What if money wasn’t just about numbers, but a mirror reflecting your inner world? In this conversation, I sit down with Monica Kaufman, trauma-informed financial planner and founder of Harmony Wealth Academy, to explore how our personal histories, traumas, and inherited money stories shape the way we save, spend, and invest.

Monica shares why she believes that mastering money begins with healing what’s inside. From financial imposter syndrome to the shame many introverts feel about asking for help, Monica offers both compassion and practical wisdom for anyone ready to reclaim control over their financial life.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why money is a reflection of our inner emotional state, not just a financial tool
• The hidden connection between trauma, control, and financial abuse
• How financial imposter syndrome keeps high achievers stuck—and what to do about it
• The difference between “earned dopamine” and “bad dopamine” in spending habits
• Why introverts often struggle to ask for financial help and how to build confidence
• Practical steps to rewrite old money stories and create affirmations that work
• The role of micro-steps and community support in achieving lasting financial change
  
  

About Monica Kaufman

Monica Kaufman is a trauma-informed financial planner and the founder of Harmony Wealth Academy. She helps high-earning professionals—especially women—gain confidence and clarity in their money decisions without shame or overwhelm. Through her academy, she teaches not just the American financial system, but also the mindset shifts necessary for lasting financial freedom.

Connect with Monica:

Website: harmonywealthacademy.com

Introvert Resources:

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This episode was edited by Aura House Productions

In this episode of The Quiet Warrior Podcast, Serena speaks with Emily Erstad—speech language pathologist, hospice executive director, and author of It’s Not That Deep: Navigating Leadership Through the Lens of Emotional Intelligence.

Drawing from her experiences in rehabilitation and Hospice care, Emily shares how emotional intelligence shapes effective leadership, especially in high-pressure environments. As an introvert, she opens up about navigating vulnerability, protecting peace, and finding courage to lead authentically without sacrificing one’s core nature.

This conversation is full of practical wisdom for introverts, quiet achievers, and leaders seeking to build psychologically safe, resilient, and emotionally intelligent teams.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• The Journey to Leadership – How Emily’s career in speech pathology evolved into leadership and authorship.
  
• Emotional Intelligence at Work – Why self-awareness, vulnerability, and honesty are the foundation of strong leadership.
  
• Introversion as Strength – How introverts can leverage observation, reflection, and stillness to lead effectively.
  
• Vulnerability and Trust – Why choosing the right people to open up to builds trust, fosters growth, and helps you feel seen.
  
• Protecting Your Peace – Practical ways introverts can manage energy, create boundaries, have hard conversations, and build intentional clarity in leadership.
  
• The Equalizer Effect – How introverts bring stillness, calm, and psychological safety to teams and families.
  
• From Book to Movement – Why Emily wrote It’s Not That Deep and her upcoming project In Too Deep for introverts.

Connect with Emily

It’s Not That Deep – Find it on Amazon

Instagram: @itsnotthatdeep_author

LinkedIn: Emily Erstad

Introvert Resources:

For more resources to support your Quiet Warrior journey, join The Visible Introvert newsletter atserenalow.com.au.

This episode was edited by Aura House Productions

In this empowering episode of The Quiet Warrior Podcast, I am joined by Emma Lyons, trauma healer, shame exorcist, and Self Liberation Mentor who works specifically with quiet achievers, especially women who have internalised a voice of narcissistic control and mistaken it for their own. Emma shares her journey of overcoming depression, self-sabotage, and the relentless “shame voice” that kept her stuck for years.

Together, we explore themes that many introverts and quiet achievers will recognize — the struggle with boundaries, the invisible toll of narcissistic relationships, the weight of shame, and the quiet resilience it takes to heal. Emma explains how somatic work, nervous system healing, and energy medicine can transform shame into self-trust, and how introverts can reclaim their truth and freedom without burning out.

Quotes

“When you give yourself permission to pause, clarity comes more naturally than when you push.”

“Self-trust is built one small choice at a time—every ‘no’ that honours your energy makes you stronger.”

About Emma Lyons

Links

DOWNLOAD: 5 Signs You’re Ready to Break Up with Your Inner Narcissist

Connect with Emma:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trauma.matrix/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-lyons-traumamatrix/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/trauma.matrix

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@trauma.matrix

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trauma.matrix

Substack: https://traumamatrix.substack.com/

Call to Action

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review on your favourite podcast platform. It helps more introverts and quiet achievers discover these conversations.

For more resources to support your Quiet Warrior journey, join The Visible Introvert newsletter at serenalow.com.au.

This episode was edited by Aura House Productions

Can you invite intimacy back into your life by first healing your relationship with yourself?

