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Season two of Bench to Bold is officially here — and Marnie and Alisa are back with a brand new studio, a lot more to say, and zero plans to slow down. In this season premiere, the co-hosts reflect on a whirlwind trip to Super Bowl Media Row (yes, Cam Newton recognized them), share major updates on Marnie's MLB licensing deal and upcoming Baseball Billy books, and pull back the curtain on what it actually looks like to build something from scratch — from Alisa hand-writing labels in her car to Marnie lugging books to the post office every Tuesday. They also talk about how they met through the Ronald McDonald House, why giving back changes everything, and what "Bench to Bold" really means when life gets messy.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

• 00:00 — Welcome to Season 2 & the New EVRYBDY Studio Season 2 launch and what's new for Bench to Bold
• 03:00 — Super Bowl Media Row: Celebrity Petting Zoo & Cam Newton Behind the scenes at Super Bowl Media Row — and how Cam Newton recognized Marnie
• 06:00 — NFL Off the Field Wives Event, Ashanti & Raising Real Money An inside look at the NFL Off the Field Wives' 25th year event and the power of women supporting women
• 07:00 — How Marnie & Alisa Met: The Ronald McDonald House Story The event neither of them wanted to attend — and how it changed everything
• 10:30 — Marnie's MLB Deal: Baseball Billy & the Yankees and Phillies Books Marnie's Major League Baseball licensing deal and the Baseball Billy book series launching end of March
• 14:00 — Women's Flag Ball League Plans Plans for an affordable, family-friendly women's flag ball league
• 15:30 — Alisa Lux Beauty: Launching a Full Makeup Line in Three Months What it actually takes to build a product business solo — from the bedroom distribution center to handwriting labels in the car
• 19:00 — The Real Back Office: Entrepreneurship Isn't Glamorous The unglamorous back office reality every entrepreneur knows but rarely talks about
• 22:00 — Scorekeeping, Partnerships & What Makes Relationships Work Why scorekeeping is the enemy of great relationships — in business and in life
• 24:00 — Giving Courtside Seats Away & Why Generosity Pays Off Giving courtside Hornets seats to Ronald McDonald House families and why giving back changes the dynamic of everything
• 28:00 — Season 2 Goals & What "Bench to Bold" Really Means What being on the

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Episode Description

There’s a voice most of us carry around all day. It comments on what we eat, how we look, what we said in that meeting last week. It’s constant. It’s cruel. And most of the time — we don’t even notice we’re doing it.

Colleen Odegaard has spent 30 years on live television, interviewing A-list celebrities and Charlotte’s most compelling stories. But behind the camera, she’s been doing a very different kind of work — the kind that doesn’t show up on a highlight reel. In this episode, she opens up about the unexpected divorce that blindsided her after 23 years, the self-compassion practice that carried her through, and why she believes the way we talk to ourselves is the most important thing we’ll ever change.

She and Alisa and Marnie get into radical acceptance, the comparison trap, letting go of control with adult kids, and the ego she caught running the show — even at 55, when she bought her first solo home. This one is honest, warm, and full of moments you’ll want to sit with.

Show Notes — Key Timestamps (Approximate)

• 00:00 — Welcome + Meet Colleen Odegaard
• 01:30 — The real reason she got into broadcast journalism (it wasn’t noble)
• 08:30 — Feeling benched in a cutthroat industry
• 11:00 — Why growth isn’t about age — it’s about what you do with the time
• 13:00 — The divorce she didn’t see coming after 23 years
• 15:30 — How she got through it: therapy, dharma talks, nature, and friends
• 17:00 — Radical acceptance: what it actually means vs. resignation
• 18:30 — Letting go of control — especially with adult kids
• 25:00 — Self-compassion vs. self-esteem: why compassion has to come first
• 27:30 — Buying her own condo at 55 and the ego check that came with it
• 40:00 — The self-talk we normalize without realizing it
• 41:30 — Why doing something kind for someone else is actually self-care

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What does it look like to open your heart and your home to children from across the world? In this deeply moving episode of Bench to Bold, Alisa and Marnie sit down with Patty Shropshire, a teacher-turned-realtor, adoptive mother of two, and one of the most quietly bold women we've ever had on the show.

