Shannon Arner and her husband Jerry had a successful pet care business — and it was killing them. In 2017, Shannon found herself sitting in the surf on the coast of North Carolina, mentally and physically done. In the weeks that followed, they sold the business, sold the house, sold most of their stuff, and moved into a 500 square foot tiny home on the coast. People thought they'd lost their minds. What they'd actually found was their lives.

Shannon is the co-founder of Arner Adventures, a blog and community dedicated to helping others simplify, downsize, and design a life that actually fits them. She joins Angie to talk about the real face of burnout, what the healing period after a major life reset actually looks like, how minimalism reduces mental clutter (not just physical), and how to define adventure on your own terms — even if that just means trying a new restaurant.

In this episode:

• What burnout actually looks like when you've hit the wall
• How Shannon and Jerry sold everything in 30 days and didn't have a plan
• The healing period: sunshine, rainbows, and getting to know each other again
• Minimalism as a mental health tool — physical clutter and mental clutter are connected
• Defining adventure for yourself (it doesn't require hang gliding)
• Done is better than perfect — and why waiting for the perfect moment keeps you stuck
• The 30-day declutter challenge at arneradventures.com
• Book recommendation: Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nichols

Connect with Shannon:
Website + free resources: arneradventures.com
Also listen: Angie's episode on the Arner Adventures podcast

In this episode of No More Mondays, Angie Callen welcomes Justin Schenck, an entrepreneur, podcast host, and speaker who shares candid insights about the mental fortitude required to build a sustainable business. They dive into the realities of rock bottom moments, how investing in yourself can be a turning point, and why grounding your work in purpose is essential for long-term growth. If you've ever struggled with setbacks or the roller coaster of entrepreneurship, this conversation offers refreshing, authentic perspectives.

In this episode, we explore:
- Facing and embracing rock bottom as a catalyst for growth
- The importance of investing in yourself before the money comes
- Building authentic, long-term relationships over transactional ones
- Managing the highs and lows without losing focus
- Defining your why beyond just financial goals
- How setbacks can become breakthroughs
- The role of community and live events in business growth
- Setting daily habits to nurture body, mind, and relationships
- Designing your life first, then aligning your business to support it
- Recognizing when ego blocks entrepreneurial progress

This episode reminds us that modern work and leadership are about resilience, values, and connection. It reveals how having a clear purpose and a supportive community helps leaders navigate uncertainty and build businesses that matter.

Justin Schenck is an entrepreneur and the host of the Growth Now Movement podcast. He is known for his no-nonsense approach and deep commitment to helping others turn their struggles into impactful growth. Justin's work centers on mindset, purposeful leadership, and authentic connection. You can learn more about Justin and his upcoming Growth Now Summit Live event at growthnowsummit.com.

At its core, this episode reinforces a vital truth: humans still matter. By investing in ourselves and each other, we create a world where business and purpose coexist authentically.

Career crossroads don't discriminate by age or seniority—even executives at Google face them. Eric Nehrlich's journey from a physics student to a Google executive, and eventually to executive coaching, is a compelling story of burnout, choice, and reclaiming personal agency.

In this episode, we explore:
- The unexpected career pivots from physics grad school to tech startups
- The financial and leadership pressures during Google's Great Recession era
- Recognizing burnout and the physical toll of overwork
- Challenging traditional career narratives and societal expectations
- The power and consequences of owning your choices
- The process of thoughtfully building a coaching business alongside a corporate career
- Moving from opportunity-driven to intention-driven career decisions
- The role of accountability and one small step experiments in change
- The necessity of focus and saying no to good things to do great work
- Balancing personal values, family, and professional ambitions

This conversation underscores the importance of adapting with self-awareness and intention in the evolving landscape of work and leadership.

Eric Nehrlich is an executive coach, author of "You Have a Choice: Beyond Hard Work to Meaningful Impact," and a former Chief of Staff at Google. His coaching practice helps leaders cut through complexity and find clarity to navigate career and life challenges.

At No More Mondays, we believe humans still matter—even in high tech, high stakes environments. Eric's story reminds us that meaningful impact comes from values-driven choices and embracing change with courage.

What if happiness isn't a reward for success, but its foundation? In this episode, Ashish Kothari shares his journey from corporate consulting to founding the Happiness Squad, a movement aimed at democratizing human flourishing. Despite a seemingly perfect career and life, Ashish faced anxiety and burnout that led him to rethink what real success means.

Why does this matter? We live in a world more complex and fast-paced than ever, often leaving us disconnected from ourselves and others. Ashish explains how science-backed practices in mindfulness, positive psychology, and neuroscience can help us reclaim joy, meaning, and presence.

In this episode, we explore:
- The myth that success leads to happiness, and how happiness actually drives success
- Personal reflections on anxiety, burnout, and the search for meaning
- The power of relationships as the core of human flourishing
- Harvard's Adult Development Theory and why complexity overwhelms us
- Practical mindfulness micro-practices anyone can do daily
- The role of community in combating loneliness and sustaining happiness practices
- Breathwork and presence techniques for stress reduction
- The vision and launch of the Happiness Squad community
- The significance of intention setting as a daily happiness tool
- How embracing our inner worlds can change our outer experience

This conversation reminds us that leadership and meaningful work start with values that honor human connection and individual well-being. Ashish Kothari, founder of the Happiness Squad, brings a human-centered approach rooted in his lifelong journey across cultures and corporate landscapes. His mission is to touch a billion lives with the joy and science of flourishing.

