Jennifer Prendergast was working in the travel industry when COVID wiped out a major job opportunity. A small side hustle became The Expert Talk, where she now helps organizations understand how nervous-system states shape behavior, relationships, and the way people work together.

In this Legacy series conversation, Jennifer shares why legacy isn’t only the big work we put into the world. It’s also the imprint we leave in everyday interactions: a moment of kindness, a steadier response, or a conversation that changes how someone understands a colleague or family member. She and host Kandas Rodarte explore how self-awareness and small intentional shifts can ripple outward into stronger connection and trust.

"When we are choosing the way that we show up as much as possible, then we are actively intentionally putting out imprints that are in alignment with who we are and what our values are." - Jennifer Prendergast

They also talk about online anger, doom scrolling, social media algorithms, and the challenge of finding healthier ways to handle stress. Jennifer explains why changing a behavior can affect your relationships—and why gratitude and noticing small moments of joy can help shift how you feel and show up.

• Why Jennifer sees legacy as the imprint we leave on the people we meet
• How noticing your nervous-system state can help you pause and choose a response instead of reacting
• What may be happening beneath online hostility—and why understanding it doesn’t excuse harmful behavior
• How social media feeds can reinforce anger and keep us scrolling
• Why changing your habits may shift your relationships, and how to make room for the grief that can come with that
• How gratitude, “twinkles,” and small moments of appreciation can help you feel and share more joy
• Why Jennifer sees safety, belonging, and connection as foundations for workplace productivity

Jennifer Prendergast is the founder of The Expert Talk. After a career in the travel industry was upended by the pandemic, she turned a side hustle into a business helping people and organizations better understand human behavior, nervous-system responses, and connection at work.

Get 35% off any online course from The Expert Talk with the code GRATITUDEGEEK: https://theexperttalk.com

• 00:00 – Introduction & Guest Welcome
• 00:46 – Jennifer’s Path to Entrepreneurship
• 02:16 – Redefining Legacy: Leaving an Imprint
• 06:15 – Nervous System Regulation & Human Behavior
• 08:51 – Reacting Online vs. Responding in Real Life
• 12:25 – Information Overload & Modern Society
• 16:16 – Breaking Out of Coping Habits
• 21:09 – How Personal Growth Shifts Relationships
• 25:06 – The Mission & Impact of The Expert Talk
• 27:50 – Grief, Love, and Deep Connection
• 30:46 – Weaving Gratitude into the Work
• 33:20 – Audience Gift & Special Offer
• 33:53 – Moment of Gratitude & Wrap-Up

Gratitude Geek is the business education podcast for Gen X women solopreneurs who weave gratitude and appreciation into their business strategy. Hosted by metastatic breast cancer thriver, Kandas Rodarte, who co-creates spaces, opportunities, and conversations for women business owners.

Subscribe to weekly emails: https://kandasrodarte.com/subscribe

If you’re a woman creator looking for co-creation and collaboration opportunities in indie media, come to my free Creator Co-Lab Mixer. Register here https://kandasrodarte.com/mixer

Gratitude Geek is a member of Marketing Podcasts Network. For network wide advertising options visit: https://marketingpodcasts.net/advertise

Want to be a guest on Gratitude Geek? Send Kandas Rodarte a message on PodMatch here: https://kandasrodarte.com/podmatch

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Most of us set business goals that fit neatly into a spreadsheet. Liz Scully thinks women in midlife and beyond can do much more with the wisdom we’ve built, and she makes a strong case for dreaming bigger. This conversation covers second-act ambition, legacy planning, and the practical steps that protect your business and the people you love.

That matters because many solopreneurs are the only person who knows where the passwords, accounts, and client details live. If something happens to you, your family inherits the mess. Planning for that now is one of the kindest things you can do, and it frees you up to think about what you want to build next.

Liz is a good person to guide this talk. She spent 20 years on big Hollywood films, won an Emmy, and now works as a business strategist and Mastermind evangelist. She hosts The Biz Book Broadcast and helps entrepreneurs simplify their business models. She also went through a year of probate, bank hurdles, and UK inheritance taxes after her sister, a practicing attorney, died without a will.