Patty's adoption story is actually two stories and they couldn't be more different. First, the miraculous journey that brought five-month-old Kaya home from Korea, complete with a divine sign from the neighbors next door. Then, the unexpected path to adopting 14-year-old Josh from Ethiopia a trip that started as a missions visit and ended with a family.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Patty felt called to adopt long before she was married — and how that calling eventually became reality

• The Korean neighbors who appeared in her front yard on the exact day the agency called — and why their names changed everything

• What it's really like to adopt a 14-year-old with trauma — and the two years of counseling that helped Patty become the parent Josh needed

• The beauty and challenge of raising a multicultural, multiracial family

• Identity, abandonment, and the emotional layers adopted children carry — and how to meet them with love

• Seven trips to Ethiopia, reconnecting with Josh's birth family, and why Patty keeps going back

• Patty's second bold act: leaving 30 years of teaching to become a top realtor with Ivester Jackson | Christie's International

• What she'd say to anyone considering adoption: just do it — but go in with open eyes

Whether you've thought about adoption, are in the middle of a bold reinvention of your own, or just need to be reminded that love is bigger than borders — this episode is for you.

Connect with Patty:

• Instagram: @pattyshropshirerealty

• Facebook: @shropshirerealty

• Brokerage: Ivester Jackson | Christie's International Real Estate

🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Bench to Bold on Apple Podcasts, leave us a review, and share this episode with a friend who needs to hear it.

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What does it look like to reinvent yourself — not once, but over and over — and come out stronger every time? In this episode, Marnie and Alisa sit down with the incredible Tiffany Blackmon: chef, content creator, podcast host, and certified Renaissance woman.

Tiffany shares the full arc of her journey — from culinary school and competing in the fitness world, to building a thriving multi-platform brand at 61, to her deeply personal experience with breast implant illness that doctors dismissed for years as "just menopause." Her story is one of resilience, radical honesty, and the power of using your platform to help other women feel seen.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Tiffany pivoted from TV and radio to podcasting and content creation during the pandemic

• Her journey with breast implant illness — the symptoms, the dismissals, and the surgery that changed everything

• Building a content brand with five pillars: fashion, beauty, fitness, food, and wellness

• Why the 50s and 60s are some of the most productive years of a woman's life

• The power of choosing your friends intentionally as you get older

• Tiffany's go-to wellness habits: sleep, non-toxic products, and joy

• Fort Worth's biggest event of the year — the Stock Show & Rodeo — and her viral rodeo fashion content

Whether you're navigating a health journey, questioning your next chapter, or just looking for a woman who will speak the truth without apology — Tiffany Blackmon is your person.

Connect with Tiffany:

• Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest & YouTube: @TiffanyCBlackman

• Podcast: My So-Called Fabulous (available on all platforms)

🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Bench to Bold on Apple Podcasts, leave us a review, and share this episode with a friend who needs to hear it.

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Join Marnie and Alisa as they sit down with Julie Ferman, a professional matchmaker with 35 years of experience who has helped create over 1,400 successful couples. Julie shares her unique origin story—meeting her husband while signing up for his dating service—and reveals the insider secrets of the matchmaking industry.

In this candid conversation, Julie discusses:
- Why traditional matchmaking services primarily serve high-net-worth men
- The biggest mistakes both men and women make in dating
- The "Adam Sandler Effect" and why women develop attraction differently than men
- How to identify trustworthy partners beyond superficial criteria
- The importance of "turning the cab light on" to signal approachability
- Why online dating is losing steam and what to do instead

Julie offers practical dating advice for everyone, from those who can afford private matchmaking to people navigating online dating on their own. Her service-oriented approach to matchmaking in Los Angeles, Santa Fe, and Denver focuses on building genuine connections based on character, shared values, and authentic attraction.

Whether you're single, in a relationship, or just curious about the dating industry, this episode is packed with wisdom about finding love in today's world.

Connect with Julie Ferman at Cupid's Coach and check out The Cupid's Coach Podcast for more dating insights.

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Choosing a nursing home or rehab facility can happen fast—and families are often handed a short list and told to “pick one.” In this episode of Bench to Bold, we sit down with Erin Stuckey, a South Carolina attorney who has seen this system from both sides: she previously defended hospitals and nursing homes in malpractice cases, and now represents patients and families when negligence occurs.