Remember, humans still matter, and thriving is possible when we learn to hardwire happiness from the inside out.

Perfectionism and imposter syndrome are often hidden forces that drain energy, fuel self-doubt, and push many of us to overwork just to feel worthy. In this episode, Heather Whelpley shares her personal story of being a lifelong overachiever who realized she was trapped by rules she never consciously chose — rules about success, worth, and productivity that stem from cultural and gender expectations.

This conversation matters because it speaks to the silent struggle so many face in modern work environments where proving and pleasing are mistaken for leadership and value. Heather reminds us that true freedom and authentic impact come from rewriting those stories and beliefs.

In this episode, we explore:
- The roots of imposter syndrome and how it shows up differently across identities
- The exhausting cycle of perfectionism and unrealistic self-expectations
- How imposter syndrome overlaps with perfectionism in work and entrepreneurship
- Why recognizing imposter feelings as experiences, not diagnoses, frees us
- The role of self-compassion as the antidote to the inner critic
- The cultural and gendered origins of the "rules" we follow
- Steps to name and interrupt imposter syndrome and perfectionism
- Creating new, values-driven beliefs about worth and success
- The importance of community and external support in recognizing your gifts
- The balance between taking feedback and listening to your inner knowing
- Heather's journey to freedom from perfectionism and writing her books on the subject
- The ongoing practice of deciding which rules to follow and which to break

Heather Whelpley is a speaker, author, and coach specializing in helping women break free from perfectionism and the pressures of overachievement to create their own rules for life and leadership. Her work blends personal stories with practical wisdom to encourage authenticity, self-compassion, and freedom. You can find Heather's books, coaching, and resources at heatherwhelpley.com and connect with her on LinkedIn.

This episode is a reminder that humans still matter, and that leadership starts from embracing our worth beyond what we do.

Halfway through the year is a critical time to check in on those goals we set with so much hope in January. On this episode of No More Mondays, Angie Callen welcomes Julie Ellis—entrepreneur, leadership coach, and author of Big Gorgeous Goals—to share her philosophy on setting ambitious goals that inspire, challenge, and ultimately fulfill us.

Julie helps us understand the difference between conventional goals like SMART goals or to-do lists and what she calls 'big gorgeous goals'—those audacious, inspiring goals that push us beyond our comfort zones and invite creativity and persistence over time. They explore why so many people get stuck, how fear of failure, judgment, and even success can sabotage our progress, and the essential role of delegation, systems, and accountability partners in reaching these goals.

In this episode, we explore:
- The distinction between typical goal-setting and big gorgeous goals
- Why creating space and disconnecting from constant busyness is critical for vision
- The fears that hold us back and how to face them
- How to build systems, processes, and teams that support ambitious goals
- The importance of accountability and community in sustainable success
- Reflecting on success and fulfillment as evolving concepts
- Midyear recalibration: how to assess and adjust your goals realistically
- Practical questions to get unstuck and move forward
- The power of analog reflection in a digital age

This conversation connects with the themes of modern work, values-driven leadership, and human potential. Julie's story of building a successful business, going through a major transition, and redefining her own goals brings authenticity and hope for anyone needing a fresh perspective.

Julie Ellis is an entrepreneur, leadership coach, speaker, and author of Big Gorgeous Goals. She has built and exited a multi-million-dollar business and now dedicates her work to helping others set and achieve inspiring goals by acknowledging fears and building intentional supports.

Find Julie and her book at julieellis.ca and on LinkedIn.

Remember: Humans still matter, and your big, gorgeous goals can transform not just your work, but your life.

We're more "connected" than ever and more disconnected than ever — from each other and from ourselves. In this Midweek Momentum, Angie unpacks why real connection starts on the inside, what it actually means to show up with presence and authority, and why stillness might be the most underrated leadership skill there is.

Showing up authentically isn't just a feel-good motto; it's a strategic advantage in today's fast-paced, AI-driven world. In this episode, I sit down with Michael Fineman—a speaker, communication expert, and self-proclaimed dot connector—to explore what it really means to have presence and authority rooted in authenticity and identity.

We get beyond surface-level confidence and talk about the internal work that shapes how others experience us in meaningful ways. From navigating imposter syndrome to resisting the urge to fake connection with AI-generated content, this conversation reminds us that humans still matter in the age of technology.

In this episode, we explore:
- The difference between merely sharing information and truly connecting
- How authenticity fuels authority and confidence
- Why identity is the foundation for leadership presence
- The risks of relying on AI without deep understanding
- How imposter syndrome blocks genuine connection
- Practical ways to take off the mask and serve others
- The importance of stillness and self-reflection for steady leadership
- The concept of Authoritative Drift and how to stay aligned with your true purpose
- How servant leadership changes the game
- Creating real impact through meaningful relationships

Real leadership today means leading with your whole self, grounded in values, and connected to your inner identity. Michael's work guides us to rediscover that source of steady authority that can't be duplicated by machines or polished scripts.

Michael Fineman is a seasoned communication expert and author of books including "The Man with the Wooden Mouth" and "Connect the Dots." He helps leaders and entrepreneurs build authentic presence and communicate with genuine impact. You can learn more about his work and upcoming programs at mikef360.com.

At No More Mondays, we believe humans still matter. This episode shows why bringing your full, authentic self is the best leadership strategy there is.