you'll hear: The bold, risky pilot script that got her signed at CAA Her "cookies in your back pocket" concept and why it's the only way she's survived a decade of rejection The reframe that lets her receive a "no" without internalizing it as personal failure How a frustrating pandemic dinner challenge became the idea for her debut cookbook Links: Buy the Party for One cookbook Follow Emma on Instagram: @conscioussuccessco Apply to the Second Mountain Mastermind

What do you do when you finally get the title you've been climbing toward for ten years, and you feel nothing? That's the exact moment Ellie Swift had at 28, when she hit Head of Marketing Strategy and realized the "safe" corporate ladder she'd been climbing was actually her outsourcing her power to someone else's payroll. So she left, and built a seven-figure coaching business that runs in a four-day work week. Ellie is the founder of The Mastermind Model and the host of the Scalable Freedom podcast. Since walking away from corporate, she's built a business that scales without consuming her and a model that's now helped many other women hit six, multi-six, and seven figures.  In this episode, you'll hear: Why the "safe" corporate path isn't as safe as it looks, and what actually creates financial security Why women specifically build better when we have a foundation of safety underneath us, not by blowing it all up bro style How Ellie built to 6 figures in under 12 months and what she did differently from day one How she actually hit her first million-dollar year while going through seven rounds of fertility treatment and pregnancy loss How to string together the skills you already have into something nobody else can offer Why your business success doesn't require you to be the sparkliest, shiniest version of yourself at all times If you've climbed to the top of your first mountain and realized you climbed the wrong one, this episode is for you. Links: The Scalable Freedom Podcast Follow Ellie on Instagram: @elliehswift  Ellie on YouTube: @elliehswift  Learn more about The Second Mountain Mastermind Follow Emma on Instagram: @conscioussuccessco 

What if the goal isn't to stop feeling afraid, but to learn how to actually work with the fear that shows up on the path to anything meaningful? In this solo episode, Emma breaks down why so many high-achieving women stay stuck in one of two unconscious patterns: pushing through fear in a wounded masculine override that leads to burnout, or letting fear keep them safe and small in a wounded feminine retreat that leads to never starting. She introduces The Regulation Reset, a 4-step framework for moving through fear consciously so you can discern whether your fear is pointing you to heal an old wound or take a real action in the present, and then act from your most empowered self. If you've been pushing through fear until you burned out, or letting fear keep you small, this episode will give you the tools to stop letting fear run the show so you can keep moving toward the life and career you actually want. In this episode, you'll learn: The two unconscious patterns most of us default to when fear arises (and why neither one actually serves you) Why fear is always a productive emotion, even when it feels like a problem How to tell whether your fear is pointing to a past wound to heal or a real action to take in the present The 4 steps of The Regulation Reset: Awareness, Compassion, Curiosity until Clarity, and Aligned Action How to "make a date with your fear" so you can stay functional in real-time moments and process the deeper work later Links: Nervous System Regulation Mini Course ($27)  Apply for The Second Mountain Mastermind  Follow Conscious Success on Instagram: @conscioussuccessco Work with Emma: www.conscioussuccessco.com

What if the thing that comes easiest to you is exactly what you should be building your career around? Lacey Sites spent years collecting degrees, climbing the nonprofit ladder, and doing everything "right" before an ethical crisis forced her to walk away from it all. What followed wasn't a clean pivot. It was a thrift store side hustle, a breakdown in a parking lot, and eventually the realization that the traits she'd been told to tone down were the exact things that would lead her to build a seven-figure business. This is a conversation about trusting what lights you up even when it doesn't look like the "smart" path, designing your work around how you actually operate best instead of how you think you should, and giving yourself permission to reject the conventional playbook when it stops feeling true and write your own. In this episode, you'll hear: The ethical moment that made Lacey walk away from her entire career in one day, and why she now calls it the gift of a lifetime Why she believes the thing that comes easiest to you is probably the thing you should get paid for Her dad's one question that completely reframed how she thought about income, ambition, and enough How she invented a pricing model in a bubble bath that let her blow past her income ceiling Why she thinks every entrepreneur who is stuck is looking for a secret that doesn't exist The difference between a "broken leg" and a "bug bite" when it comes to the patterns that hold us back Links: Lacey's Podcast: LITerally on Apple Podcasts Lacey's Instagram: @alituplife Follow Emma on Instagram: @conscioussuccessco Work with Emma: www.conscioussuccessco.com