Erin shares practical, empowering guidance to help you make informed decisions before placement, ask the right questions during tours, and advocate for your loved one after admission. We talk staffing ratios, preventable falls, pressure injuries, readmission rates, wound care concerns, care plan meetings, and why “being visible” as a family member can truly make a difference.

If you have aging parents, a loved one heading to rehab after a hospitalization, or you simply want to be prepared before a crisis hits—this is your checklist episode.

Key topics we cover:

• How families can research facilities using Medicare’s Care Compare website (star ratings, staffing, inspections, quality measures)
• What to look for during an in-person facility tour (and why your gut matters)
• The most important questions to ask: staffing ratios, physician coverage, transport, rehab expectations, and care planning
• Preventable risks like falls, pressure ulcers, infections, and wound complications
• How to advocate effectively without being confrontational (and why showing up at varied times helps)
• Planning ahead: healthcare power of attorney, advance directives, and hard conversations before urgency

🎧 Listen and share this episode with anyone caring for an aging loved one—it could prevent heartbreak later.

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What does it really take to build a bold life—and keep building when life gets messy?

In this episode of Bench to Bold, we sit down with Jennifer Torney, Global Vice President at TAPFIN (a ManpowerGroup company), to talk about the moments that shaped her confidence, career, and leadership style.

Jennifer shares how a major family shift during college forced her to grow up fast, how sales taught her to bet on herself, and why her mom’s advice—“People will fire somebody to hire you”—changed the way she walks into every room. We also talk about competitive figure skating, the discipline behind success, modern career advice (including why the trades are booming), and what it’s like raising a daughter in today’s social media world.

If you’ve ever had to pivot, rebuild, or take a step back just to move forward—this one will hit.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Jennifer went from college uncertainty to corporate leadership
• Confidence lessons that change how you show up in interviews
• The discipline and mindset behind high performance
• Mom guilt, work travel, and choosing what matters most
• Parenting and protecting kids in a social-media-first world
• Career advice for young adults: AI, tech skills, and the trades
• A real “bench to bold” story about being sued, laid off, and bouncing back

🎧 Listen now and share this episode with a woman who needs a confidence reset.

Chapter Markers

00:00 – Welcome + meet Jennifer Torney
00:45 – What TAPFIN does (in plain English)
02:00 – The moment Jennifer had to “buck up” in college
03:10 – Why grit + resilience are the real success formula
05:00 – From California to Chicago: taking the leap
05:45 – “People will fire somebody to hire you” (confidence mindset)
07:00 – What Jennifer actually does as a global VP
08:00 – Why she loves solving problems + winning
08:45 – Competitive figure skating + discipline
10:50 – Moving to Charlotte: family, lifestyle, and priorities
14:05 – How she decompresses + staying grounded
16:00 – Parenting an only child + being present in the pre-teen years
17:40 – Social media, personal brand, and the scary part for kids
21:00 – What’s next: career growth, leadership, and mom guilt
24:15 – Advice for young adults: tech/AI + consider the trades
28:45 – Jen’s “bench to bold” moment: sued, laid off, humbled—and rebuilt
31:00 – Closing thoughts + thank you

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What does it really take to live a bold life—especially after setbacks, loss, and moments that could have kept you stuck on the sidelines?

In this episode of Bench to Bold, we sit down with Alvina Alston, a media powerhouse whose life story is a masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and courage. From growing up in a single-parent household to navigating profound personal loss, career pivots, and being unexpectedly benched, Alvina shares how she learned to keep moving forward—without letting fear define her future.

This conversation goes far beyond motivation. We talk honestly about:

• How adversity shapes confidence and leadership
• Why letting go can be the boldest decision you make
• What resilience really looks like behind the scenes
• How to stop ignoring red flags and start trusting yourself
• Why your past doesn’t disqualify you—it prepares you

If you’re navigating change, rebuilding after disappointment, or wondering how to step fully into your next chapter, this episode is for you.

This is a powerful reminder that bold living isn’t about perfection—it’s about perseverance, self-trust, and choosing yourself again and again.