Midlife isn't a downhill slide. It is a pause, a turning point, and, if you choose it, a launching pad for your most meaningful chapter. Yet too often, women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s get caught in what guest Lisa Schuller calls the midlife holding pattern. Burdened by old identities, societal mandates, and personal ageism, they wait on the sidelines of their own lives, unsure of how to move forward.

In this episode of Embrace the Encore, Marie Wallace sits down with Lisa Schuller, leadership and midlife expansion coach, mentor, and speaker. With over 30 years of experience in HR leadership, thousands of coaching hours, and her own reinvention journey at 50, Lisa brings wisdom and lived experience to the conversation. She shares her Crystal Formula, a seven-part framework that helps women rebalance their lives, rediscover their identity, and align daily choices with what brings joy and meaning.

Lisa also opens up about the fears she faced walking away from a long corporate career, the identity shifts that came with building her coaching practice, and the emotional lessons she learned along the way. Her story is proof that you don't have to have it all figured out to start. Small steps, curiosity, and courage can lead to an encore that feels expansive, vibrant, and aligned.

Tune in to episode 13 of Embrace the Encore and learn how to break free from midlife blockages, embrace your true identity, and cross into a life filled with joy, achievement, and authentic connection.

• What Lisa means by the "midlife holding pattern" and why so many women feel stuck (2:50)
• The societal narratives about aging that make reinvention harder (4:20)
• Why midlife mirrors adolescence and how to use that insight (05:10)
• The biggest internal and external resistances to change (7:20)
• How identity and "personal ageism" keep women small (8:00)
• The Crystal Formula and its seven components: community, redesign, yearnings, structures, thriving, achievement, lifestyle (11:30)
• Why identity is the most transformative piece of the formula (15:30)
• The role of Energy Leadership in shifting perspective and uncovering blockages (18:40)
• Lisa's personal story of leaving HR, facing burnout, and finding coaching (20:40)
• The emotional lessons of showing her sons what's possible (26:40)

Connect with Lisa Schuller:

• Website
• LinkedIn

Let's connect!

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Email: marie@embracetheencore.com

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Reinvention isn’t about starting over. It’s about carrying everything you’ve learned, lived, and built across what guest Rohanna Doylida calls “the Wisdom Bridge.” If you recently became an empty nester, were released from your job, or feel an urgency to pivot, this stage of life is not the end. It is the most powerful place to begin again.

In this episode of Embrace the Encore, Marie Wallace welcomes Rohanna Doylida, brand strategist for Second Career Women and founder of the True Voice Brand Mastery Mentorship. From her beginnings on Chicago’s theater stages to building a gluten-free bakery to teaching for nearly a decade, Rohanna’s career has been anything but linear. But every twist prepared her for the work she does today: helping women recognize the value of their lived experience and turn it into credibility, clarity, and a personal brand they can stand behind with confidence.

Rohanna shares how women can reframe the feeling of “starting over,” quiet imposter syndrome, and begin showing up authentically in the digital world. She unpacks her five-part mentorship framework, offers practical steps for shifting language from apologetic to empowered, and explains why celebrating small wins is the fastest path to building confidence.

Tune in to episode 12 of Embrace the Encore and discover why your past has already equipped you for what’s next, how to leverage the Wisdom Bridge to move forward with clarity, and why it’s never too late to leave a meaningful legacy.

• How Rohanna’s journey from performer to baker to teacher shaped her reinvention (02:40)
• Why women in midlife often feel like “beginners again” — and how to reframe it (06:30)
• The Wisdom Bridge framework for turning your past into power (10:20)
• How to stop apologizing for your story and start using it as credibility (12:20)
• The link between small successes and overcoming imposter syndrome (15:00)
• Practical tips for showing up authentically on social media (17:40)
• The first language shifts women can make to own their expertise (20:10)
• Why “stay-at-home mom” skills are hidden gold for second careers (23:00)
• How empty nesters and women laid off from long careers can leverage life skills for reinvention (26:20)
• The five-step brand mastery mentorship process (30:30)
• What legacy means to Rohanna and why branding plays a role (33:20)
• A simple but powerful first step you can take today (34:30)
• What “Embrace the Encore” means to Rohanna (38:30)

Connect with Rohanna Doylida:

• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Get a Copy of Rohanna’s FREE Guide: Design With Confidence

Let's connect!

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Email: marie@embracetheencore.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the next chapter of your life was not about slowing down, but about finally stepping into your most authentic self?

In this episode of Embrace the Encore, Marie Wallace sits down with transformational coach and keynote speaker Andie Henrich, whose story of reinvention is both powerful and deeply relatable. After more than 25 years leading business transformations at IBM and Infosys, Andie left the corporate world for a mission that fuels her soul: guiding women through midlife transitions with clarity, courage, and authenticity.

Andie shares her journey from corporate burnout to creating a life rooted in alignment, service, and impact. She opens up about battling self-doubt, navigating menopause, and the turning point when she realized a familiar but unfulfilling career was no longer the right path. Now, as the founder of Authenticity Ignited, she helps women reclaim their voice, release guilt, and embrace midlife as a season of wisdom, freedom, and possibility.

Authenticity, Andie explains, is not only a personal practice. It is also a competitive advantage in business and leadership. In this conversation, she reveals the practices that keep her grounded, the tough choices that brought her life back in line with her values, and the legacy she hopes to leave for her children and future generations of women.

Tune in to episode 11 of Embrace the Encore, a call to action reminding us that reinvention is not optional but the path to living with purpose and joy.

• The moment Andie knew it was time to leave corporate and reinvent herself (04:33)
• The fears and imposter syndrome she faced during her transition and how she overcame them (07:56)
• Why authenticity is the foundation for fulfillment and leadership (10:06, 11:35)
• How midlife can be the most powerful season for reinvention (15:02)
• The patterns of guilt and self-doubt she sees in women she coaches (18:08)
• The first steps women can take when they feel stuck or disconnected from their dreams (21:06)
• Why authenticity builds trust and long-term success in business (23:32)
• Her personal signs of burnout and the radical steps she took to break free (28:05)
• The role of discomfort in transformation and why growth requires leaving your comfort zone (36:21)
• The legacy Andie hopes to leave and her message for every woman over 50 (41:40)

Connect with Andie Henrich:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram

Let's connect!

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Email: marie@embracetheencore.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.