In this episode of Leaders of Today: Teens to Titans, Lorraine Connell sits down with Shannon Thompson, founder of Dream Bigger Publishing. After aging out of foster care, becoming a young mom, and spending time in prison, Shannon had to learn every part of “adulting” the hard way – from rent and credit to careers and money management.

Now she’s turned those painful lessons into a practical life skills curriculum that helps teens (especially those aging out of systems) understand what life really costs, how to build a dream career, and how to avoid the financial traps she fell into.

You’ll hear:

• How aging out of foster care with no safety net shaped Shannon’s path

• Why so many young people feel 10–20 years “behind” in adulthood

• The 3 core pillars of her Dream Bigger curriculum

• Her message for any teen who feels like their past defines their future

• Website: https://www.dreambiggerpublishing.com

• Books on Amazon: search “Dream Bigger Shannon Thompson”

• Instagram & Facebook: Dream_bigger_publishing

• LinkedIn: Dream Bigger Publishing / Shannon Thompson

Description: Join us in this powerful episode of Leaders of Today as we dive into the inspiring journey of Naomi Andrick, founder of Thrive Meals. From a challenging childhood to becoming a successful entrepreneur and coach, Naomi shares her story of resilience, transformation, and the power of vulnerability. Discover how food, movement, and mindset can create lasting change and why finding your "why" is crucial for a fulfilled life.

Key Takeaways:

Naomi's early struggles and how they shaped her work today. The importance of vulnerability and self-acceptance. How to transform challenges into opportunities for growth.

Connect with Naomi:

Email: fittolivenutrition@gmail.com

Facebook: Thrive

Instagram: @ThriveMeals1

Location: Rawlinsford, NH

Hashtags: #Resilience #ThriveMeals #Vulnerability #Transformation

What if the very things you’re most ashamed of are actually your superpowers?

In this powerful conversation, business coach and podcast host Katie Grimes opens up about growing up in a home impacted by alcoholism, being relentlessly bullied, hating her body, and surviving sexual assault, and how she turned all of it into fuel for the life and business she has now.

Katie now helps entrepreneurs (especially those with ADHD) build businesses that feel safe, spacious, and wildly successful, without burning themselves out or abandoning their needs. Together, we explore how the patterns we learn as teens, people pleasing, perfectionism, hyper-independence, and hiding our feelings, quietly shape our leadership as adults… and how we can change the story.

If you’re a teen, parent, educator, or leader who’s ever felt “too much,” “not enough,” or like your past disqualifies you from leadership, this episode will hit home in the best way.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How bullying, body image struggles, and growing up around addiction shaped Katie’s self-worth

• The moment she realized perfectionism is not a flex, it’s a survival response

• What no one tells teens about nervous systems, freeze/people-pleasing, and why we pretend everything is “fine”

• How Katie rebuilt her life after sexual assault, grief, and being let go from corporate

• The shift from “I’m a burden” to “I’m allowed to ask for help”

• Finding safe and trusted adults, and what that actually looks and feels like

• Why the things that come easiest to you are your greatest leadership gifts

• How Katie went from all of this… to building a $550k+ coaching business and helping 100,000+ people

Connect with Katie Grimes

• Instagram & TikTok: @kg.katiegrimes

• Podcast – Anything for Love: https://www.katiegrimes.com/podcast

• Website & Coaching: https://www.katiegrimes.com/

If something in this episode resonated and you’d like a free coaching session with Katie, email support@katiegrimes.com and mention this episode of Leaders of Today: Teens to Titans.

In this episode of Leaders of Today: Teens to Titans, Lorraine Connell welcomes Olivia, co-founder and CEO of Fresh Starts Registry, for an insightful conversation on transitions, leadership, and the impact of past experiences on personal growth.

Lorraine opens up about a stressful morning, juggling her child’s school application process while ensuring leadership in her own commitments. This sets the stage for a deeper discussion with Olivia about navigating life’s transitions, both in school and beyond.

Olivia shares her journey from feeling like an outsider in a private school to finding purpose through mentorship, art, and leadership. She reflects on the power of supportive teachers, the role of empathy in school transitions, and the importance of redefining popularity. Together, Lorraine and Olivia explore how connection and mentorship shape young leaders, and how parents and educators can foster spaces where every student feels seen.