• Why a will, your device passcodes, and your bank directives should live together in one place
• What to include in a business continuity plan for a one-person company
• How to set second-act goals that make you glow, not just goals that hit an income target
• Why a personal “Real Liz” email to new subscribers can beat automation alone
• How to reverse-engineer a big legacy dream into small, doable stepping stones
• What classic children’s books and cookbooks can teach you about your offers and opt-in culture

Liz Scully, Emmy-winning strategist, Mastermind evangelist, and host of The Biz Book Broadcast

• Website: https://www.lizscully.com/
• Special offer for Gratitude Geek listeners: http://www.rethinkcentral.com/gratitudegeek
• The Biz Book Broadcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-biz-book-broadcast/id1726487329
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizpscully/
• Liz chats provocative marketing on episode 159: https://kandasrodarte.com/159

For more on estate and succession planning, check out my solopreneur estate planning playlist, including my conversation with Nikki Smith. You’ll find more episodes at https://kandasrodarte.com/tag/succession-planning/.

Gratitude Geek is the business education podcast for Gen X women solopreneurs who weave gratitude and appreciation into their business strategy. Hosted by metastatic breast cancer thriver, Kandas Rodarte, who co-creates spaces, opportunities, and conversations for women business owners.

Subscribe to weekly emails: https://kandasrodarte.com/subscribe

If you’re a woman creator looking for co-creation and collaboration opportunities in indie media, come to my free Creator Co-Lab Mixer. Register here https://kandasrodarte.com/mixer

Gratitude Geek is a member of Marketing Podcasts Network. For network wide advertising options visit: https://marketingpodcasts.net/advertise

Want to be a guest on Gratitude Geek? Send Kandas Rodarte a message on PodMatch here: https://kandasrodarte.com/podmatch

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Integrative medicine is not a cure for cancer, and Dr. Leah Sherman is the first to say so. I sat down with her to talk about what integrative cancer care really looks like, from acupuncture and physical therapy to mind-body support, and why so much of her job as a naturopathic oncology doctor came down to listening.

This matters whether you’re in treatment right now, caring for someone who is, or running a business through a hard season. Good support doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. Sometimes it’s a patient who needs an hour to be heard, and sometimes it’s a cheap peppermint inhaler for nausea. Leah shows what it looks like to meet people where they are instead of handing everyone the same plan.

She’s the right person to guide this conversation. Leah is board-certified in naturopathic oncology and worked in integrative cancer centers in Indiana and Arizona before she was diagnosed with stage 2B breast cancer herself in 2014. That means she has seen chemo from both sides of the infusion chair. Today she hosts The Cancer Pod and runs it on her own. Fair warning, we compare notes on Abraxane side effects.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What integrative medicine is, and why it supports treatment instead of replacing it
• Low-cost ways to ease side effects, plus a Girl Scout troop idea I can’t stop thinking about
• How a naturopathic doctor’s scope of practice changes from state to state
• Leaving the cancer center and becoming a solopreneur almost by accident
• Why you need an LLC and an EIN even when your business barely breaks even
• Self-promotion, time blocking and boundaries when your calendar belongs to your health
• Leah’s dream of a free Cancer Social Club, and why I think franchising could make it happen

Leah’s moment of gratitude goes to her biggest fan at home, and it’s a sweet one.

Nothing in this episode is medical advice. Please talk with your own care team before you change anything about your treatment.

Find Leah at https//thecancerpod.com, and on Instagram, Threads and YouTube under @TheCancerPod.

Gratitude Geek is the business education podcast for Gen X women solopreneurs who weave gratitude and appreciation into their business strategy. Hosted by metastatic breast cancer thriver, Kandas Rodarte, who co-creates spaces, opportunities, and conversations for women business owners.

Subscribe to weekly emails: https://kandasrodarte.com/subscribe

If you’re a woman creator looking for co-creation and collaboration opportunities in indie media, come to my free Creator Co-Lab Mixer. Register here https://kandasrodarte.com/mixer

Gratitude Geek is a member of Marketing Podcasts Network. For network wide advertising options visit: https://marketingpodcasts.net/advertise

Want to be a guest on Gratitude Geek? Send Kandas Rodarte a message on PodMatch here: https://kandasrodarte.com/podmatch

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so every episode of Gratitude Geek this month honors thrivers who are living their legacy with cancer.

This week, Kandas talks with Dr. Jess Bunin, a three-time cancer survivor, West Point graduate, retired Army colonel and physician trained in both psychiatry and internal medicine. Jess shares her cancer story, from thyroid cancer in medical school to Hodgkin's disease to a breast cancer that only showed up on an MRI. She also talks about pushing for the surgery she wanted when she didn't feel listened to, and how one night in the ER gave her an answer to "why me."