What does it actually take to build a business you love - without a roadmap, without investors, and without ever running a single ad? In this episode, Emma sits down with Greta Tufvesson and Nikki Lewis, co-founders of The Bevy, the most premium bespoke matchmaking agency in the country. With a 95% success rate and a client roster built entirely by referral, The Bevy has quietly become one of the most successful boutique businesses in the country. And Greta and Nikki built it entirely on their own terms. But this conversation isn't really about matchmaking. It's about what it looks like to see a gap, trust your instincts, and bet on yourself. And what it takes to keep going through the long, unglamorous middle of building something real. In this episode, you'll learn: How to build a business where your reputation does all the selling, without advertising or a large following What has made their business partnership work for over 16 years, and what they'd tell anyone considering going into business with a friend Why following your intuition over the numbers is a sound business strategy, and what gets lost when you don't How to build a support system at home and in your business that lets everything actually feel good, and why there's no medal for doing it all yourself How to stay in love with what you've built through motherhood, shifting seasons, and the long haul of entrepreneurship Links Work with The Bevy: https://www.withthebevy.com  Follow The Bevy on Instagram: @withthebevy Follow Conscious Success on Instagram: @conscioussuccessco   Work with Emma: www.conscioussuccessco.com/book-a-success-call

Have you ever committed to changing a pattern of behavior only to find yourself hours, days, or weeks later doing the exact thing you swore you'd stop? You know better, but you struggle to actually do better. In this solo episode, Emma breaks down why behavior change is so hard. It’s not because you lack discipline or willpower, but because of how your brain is actually wired. She introduces the concept of neuroplasticity and what it means for your ability to grow and shift at any stage of life, and walks you through a practical six-step framework you can start applying to rewire your brain and change your behavior this week. If you've ever felt stuck in the same patterns, this episode will give you both the understanding and the tools to finally make change stick. In this episode, you'll learn: Why 95% of your behavior is running on autopilot — and what to do about it What neuroplasticity actually means for your ability to change Why reverting to old patterns isn't a character flaw Why noticing your patterns is the first act of change How long behavior change actually takes (hint: it’s not 21 days) A six-step framework to achieve any goal Links Follow on Instagram: @conscioussuccessco  Work with me: https://www.conscioussuccessco.com/book-a-success-call

In this episode, Stevie Case, one of the first female professional gamers in the world and current CRO of tech company Vanta shares her nonlinear path from growing up on a Kansas prairie with no exposure to business, to professional gaming, to leading at the highest levels in Silicon Valley sales. Stevie talks about building confidence by acting before she felt ready, why proximity to the right mentors matters more than titles, and how navigating male-dominated industries has shaped her leadership. She’s candid about toxic environments, becoming a single mom early in her career and carrying the pressure of being the sole provider, and the gut-level knowing that told her it was time to leave a company she once thought she’d stay at forever. This conversation is a reminder that you don’t need a perfect plan, just the courage to walk toward fear and the self-trust to grow as you go. In this episode, you’ll hear about: Why adopting a “why not me?” mindset took her to the C-suite How she learned to use fear and discomfort as signals to move forward, not shrink back Why choosing steep learning curves and mentorship over impressive titles shaped her long-term success How she decided when to stay and fight for change, and when to walk away What it looks like to lead high-performing teams with real humanity, not just hard metrics   Follow on Instagram: @conscioussuccessco Work with me: https://www.conscioussuccessco.com/book-a-success-call

