In this powerful episode of The Empowered Team Podcast, Kari Schneider sits down with executive coach and leadership mentor Valarie Sandjivy, founder of Ellipsus. With over 20 years of experience coaching C-suite leaders and entrepreneurs, Valarie offers a rare glimpse into the inner world of high-performing leaders.

Together, they explore:

• Why “it’s lonely at the top” and how to find space for your own evolution.
• The true role of emotional intelligence in hitting key performance outcomes.
• What “emotional mastery” really means — and how it helps leaders hold more without burning out.
• Why innovation starts with the inner game.
• How to shift from survival mode to possibility thinking.
• The overlooked power of presence and the subtle difference between fighting and surrendering.

Valarie shares personal stories, bold truths, and a surprisingly grounded approach to leadership that challenges conventional hustle culture. Whether you’re leading a business, a team, or just your own life — this conversation will expand what you think is possible.

🎯 Key takeaway: The most powerful leaders are not the ones who do more — they’re the ones who can hold more with clarity, calm, and emotional coherence.

Take Valarie’s FREE Leadership Assessment: https://www.ellips.us.com/quiz Connect with Valarie:

• Website: https://www.ellips.us.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriesandjivy/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valarie_sandjivy/
• Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/valarie.sandjivy

👉 Ready to go deeper? Join the Empowered Team and take your leadership to the next level: https://theempowered.ca/team-learn-more

👉 Ready to use AI to support your leadership? Grab our free guide “the 50 best AI prompts for executives” https://thehumanalgorithm.ai/free-ai-guide