In this tender conversation, I’m joined by Hani Cheng, Intimacy Transformation Facilitator, bestselling author, and global speaker. Grounded in over 33 healing approaches — including Tantra, Shamanic Breathwork, Advanced NLP, Daoist Sexuality, and Quantum Healing — Hani guides individuals, especially those who identify as sensitive, intuitive, or empathic, in transforming inner blocks related to intimacy, self-worth, and personal power, so they can access deep pleasure, confidence, and authentic connection..

We explore how self-confidence blossoms when you embrace your authentic desires, how aliveness is an indicator of alignment with your infinite being and higher purpose, and how embodying your truth transforms the way you lead at work.

If you’ve ever felt disconnected — either from yourself or from what you care about — this episode is a quiet, brave invitation to return to your truest, most sensual self.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• The sacredness and beauty of sexuality and sensuality from nature’s perspective
• The challenge of being fully expressed as a corporate leader
• How self-empowerment transforms the way you lead
• What does it mean to be alive and sovereign, to walk in your truth, and embody it in every aspect of your life including your work
• Living in truth vs. living in mediocrity
• The trouble with separating our personal and professional selves
• The game of self-alignment and how to get closer to your truth by trusting more
• How to hold yourself through the messy process of doing the inner work
• How to find the right community to grow with
  
  

About Hani Cheng

Hani Cheng is a bestselling author, speaker, and globally renowned Intimacy Transformation Facilitator. She empowers ambitious leaders to bridge sexuality, spirituality, and leadership through her signature YUMM Programs. With her unique blend of lived wisdom and transformative practices, Hani helps individuals reclaim their
self-worth, embrace self-love, and embody their full sensual and spiritual power.

How to Connect and Work with Hani:

Tantra Singapore Massage

YOLO Abundance

Enjoyed this conversation?

Please subscribe, leave a rating & review, and join the Visible Introvert community for more introvert-empowering insights and resources.

This episode was edited by Aura House Productions

What if your business could change lives every single day? In this episode of The Quiet Warrior Podcast, I sit down with Paul Dunn, four-time TEDx speaker and chairman of B1G1 (Business for Good), to explore how businesses can create extraordinary impact through purpose and giving.

Paul shares how true leadership goes beyond profit, showing us how aligning business with social good leads to innovation, resilience, and deeper meaning. From redefining success to building a legacy of philanthropy, this is a powerful conversation for leaders, entrepreneurs, and quiet achievers seeking to make a real difference.

Discover why small, consistent acts of giving are transforming communities worldwide — and how you can be part of the movement.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Purpose in Business: Why businesses that lead with purpose are the ones shaping a better future.
• Leadership Redefined: How leadership grounded in service and impact inspires deeper trust and engagement.
• The Ripple Effect of Giving: The extraordinary story of B1G1 and how small businesses are creating massive change through everyday transactions.
• Philanthropy Made Practical: Why philanthropy isn’t only for large corporations — and how small, consistent acts of giving add up.
• Social Good as Strategy: How aligning business goals with social good unlocks innovation and resilience.
• Living a Legacy of Impact: Paul’s reflections on why the real measure of success is not what we accumulate but what we contribute.

Memorable Quotes

“When you put giving at the heart of your business, everything changes — your customers, your team, and the way you lead.” – Paul Dunn

“Purpose isn’t something you find. It’s something you choose and commit to every day.” – Paul Dunn

If this conversation with Paul Dunn inspired you:

Subscribe to The Quiet Warrior Podcast so you never miss an episode.
Rate and review the podcast to help more introverts and quiet achievers find it.
Make sure to download The Introvert Toolkit, my free ebook written to help you step into your quiet power and lead with confidence.

This episode was edited by Aura House Productions

How do you find the courage to make bold transitions in life and leadership? In this moving conversation, I sit down with Cornelia Kawann, a leader, mentor, and advocate for personal growth, who has walked the path of change with resilience and authenticity.

Cornelia shares her journey of navigating uncertainty, finding inner strength, and aligning her choices with what matters to her. From career shifts to personal reinvention, she offers timeless wisdom for introverts, quiet achievers, and anyone facing moments of transition.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Embracing Transitions: Why change feels daunting—and how to meet it with clarity.
• Courage in Uncertainty: Cornelia’s personal story of stepping into the unknown with trust.
• Redefining Leadership: What it means to lead with authenticity and presence.
• Resilience in Practice: Tools and mindsets for navigating setbacks without losing hope.
• The Introvert’s Advantage: How quiet reflection creates deeper clarity and connection.
• Purpose and Passion: Aligning decisions with what truly lights you up.

