What does it take to move from decades in corporate leadership roles into entrepreneurship?

This week Paula sits down with Carolyn Langley, owner and managing partner of Input Idea, for a candid conversation about leaving corporate life, building a business, and learning to trust your own voice.

We talk about the realities behind big career changes, the hidden conditioning that can show up in male-dominated workplaces, and how Carolyn is committed to helping small business owners simplify tech and content marketing.

This is a practical and personal episode about growth, self-awareness, and creating work that fits your life.

Connect with Carolyn at carolyn@inputidea.com or inputidea.com

Want to make it easy to be introduced to the very best people? Hit that SUBSCRIBE button so I can help you do just that!

Have an idea for a future podcast? Email me at hello@thecourageblueprint.com

00:00 - Welcome back and meeting Carolyn through a chance connection

03:09 - From corporate roles to helping businesses demystify tech

05:45 - Why leave a successful corporate career for entrepreneurship

08:22 - Work-life balance, personal relationships, and the right timing

15:45 - The silent conditioning of male-dominated workplaces

17:44 - Speaking up without being labeled aggressive

21:39 - Turning reactions into questions instead of comments

24:33 - Grassroots building through community

32:37 - Why the human in the loop still matters

Paula Shepherd talks with Dr. Amy Matthews Perez about her 34-year career in public education, her retirement, and why she launched MESA, which stands for making education special for all. The conversation centers on special education, relationship-building, and how parents, educators, and administrators can work together more effectively around the table.

Dr. Amy brings deep experience as a classroom teacher, speech pathologist, diagnostician, special education coordinator, assistant principal, principal, director of special education, and director of special programs. She shares a practical, people-first approach to reducing conflict and creating progress in IEP and ARD meetings.

Connect with Dr. Amy via email at dramymp@gmail.com or dramyperez.com/
Link to read her article - “Power Poker” at IEP Meetings

Want to make it easy to be introduced to the very best people? Hit that SUBSCRIBE button so I can help you do just that!

Have an idea for a future podcast? Email me at hello@thecourageblueprint.com

00:00 - Welcome to the episode and why Dr. Amy’s work matters

02:24 - Dr. Amy’s fifth-grade calling

06:41 - The hidden workload of parenting an adult child with special abilities

08:55 - Reframing “special” versus “special education”

10:04 - What “making education special for all” really means

11:24 - Why later is expensive in special education

14:09 - Why vulnerability matters in IEP and ARD meetings

20:26 - The need to set ego aside

Are you showing up authentically every day? Or are you burdened under the weight of expectations. In today's episode, Jo Naughton shares her journey through a brain injury to a deep mind, body and soul connection. She shares how she moved away from feeling like a victim of her circumstances, to being the powerful creator of her life by taking radical responsibility.

In this episode we chat about:

Noticing your internal dialogue to create a higher, soul mind body connection.

Applying the "know, like & trust" factor to yourself.

"Radical Responsibility" and stepping away from the victim mentality.

Releasing the outcome of your actions.

Letting the pain flow through your experience.

Showing up authentically & remove the masks you wear.

Recognizing your "power energies".

Jo's top tip to start your powerful journey today.

And so much more!

Connect with Jo!

www.joannanaughton.co.uk

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Check out other resources Paula loves HERE!

If you're interested in working with Paula, send her an email paula@thecourageblueprint.com

Continue the conversation by joining my private Facebook group "I am Becoming…" here: http://www.facebook.com/groups/befearlesswithpaula

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Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/befearlesswithpaula/

Don't forget to rate and review The Confidence Sessions and please subscribe if you like what you heard! https://www.thecourageblueprint.com/podcast

(02:00) Jo & Paula share how they initially connecte over their use of curse and swear words.

(02:48) Jo's journey from a brain injury to holistic, alignment coach. Noticing her internal dialogue and creating a higher, soul mind body connection.

(05:45) How Jo began reconnecting with her body and the callings the vessel was giving her.

(07:48) Why Jo left teaching primary school to pursue a life of deeper alignment.

(10:25) Applying the "know, like & trust" factor to yourself.

(10:50) "Radical Responsibility" and stepping away from the victim mentality. Stepping up as the creator of your own life.

(17:15) How you are the missing piece you need to change your life and releasing the outcome of your actions.

(19:28) Jo's deep connection with her soul-self and learning to know, love and trust herself.

(20:30) Learning to find beautiful moments in the suffering and letting the pain flow through your experience. Recognizing that life is happening for you.

(24:40) Feeling like you have to wear a mask to fulfil others expectations of who you are.

(26:00) Showing up authentically to create favourite client attraction.

(29:45) Avoiding the noise of what you "should" be doing.

(31:20) Recognizing your "power energies".

(33:30) Checking in with yourself on your journey to knowing, loving and trusting yourself and your decisions.

(35:31) Jo shares her top tip to start your powerful journey today.