What happens when your entire identity is stripped away, and you are forced to ask: "Who am I when the winning stops?"

In this powerful episode of (un)conversations, host Dr. Alison sits down with Alison Tetrick—professional cyclist, Gravel Cycling Hall of Famer, Unbound 200 winner, and CEO of Saga Ventures.

Alison opens up about her grueling recovery from a traumatic brain injury, navigating depression and anxiety as an elite athlete, and why staying "unapologetically human" ultimately saved her life. Together, they dive into the hidden pressure on top performers, leaders, and athletes to project invincibility—and why real healing, growth, and long-term strength begin only when we stop hiding our vulnerabilities.

Episode Timestamps:

00:00 - Podcast Intro & Guest Welcome

01:23 - The "Ali" Connection & Pre-Show Nerves02:57 - Preparation for the "Unwords" Assignment

05:00 - Hiding Weakness & Vulnerability as an Elite Athlete

07:05 - First Unword: Unapologetically Human

10:37 - Overcoming the Pressure of Perfection & Finding Identity

16:07 - Second Unword: Unquiet

22:16 - Third Unword: Uncategorizable

25:34 - Balancing Multiple Identities & Managing Failure

31:39 - Traumatic Brain Injury, Recovery, & Retraining the Brain

36:41 - Returning to Sport on Her Own Terms41:38 - The Importance of an Intentional Exit

46:25 - Fourth Unword: Unclaimable49:21 - Navigating Brand Partnerships & Commercial Autonomy

58:20 - Parallels Between Professional Sports and Entrepreneurship

01:01:59 - Saga Ventures, Giving Back, & Supporting Women in Sports

01:04:31 - Ali Asks Dr. Alison: Overcoming "Unapologetic" & Claiming Worth

01:12:14 - Episode Wrap-Up & Closing Remarks

Connect with Dr. Alison Schmidt:

• Website: https://www.unconventionllc.com/messageus

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralisonschmidt/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-l-schmidt-phd-bcc/

Connect with Alison Tetrick:

• Saga Ventures: https://www.saga-ventures.myshopify.com/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amtetrick/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amtetrick/

🎵 Theme Song Produced by DJ Doug Jackson

Comment: What is one 'Unword' you would use to describe your personal journey right now?

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and review on Spotify to help more leaders find these conversations!

©2026 UNCONVENTION LLC - All Rights Reserved

What if overworking is not proof of ambition, but evidence that your leadership system needs to change?

In this episode of (un)conversations®, Dr. Alison Schmidt speaks with Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey, founder of Nell 3D, Forbes Leadership contributor, and creator of Systematic Subtraction™.

After a serious car accident forced Nell to confront the cost of constant optimization, she began questioning the belief that more effort, more commitments, and more productivity always create greater impact. Her answer is not doing less for its own sake. It is creating the capacity to focus on what matters most.

Together, Dr. Alison and Nell explore:

• Why unlearning requires more than adding a new habit
• How resilience can pull us back into patterns that no longer serve us, and why Nell prefers “prosilience”
• Why energy management matters more than time management
• The Stop, Drop, and Roll method for removing what drains capacity
• How the Me, We, World framework helps leaders make more intentional choices
• Why ambitious leaders need space to think, recover, and lead with clarity

Nell’s (UN)words: Unlearning. Uncomfortable. Unending.

This episode is for leaders, founders, and high-achievers who want meaningful impact without sacrificing their health, relationships, or ability to think clearly.

Connect with Dr. Alison: Unconvention LLC I LinkedIn I Instagram

Connect with Nell 3D: nell3d.com | LinkedIn | Instagram

🎵 Theme Song: Produced by DJ Doug Jackson: https://soundcloud.com/dougjackson#Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #SystemsThinking #BurnoutPrevention #PersonalGrowth©2026 by UNCONVENTION LLC - all rights reserved

What if gratitude is more than just saying "thank you"? In this episode of (un)conversations®, Dr. Alison Schmidt sits down with Linda Roszak Burton, President of DRW Coaching and author of Gratitude Heals, to explore the transformational power of gratitude in leadership, grief, and organizational culture.

Linda shares her deeply personal journey through losing her sister to breast cancer, and how that profound loss led her to discover the science behind gratitude as "the deepest touch point of human existence." Through her three (UN)words — Unaware, Unspoken, and Underutilized — Linda reveals how leaders can move beyond surface-level appreciation to build psychological safety, strengthen retention, and create genuine human connection in the workplace.

Key Takeaways From This Episode:• How to transition from surface-level appreciation to deep gratitude.• Practical, no-cost leadership strategies like "thanking invisible people."• Using gratitude to cultivate psychological safety so teams can speak difficult truths.• Reframing Imposter Syndrome and navigating leadership through times of grief.

📢 ATTENTION FEMALE EXECUTIVES: Linda is currently interviewing female leaders to gain their perspectives on their health and well-being journeys. Reach out via her links below to participate!

Connect with our Host, Dr. Alison Schmidt:

• Website: ⁠https://www.unconventionllc.com/messageus⁠

• LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-l-schmidt-phd-bcc/⁠

• Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/dralisonschmidt/⁠

Connect with our Guest, Linda Roszak Burton:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindaroszakburton/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_lroszakburton/

• Read "Gratitude Heals®": https://a.co/d/0giuzlSE