What can happen when you have “delusional self-confidence” and just go after what you actually want? In this episode, Caitlin Wilder, founder of Wilder Beginnings, shares her journey from a long career working in Production at Bravo to becoming a mom, a doula, a content creator and online BFF for women navigating pregnancy and postpartum. Caitlin opens up about how becoming a mom reshaped her relationship with boundaries and corporate ambition, and why getting laid off was one of the best things to ever happen to her. She breaks down how she actually built a following of hundreds of thousands of people by leaning into what feels good and simply being herself. This conversation will inspire you to give yourself permission to pursue your vision, even if it takes you 5 years to get there. It will serve as proof that just figuring out what makes you happy and starting is all you truly need to reach conscious success. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why we outgrow things that we once loved Why motherhood led her to unexpectedly jump off the corporate ladder The importance  of following energy instead of strategy at the beginning Why authenticity and community is a powerful engine for sustainable growth Why negative emotions are so powerful (and how jealousy often points you to your desired path) Follow Caitlin on Instagram: @wilderbeginnings Listen to her podcast: You’re So Right Follow me on Instagram: @conscioussuccessco Work with me: https://www.conscioussuccessco.com/book-a-success-call

If you know your current job is no longer aligned, but yet you find yourself not taking consistent action towards your goal, this episode is for you. In this solo episode of Conscious Success, I break down why so many high performers stay in careers that drain them, even when they are clear about what they want next. The issue is not clarity or capability. It is the inability to accept the trade-offs required. In this episode, I walk you through five practical transition tracks that allow you to start earning income from work you actually enjoy, without immediately blowing up your life or financial stability. This conversation is about moving out of waiting mode and into action mode. It is about understanding risk, regulating through fear, and taking consistent, aligned action toward a career that fits the life you want to live, instead of continuing to tolerate one that does not. In this episode, you will learn: Why trying to avoid any tradeoffs is what is keeping you stuck  The five transition tracks to move out of corporate and into aligned work How to decide which path make sense in this season of life How to actually take your next right step  Follow on Instagram: @conscioussuccessco Work with me: https://www.conscioussuccessco.com/book-a-success-call

In this episode, Emma sits down with bestselling author Erica Katz for a candid conversation about ambition, creativity, and building a life that actually feels good to live. Erica shares her path from Columbia Law School and big law to becoming a published novelist, and how writing quietly in the margins of life became her way out of a career that looked successful on paper but felt passionless. Together, they unpack what it really takes to pursue a creative calling while paying the bills, the tension between financial security and creative freedom, and how motherhood reshapes identity, focus, and ambition. Erica opens up about imposter syndrome, letting ideas unfold slowly, why she’s not on social media, and what it takes to not dread your day. This episode is a powerful reminder that there is no single right timeline, and that slow, intentional progress can be just as meaningful as bold leaps. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Erica balanced a demanding law career while writing her first novel Why letting creative work unfold slowly can lead to better outcomes The truth about time, priorities, and making space for what matters How motherhood reshaped her relationship with ambition and success How she moves through fear and imposter syndrome Links Check out Erica’s novels: https://ericakatzbooks.com/ Follow on Instagram: @conscioussuccessco Work with me: https://www.conscioussuccessco.com/book-a-success-call

What if your most successful chapter hasn’t even started yet? In this episode I sit down with Lorri Bernstein, a living example that it is never too late to pivot, reinvent, and build something of your own. After spending decades as a stay at home mom raising four children, Lorri made the bold decision to start a business at age 58, growing it into a thriving senior living placement company with multiple locations and a team of over ten people. Lorri’s story is not about having a perfect plan, but about noticing a problem that needed to be solved, trusting her instincts, and figuring things out step by step. She models what true entrepreneurial spirit looks like and this conversation is a powerful reminder that aligned success comes from leading with heart, building real relationships, and staying open to growth at every stage of life. In this episode, we explore: Why it is never too late to start something new How to build a business by solving real problems The power of heart led, relationship based entrepreneurship What conscious success looks like beyond money and titles How purpose and curiosity fuel growth at any age If you have ever felt the pull to begin again, this episode is for you. Links Work with Senior Living Specialists Philly (or Chicago): https://seniorlivingspecialistsphilly.com/ Follow on Instagram: @conscioussuccessco Work with me: https://www.conscioussuccessco.com/book-a-success-call