Memorable Quotes

“Transitions are invitations to rediscover who we really are.” – Cornelia Kawann

“Resilience isn’t about never falling down—it’s about trusting that you can rise again, stronger and clearer.” – Cornelia Kawann

Resources & Links Mentioned

Check out Cornelia Kawann’s new book Change Your Energy – Change Your Life

Europe: https://amzn.to/3HgUdEL

US: https://amzn.to/3Fkrj65

Download Cornelia Kawann’s complimentary e-book: Energetic Stress Management - The New Way to Deal With Stress

https://www.corneliakawann.com/e-book/

CONNECT WITH CORNELIA:

Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/cornelia.kawann.37/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/cornelia_energy_on/

Website

https://www.corneliakawann.com/

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cornelia-energy-on/

TikTok

https://www.tiktok.com/@corneliaenergyon

If you enjoyed this episode, please:
Subscribe to The Quiet Warrior Podcast so you never miss an empowering conversation.
Rate and review the show to help more introverts and quiet achievers find it.
Join the Visible Introvert community for tips, resources, and reflections at https://serenalow.com.au

This episode was edited by Aura House Productions

What if your investment choices could align with your values—and create lasting change in the world?

In this episode, I speak with Dionn Payn, founder of Women 4 Homes, whose mission is to inspire 1 million women to invest $5,000 to end homelessness by 2030.

Dionn is passionate about helping people—especially women—grow wealth through ethical investing that uplifts communities, preserves the environment, and supports meaningful causes.

As a purpose-led entrepreneur and speaker, Dionn brings a refreshing perspective on what it means to be wealthy: not just financially secure, but deeply fulfilled, values-aligned, and making a difference.

This conversation is ideal for quiet achievers, introverted leaders, and conscious professionals seeking greater impact, authenticity, and alignment with their money and life.

In this episode, we explore:

• What impact investing is and why it's a powerful alternative to traditional investing
  
  
• Dionn’s personal journey from people-pleasing and burnout to self-trust and purpose
  
  
• How women can feel empowered around wealth and decision-making
  
  
• The mindset shifts that help you go from survival to spaciousness
  
  
• What to do when your life’s purpose no longer fits into the corporate box
  
  
• The power of community, mentorship, and investing in your values
  
  
• A fresh way to think about success: not just what you accumulate, but what you create and contribute
  
  
  

Whether you're starting your wealth journey, feeling disillusioned with traditional finance, or curious about conscious entrepreneurship, Dionn’s story will inspire you to lead—and live—with impact.

Connect with Dionn Payn:

Website: www.women4homes.com

Link.tree: https://linktr.ee/women4homes

Enjoying the podcast?

Subscribe, rate, and leave a 5-star review to help more quiet leaders and changemakers find their voice.

Join The Visible Introvert community for exclusive insights, podcast updates and resources at https://serenalow.com.au

This episode was edited by Aura House Productions

In this episode of The Quiet Warrior Podcast, I speak with Dr. David Hooper—AI marketing strategist, peak performance expert, and proud introvert—about his incredible journey from rock bottom to reinvention. After facing a series of personal and professional crises that left him clinically depressed and morbidly obese, David chose to rebuild his life with intention. He shares how mindset work, physical transformation, and entrepreneurship became his path to healing—and how AI became the quiet ally that helped him and his fellow introverts thrive.

We explore what it means to be an introverted entrepreneur in a noisy world, why AI is the perfect business partner for introverts, and how ethical use of AI can help amplify your voice without sacrificing your integrity.

If you’ve ever felt like you're too quiet to stand out in business—or if you've been curious about using AI in a more human, heart-led way—this episode is for you.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

• David’s transformation after redundancy, depression, and weight gain
• How hitting rock bottom can spark radical clarity
• The importance of mindset, movement, and meaning in recovery
• Navigating entrepreneurship as an introvert
• Creating structure and balance for sustainable energy
• Why AI is the ultimate productivity partner for introverts
• How to use AI ethically to scale your marketing and amplify your presence
• Building a business around your values—not someone else’s expectations
  
  

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Dr. David Hooper’s work: lunarla.co.uk
• Connect with Dr. David Hooper on LinkedIn.

Enjoyed This Episode?

• Subscribe and leave a 5-star review to support more quiet voices being heard.
• Download The Introvert Toolkit - your guide to understanding the introvert you work with, live with, or socialize with.
• Join The Visible Introvert community for access to case studies, frameworks, and strategies that help you speak, lead, and act decisively – without having to perform extroversion.

This episode was edited by Aura House Productions