Unconventional Leaders

Kristen LaValley is a writer, speaker, and author whose work explores the intersection of faith, trauma, and belonging. Through her books, courses, and online community, she creates space for honest conversations about spiritual struggle, mental health, identity, and what it means to rebuild a life after certainty falls apart.In this conversation, we explore the relationship between healing and storytelling, the tension between vulnerability and boundaries, and how personal experiences shape the work we're called to create. Kristen shares why moving through anger is different than living from it, how to know which parts of your story belong to you, and why finding people who are genuinely happy to be with you can change everything.WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:Writing for catharsis vs. writing for craftHow to share your story without turning your pain into contentFinding belonging after identity shifts and spiritual changeCONNECT WITH KRISTEN LAVALLEY:Website: https://www.kristenlavalley.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristen.lavalley/ CONNECT WITH HEATHER:Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/172

To reach the “next level” in our lives, we often have to break generational patterns, become beginners again, and learn how to make decisions from a place of certainty (not permission).This week, we’re joined by Bishop Kevin Foreman, known as “The People’s Bishop”. A pastor, entrepreneur, and mentor, he lives at the intersection of faith, leadership, and personal transformation.In this conversation, he shares brutally honest, practical, and spiritual insights on what it really takes to evolve into who you were meant to become.WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:Breaking generational curses to unlock your potentialTurning adversity into your advantageHow to make decisions from a place of certainty CONNECT WITH BISHOP KEVIN FOREMAN:Website: https://www.harvestchurch.church/bishop-kevin-foreman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bishopforeman/ Text “BISHOP” to 55498 to receive 10% off any of Bishop Foreman’s books and select items.CONNECT WITH HEATHER:Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/154

Building an online community isn’t about platforms or posting more…it’s about intention. In this episode, I’m joined by entrepreneur and Community Market Fit author Lucas Bean to break down what actually turns an audience into a real community, including the three essentials every strong community needs.We unpack what people get wrong about online communities, what modern creators can learn from ancient societies, and why “community market fit” often matters more than product-market fit. We also explore the difference between influencers and creators, building with your audience instead of for them, and how belonging and identity shape the future of work in an AI-driven world.WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:Find community demand before building productsUse artifacts, rules, and rituals to scaleWhen going wide beats niching downCONNECT WITH LUCAS BEAN:Website: https://www.lucasbean.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/luke360/ CONNECT WITH HEATHER:Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/152

Jeremy Steele helps people healing from religious trauma find spiritual beliefs and practices that actually work for them. A deep skeptic and ordained pastor, he leads an online community offering spiritual care to people who may never walk back into a church building, yet still crave meaning, purpose, and transcendence.In this episode, Jeremy unpacks what it means to be a “practitioner of Christianity,” how to deconstruct without burning your soul to the ground, and why the very parts of you that were once labeled “wrong” might be your clearest doorway to impact.WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparady TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:Healing religious trauma & dismantling fear-based faithTurning “the thing that’s wrong with you” into your superpowerChoosing what stories to tell and protecting your heart while creatingCONNECT WITH JEREMY STEELE:Website: https://jeremy-steele.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skeptic.pastor/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@skeptic.pastor CONNECT WITH HEATHER:Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/ Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/150

Ron Chapman is a professional storyteller, novelist, and longtime guide for deep inner work. With nearly 40 years of sobriety, Ron has spent his life helping people navigate hard truths…through story, spirituality, and presence rather than performance.In this conversation, we talk about what it actually means to tell authentic stories—not polished or performative, but honest stories that respect the audience and the weight of the material. From wrestling with God, to trauma and recovery, to knowing when not to perform, this episode is a grounded look at storytelling as a responsibility…not just a craft.WATCH EPISODES ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/heatherparadyTOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:Authentic storytelling vs performative storytellingHow to tell heavy stories with integrityWhat makes a story valuable to an audienceEgo, humility, and responsibility in storytellingCONNECT WITH RON CHAPMAN: Website: https://www.ronaldchapman.com/The Saga of Grace Series: https://www.ronaldchapman.com/the-saga-of-graceCONNECT WITH HEATHER:Follow Heather on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heatherparady/Access Full Show Notes Here: https://www.heatherparady.com/blog/148