Delve into the tales of a true leader-adventurer! In this episode, Sandra welcomes Heather Arthur—a corporate executive, leadership coach, and adventure-driven leader. Together, they explore how extreme travel, presence, and reframing fear can transform how we lead, decide, and grow—at work and in life.

We talk about:

• Why fear and excitement feel the same in the body—and how to reframe them
• “Just breathe” and “one step at a time”: practical tools from shark dives and mountain treks
• Lessons from Papua New Guinea, Mongolia, Morocco, Bhutan—and bringing them into the boardroom
• Moving beyond the “numbers game”: sponsorship vs. mentorship to close the 124-year gender gap
• Imposter syndrome, visualized: invite her along—but keep your hands on the wheel
• Presence and gratitude as antidotes to anxiety and overdrive
• Saying yes to yourself: the mindset behind Heather’s Say Yes Movement podcast and leadership philosophy

Whether you’re scaling a career mountain or navigating daily uncertainty, this episode blends vivid stories with evidence-inspired practices to help you lead with courage, curiosity, and calm—one intentional breath and one bold step at a time.

Our guest this week:

Heather Arthur is a dynamic customer experience and sales industry expert with over two decades of experience. Currently, as the Vice President, Global Client Experience Centre at Scotiabank. Heather has been recognized as one of the Top 30 Contact Centre Leaders in CX to follow in 2025. An award-winning professional and certified Neuro-Linguistics Programing practitioner, Heather is also the host of the Say YES Movement podcast, motivating and inspiring individuals and organizations to reach their full potential.

Heather’s LinkedIn can be found here.

Get ready for a moving and fascinating conversation. Sandra is joined by guests Sue and Deb to open up about the invisible toll of caregiving—on families, careers, and women’s equality. With decades of experience as executives, coaches, and caregivers themselves, they share unfiltered stories of navigating long-term care, juggling executive roles, parenting, grief, and the relentless demands of being “the rock” at home and at work.

We talk about:

• Deb’s journey from corporate executive to caregiver, losing her husband and parents while raising kids—and how it reshaped her career and purpose
• Sue’s story of caring for her father through end-of-life, balancing a startup role, and transforming her experience into a platform of support for others
• The hidden costs of caregiving: burnout, depression, financial strain, and the unspoken career trade-offs women face
• Why flexibility at work is no longer a “perk” but a necessity for caregivers—and what leaders can do differently
• The three “buckets” of caregiving choices, and the regrets that linger when support isn’t there
• How humor, therapy, friendships, and community can be lifelines through the hardest seasons
• Why reframing caregiving as both a burden and a blessing is essential to shifting culture—and closing the gender gap

Raw, honest, and at times heartbreaking, this conversation shines a light on the realities 75% of caregivers—mostly women—face worldwide. It’s a call for workplaces, leaders, and society to rethink how we support those carrying the heaviest load.

Whether you’re a caregiver now, have been one in the past, or will be in the future, this episode will leave you seen, supported, and inspired to keep pushing for change.

Our guests this week:

Deborah Bakti worked as an executive in seniors’ care for 11 years, and during that time became a resident’s family member three times with her husband, mom, and dad. That life-changing experience led her to found her consulting and training company, THINK Breakthrough Inc, to support seniors’ care organizations in building stronger partnerships with families. Her signature methodology, The Relational Approach™, helps transform the emotionally complex transition into seniors’ care by shifting interactions between staff and families from transactional to relational, building trust, clarity, and connection from the very first day.

Deborah is the author of two books, with a third forthcoming, and hosts The Relational Approach™ podcast.Deborah’s LinkedIn can be found ⁠here⁠.

Susan Van Klink is the Founder and CEO of SVK & Associates, where she helps funded start-up founders transform capital into accelerated growth through her proprietary Revenue Flywheel™ model. This proven framework integrates go-to-market strategy, customer acquisition, retention, and expansion into a self-reinforcing loop that drives predictable, scalable results.

Before founding SVK & Associates, Susan spent over 20 years in executive leadership roles at high-growth HCM software companies, guiding organizations through rapid scale and transformation. After stepping away to care for her family — first supporting her father through his end-of-life journey and then fostering her niece’s newborn son — she returned to entrepreneurship with renewed purpose.

Now, Susan channels her deep experience and expertise into helping founders accelerate ARR, extend runway, and build enterprise-ready sales motions designed to deliver sustainable, exponential growth.

Susan’s LinkedIn can be found ⁠here⁠.

Sandra and Kirsten sit down with special guest Tammy Heermann, leadership expert and author of Reframe Your Story, to explore how the stories we tell ourselves—and the ones society tells us—shape women’s experiences at work and at home. Together, they unpack the realities of gender inequality, why the gap remains at 124 years, and what we can each do to accelerate change.

We talk about:

• How childhood messages and cultural norms shape women’s definitions of success
• The talk: preparing our daughters for stereotypes, self-worth, and resilience
• The hidden costs of sexism—from burnout to micro-moments that erode confidence
• Stories of women breaking free from limiting beliefs—and how community lifts us up
• Why systemic change matters, but why waiting for it is a mistake

From candid stories of parenting and career trade-offs to raw reflections on sexism, mental health, and self-sabotage, this episode challenges us to rethink how we define leadership, confidence, and equality.

Whether you’re raising daughters, leading teams, or navigating your own “crisis of confidence,” this conversation offers hope, honesty, and practical ways to bridge the gap—one micro moment at a time.

Our guests this week:

Tammy Heermann is an award-winning leadership expert. She’s the author of Reframe Your Story: Real Talk for Women Who Want to Let Go, Do Less and Be More-Together. For over twenty years, she has helped change thousands of mindsets around what it takes to lead, both self and others. Tammy transforms her audiences with alternating moments of humor and heartache as she shares stories of her own journey from senior consultant to senior vice president.

Tammy’s LinkedIn can be found here.

Kirsten Stanger is a seasoned people strategist and Co-Founder of TalentWise Collective, where she helps organizations and leaders unlock their full potential. With more than 25 years of experience spanning corporate and not-for-profit sectors, Kirsten’s career has focused on leadership development, culture transformation, change management, and career transition. Known for her genuine, empowering, and engaging approach, Kirsten brings curiosity, humour, and heart to every room she’s in. She designs and delivers programs that turn insights into real-world results—helping teams strengthen trust, collaboration, and performance.

Kirsten's LinkedIn can be found here.