Along the way, Kandas and Jess get honest about mental health after cancer, why women still get dismissed in healthcare, and how Jess wrote and published a leadership book in a matter of months. They also talk about how self-compassion and boundaries make room for gratitude, especially when you aren't feeling grateful at all.

What you'll hear

• Why high-risk women may need an MRI, since Jess's tumor never showed up on a mammogram or ultrasound
• How Jess chose a bilateral mastectomy with no reconstruction, and what it took to get her care team to hear her
• Why you should talk with doctors and with women who've been through it, and keep a running list of questions
• The study showing doctors interrupt patients in as little as 11 seconds
• How a conversation with a frightened patient turned Jess's "why me" into purpose
• Why PTSD, depression and anger deserve a place in cancer care
• How Jess went from retired colonel to author, speaker and business owner
• Why gratitude is hard to practice without self-compassion and boundaries

About Jess Bunin, MD
Jess is a three-time cancer survivor, a West Point graduate and a retired Army colonel with 23 years of service. She is the author of Self-Awareness and Trust, Leading Healthcare Teams from the Inside Out, published in August. Jess lives with her wife and their pit bulls, whom she calls her children.

Resources from this episode

• Self-Awareness and Trust by Jess Bunin, MD: https://amzn.to/3W6zj2d
• Jess's free self-awareness worksheet: https://lead.jessbuninmd.com/
• In Shock by Rana Awdish: https://amzn.to/4zhMwnt
• Aftershock by Rana Awdish: https://amzn.to/4z6q4gW
• Connect with Jess: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-bunin/

→ Full show notes + links: https://kandasrodarte.com/344

Gratitude Geek is the business education podcast for Gen X women solopreneurs who weave gratitude and appreciation into their business strategy. Hosted by metastatic breast cancer thriver, Kandas Rodarte, who co-creates spaces, opportunities, and conversations for women business owners.

Subscribe to weekly emails: https://kandasrodarte.com/subscribe

If you’re a woman creator looking for co-creation and collaboration opportunities in indie media, come to my free Creator Co-Lab Mixer. Register here https://kandasrodarte.com/mixer

Gratitude Geek is a member of Marketing Podcasts Network. For network wide advertising options visit: https://marketingpodcasts.net/advertise

Want to be a guest on Gratitude Geek? Send Kandas Rodarte a message on PodMatch here: https://kandasrodarte.com/podmatch

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Does your business feel like a giant boulder you're pushing uphill, with distractions and responsibilities weighing you down? In this episode of Gratitude Geek, host Kandas Rodarte distills insights from 11 incredible women who shared their perspectives on momentum in business. As we explore five key lessons, you’ll discover how to gain traction without sacrificing your well-being or getting overwhelmed by the daily grind.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Getting Started: Understand the importance of that initial push to get your business moving and how momentum builds over time.
• Protecting Your Focus: Learn how to minimize distractions and say no to opportunities that don’t align with your North Star.
• Keeping Going When It's Quiet: Discover strategies for maintaining momentum even when you’re not seeing immediate feedback or results.
• Deciding What You're Moving Toward: Reflect on your purpose and ensure your actions align with your true ambitions.
• Building Support Into the Business: Explore how to create systems and support structures that free you up for creativity and growth.

This episode is a deep dive into the multifaceted nature of momentum, illustrating that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Whether you’re looking for courage, focus, or a better system, these lessons are designed to help you find what resonates with you.

Grab your notebook and get ready to take action! Choose just one idea from today’s discussion and implement the smallest version of it this week.