The conversation takes a deeper dive into Olivia’s mission with Fresh Starts Registry, a platform designed to support individuals through major life changes. She shares how her personal experiences with transition and resilience inspired her to build a community of support, and why staying true to oneself is key to navigating change.

Join us for this powerful discussion on embracing fresh starts, shedding negative labels, and leading with authenticity.

🎧 Listen now and be inspired to navigate your own transitions with confidence!

Fresh Starte Website

Olivia on Istagram

#FreshStarts #Leadership #TeenLeadership #Empowerment #StudentSuccess #Authenticity #Mentorship #SchoolTransitions

• Tim Flynn's journey began with bullying but evolved into a mission to empower youth.
• Martial arts provided Tim with a sense of belonging and confidence.
• Tim's program, Karate Chop Bullying, aims to teach kids how to stand up for themselves.
• Experiencing bullying can lead to feelings of worthlessness, but support is crucial.
• Tim emphasizes the importance of community and connection in overcoming challenges.
• Finding a passion or interest can help kids build confidence and friendships.
• Tim's approach to teaching adapts to the individual needs of each child.
• Acknowledging children's discomfort can help them feel more secure in learning environments.
• Martial arts teaches kids to compete with themselves rather than against others.
• Tim encourages kids to seek out supportive groups and activities.

Podcast – Breaking Bullying: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-bullying/id1686206144

Show Notes:

In this special episode of Leaders of Today: Teens to Titans, we switch things up, Courtney, Director of the Center for New Americans, steps into the interviewer role and sits down with Lorraine Connell for a powerful conversation about mentorship, leadership, and the experiences of immigrant youth.

Courtney brings her unique perspective as someone who was once a high school mentee, then a peer leader, and now a program director supporting newcomer students. As she interviews Lorraine, their dialogue explores the transformational impact of mentorship and what it takes to create supportive spaces where young leaders can thrive.

Together, they dive into:

🌟 Key Themes & Takeaways 🔹 How mentorship shapes leadership potential in teens 🔹 What immigrant youth uniquely need to feel confident, seen, and supported 🔹 Courtney’s full-circle journey from mentee → mentor → youth program director 🔹 The ripple effects of peer leadership programs 🔹 Leading youth through compassion, accountability, and modeling forgiveness

They also share exciting updates about expanding middle school mentorship programs and a possible collaboration with the Choose Love curriculum.

This conversational, interviewer-style episode highlights how connection, belonging, and guided leadership can transform a young person’s entire trajectory.

#LeadersOfToday #YouthEmpowerment #MentorshipMatters #TeenLeadership #ImmigrantVoices #ChooseLove #FutureLeaders #Confidence #GrowthMindset

Community builder and Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston President and CEO Robert Lewis Jr. shares how growing up in East Boston public housing, surviving a firebombing during the busing crisis, and being lifted by mentors shaped his life’s mission to unite people and invest in youth as Boston’s future talent. We talk assets over deficits, redefining “poor,” belonging, narrative, and how adults can listen, love, and create real opportunity.

Key takeaways

• Belonging beats scarcity. Community, friendships, and safety redefine what “poor” feels like.

• Lead with assets. Stop deficit language. See young people as talent and invest accordingly.

• Turn pain into purpose. Robert’s 16-year-old promise fuels a lifetime of bridge-building.

• Adults must shift. Listen more, partner more, and stop “fixing” kids.

• Define your narrative. Do not let others write your story.

Connect with Robert

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston: https://www.bgcb.org/

• BGCB waives membership fees for 2025–2026: https://www.bgcb.org/blog/boys-girls-clubs-of-boston-waives-membership-fees-for-2025-2026-school-year/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-lewis-jr-0bb0931a2/

In this episode, Lorraine sits down with trauma-informed mentor, speaker, and The Survivors Chair host Kim Russell to explore how growing up in foster care and being adopted shaped her leadership, resilience, and calling to create safe spaces for healing. Kim opens up about the realities of substance use as a teen, why behavior is communication, and how consistent, caring adults can change a young person’s life. Together, they discuss how to build trust with youth, what educators and mentors can do in real classrooms, and how self-healing helps us lead with empathy and self-trust.

• Behavior communicates unmet needs.

• Consistency and care build trust.

• Offer help without judgment.

• Let youth share at their own pace.

• Regulate yourself to lead with empathy.

• Website
• IG
• TikTok
• FB
• LinkedIn