👉 Full show notes + links: https://kandasrodarte.com/343

🍅 Join our supportive co-working sessions for women creators: https://kandasrodarte.com/coworking

Chapters:
00:00 Understanding Business Momentum: The Challenge of Getting Started and Pushing Forward
04:36 Doing It Scared and Protecting Focus: Key Strategies for Maintaining Business Momentum
09:24 Keeping Momentum Alive During Quiet Periods and the Power of Consistent Feedback
12:23 Building Momentum Through Practice and Consistency: Lessons from a Cellist and a Blogger
15:08 Directing Your Movement: Aligning Business Growth with Purpose and Personal Desires
17:30 Pivoting with Joyful Ambition: Frameworks for Navigating Change and Embracing Abundance
19:51 The Flywheel Effect: How Momentum Creates Creativity, Peace, and Financial Growth
21:51 Building Support Systems: Automating Business Processes for Scalability and Personal Freedom
24:45 Rethinking Momentum: Embracing Varied Definitions and Gratitude for Sustainable Business Success
27:16 Your Assignment: Implementing One Small Idea to Foster Business Momentum This Week

Gratitude Geek is the business education podcast for Gen X women solopreneurs who weave gratitude and appreciation into their business strategy. Hosted by metastatic breast cancer thriver, Kandas Rodarte, who co-creates spaces, opportunities, and conversations for women business owners.

Subscribe to weekly emails: https://kandasrodarte.com/subscribe

If you’re a woman creator looking for co-creation and collaboration opportunities in indie media, come to my free Creator Co-Lab Mixer. Register here https://kandasrodarte.com/mixer

Gratitude Geek is a member of Marketing Podcasts Network. For network wide advertising options visit: https://marketingpodcasts.net/advertise

Want to be a guest on Gratitude Geek? Send Kandas Rodarte a message on PodMatch here: https://kandasrodarte.com/podmatch

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Can narrowing your niche actually give you more freedom, greater reach, and faster momentum?

In Episode 342 of Gratitude Geek — the 12th interview in the Momentum Series — host Kandas Rodarte sits down with vision board leadership coach, author, and artist Janet Tanguay (The Hammock Way of Life, LLC).

Janet shares how making a specific shift toward corporate vision boarding unlocked massive business growth, proving that narrowing your target market expands your opportunities.

We also dive into the philosophy behind "The Hammock Way of Life," discussing how to protect your energy, keep your eyes on your "North Star," and set strategic "no" boundaries so you can build a successful business on your own terms.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The Niching Advantage: Why focusing on a hyper-specific niche creates momentum rather than limiting your reach.
• Inclusive Vision Boarding: Creative techniques like 3D cake boxes for privacy and adapting workshops for neurodivergent thinkers and those with aphantasia.
• The Gratitude Loop: How celebrating small financial wins elevates your energy and attracts further abundance.
• Protecting Your North Star: The power of setting firm boundaries and saying "no" to misaligned opportunities.
• Outside-the-Box Exposure: How Janet used converted vintage cigarette vending machines (Art-o-mat) to gain global visibility for her artwork.
• Exclusive Freebie: How to claim a free ticket to Janet's virtual vision board or Energize Your Vision sessions.

Connect with Janet Tanguay

• Website: ⁠⁠https://hammockwayoflife.com⁠⁠
• LinkedIn: ⁠https://⁠linkedin.com/in/jazzyjan⁠⁠
• Book (The Hammock Way of Life): ⁠https://amzn.to/4dKpjBK⁠ (affiliate link)

Show Notes & Resources

• Full Show Notes + Links: ⁠⁠https://kandasrodarte.com/342⁠⁠
• Art-o-mat Vending Machines: ⁠⁠https://https://www.artomat.org/⁠

Gratitude Geek is the business education podcast for Gen X women solopreneurs who weave gratitude and appreciation into their business strategy. Hosted by metastatic breast cancer thriver, Kandas Rodarte, who co-creates spaces, opportunities, and conversations for women business owners.

Subscribe to weekly emails: ⁠https://kandasrodarte.com/subscribe⁠

Want to be a guest on Gratitude Geek? Send Kandas Rodarte a message on PodMatch here: ⁠https://kandasrodarte.com/podmatch

Gratitude Geek is the business education podcast for Gen X women solopreneurs who weave gratitude and appreciation into their business strategy. Hosted by metastatic breast cancer thriver, Kandas Rodarte, who co-creates spaces, opportunities, and conversations for women business owners.

Subscribe to weekly emails: https://kandasrodarte.com/subscribe

If you’re a woman creator looking for co-creation and collaboration opportunities in indie media, come to my free Creator Co-Lab Mixer. Register here https://kandasrodarte.com/mixer

Gratitude Geek is a member of Marketing Podcasts Network. For network wide advertising options visit: https://marketingpodcasts.net/advertise

Want to be a guest on Gratitude Geek? Send Kandas Rodarte a message on PodMatch here: https://kandasrodarte.com/podmatch

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.