Are we expecting leaders to succeed without giving them the proper tools? In this episode of The (un)conversations podcast, Dr. Alison welcomes Kathy Eastwood Chief People Officer of E Equals Why to discuss the missing human element in business. Kathy breaks down her framework for effective leadership—Expressing vision, Engaging people, and Executing—while sharing personal stories on choosing freedom over fear and leaning into uncomfortable conversations. Tune in to discover how emotional intelligence, empathy, and an unwavering drive can elevate your leadership and build lasting trust in the workplace.

Kathy opens with her (un)words: (un)deterred, (un)comfortable and (un)wavering, and through The (UN)word Effect™ shares the personal stories behind them, from growing up in a fear-based household to choosing freedom over fear.

In this episode:

- Impostor syndrome, "the mold" of leadership, and why hiding your true self is exhausting

- What "freedom" really means beyond financial freedom

- The lesson from her father: treat everyone with dignity and respect

- Why "buy-in" is really sales

- Leading layoffs humanely, and the survivor guilt no one talks about

- Why trust, empathy and influence drive retention

- Why you can't prioritize performance first and people second

- Where to start: know yourself

Ask Dr. Alison: How do you help people who don't know they need help? Kathy's answer: she doesn't take everyone on, because sustainable change requires someone willing to do the work.

ABOUT THE HOST

Dr. Alison Schmidt, Ph.D., BCC, is an executive strategist, leadership coach, and CEO of UNCONVENTION LLC. As host of The (un)conversations podcast, she spotlights (un)conventionally excellent leaders who share their vulnerable, authentic sides. Every episode opens with The (UN)word Effect, where guests share the defining words behind who they are and how they lead.

Connect with Dr. Alison:

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

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

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

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@unconversations?sub_confirmation=1

ABOUT THE GUEST

Kathy Eastwood is the CEO of E Equals Why, a leadership strategist, executive advisor, and author of The 3E Leadership Code.

Connect with Kathy Eastwood:

• Book: https://www.kathyeastwood.com/book

• Website: https://www.eequalswhy.com/

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

Discover how 60 seconds of intentional listening builds immediate executive trust. In this episode of (un)conversations, Dr. Alison sits down with former Siemens Healthineers executive and Seton Hall Professor Ruchin Kansal to unpack why modern leaders must master unwinning, unlearning, and understanding to escape high-pressure corporate metrics and build authentic influence.

If you are a founder, executive, or high-performing leader looking to break free from perfectionism and detach your identity from workplace performance, this deep dive will redefine how you approach leadership and career growth.

💡 IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:

• How 60 Seconds of Intentional Listening creates immediate executive trust

• Why "Unwinning" Isn't Giving Up—and how it redefines true success

• The "80% Confident" Rule to accelerate decision-making and overcome perfectionism

• How to Detach Your Personal Identity from corporate metrics and avoid burnout

• 3 Daily Leadership Habits: Ask why, sit in silence, and show radical kindness

⏱️ CHAPTERS:00:00 - Cold Open & Teaser01:04 - Podcast Introduction & Welcome03:20 - The Core "Unwords": Unwinning, Unlearning, Understanding05:01 - Redefining "Unwinning" in Business and Life08:26 - Shifting Metrics: From Corporate Bonuses to Real Impact12:03 - Navigating Discomfort and Evolving Personal Values16:52 - Unlearning the Critics: Who Are You Really Trying to Impress?21:47 - Adaptability, Life Shifts, and Managing Volatility25:58 - Advice for Entrepreneurs: Detaching Identity from Outcomes29:27 - The "80% Confident" Rule vs. Seeking Perfection38:53 - Unlearning Internal and External Expectations45:20 - Shifting Your Mindset from Fear to Curiosity49:30 - Dismantling Ego for a Purpose-Driven Career56:10 - Mentoring the Next Generation of Leaders58:45 - 3 Daily Routines for Maintaining Clarity1:01:00 - Advice for Mid-Career and Senior Executives1:08:30 - Synthesis: Unwinning, Unlearning, & Understanding1:13:40 - Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up

💬 NOTABLE QUOTE:

"60 seconds in every conversation will create so much more winning than anything else in life." — Prof. Ruchin Kansal

👤 ABOUT THE HOST:Dr. Alison Schmidt, Ph.D., BCC, is an executive coach, podcast host, and founder of UNCONVENTION LLC. She guides top executives, elite athletes, and high-performing leaders through identity shifts, vulnerability, and intentional growth.🌐 Website: https://www.unconventionllc.com/messageus🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-l-schmidt-phd-bcc/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralisonschmidt/

🎙️ MEET OUR GUEST:Ruchin Kansal serves as a Strategic Judgment Partner (SJP) to senior leaders facing high-stakes decisions. Drawing on over two decades of global healthcare leadership—including roles as SVP of Digital Strategy at Siemens Healthineers—Ruchin helps executive teams navigate critical inflection points.🌐 Website: https://ruchinkansal.com/🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruchinkansal/

🌟 Enjoying the podcast? Leaving a 5-star rating or review on Spotify takes less than 30 seconds and helps us bring you more world-class guests!

🎵 Theme Song: Produced by DJ Doug Jackson (https://soundcloud.com/dougjackson)

#Leadership #ExecutiveCoaching #ActiveListening #PersonalGrowth #RedefineSuccess #WorkplaceCulture #Unlearning #ProfessionalDevelopment #CorporateMindset #PodcastEpisode

©2026 by UNCONVENTION LLC - all rights reserved

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

Robin Toft has built companies, survived cancer, led global teams, and raised millions for cancer research. Yet one of her most profound leadership lessons came from learning to quiet her ego and trust something deeper.

In this episode of the (un)conversations® podcast, Robin Toft, CEO of Curebound and 20-year colon cancer survivor, joins Dr. Alison Schmidt for a candid conversation about leadership, intuition, purpose, resilience, and what it truly means to live a successful life.

Robin shares her journey from high-powered life sciences executive to purpose-driven leader, revealing how a cancer diagnosis transformed her perspective on achievement, self-care, and the role fear plays in our decisions. Together, Robin and Alison explore the tension between ego and intuition, why love may be the most overlooked leadership strategy, and how redefining success can change everything.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why Robin describes herself as "unafraid"
• The difference between leading from fear and leading from love
• How intuition can become a leader's greatest advantage
• The lessons cancer taught her about stress, health, and priorities
• Why self-care is a leadership necessity, not a luxury
• The connection between purpose, passion, and meaningful success
• What it takes to stop playing small and start living fully

Whether you're a CEO, entrepreneur, emerging leader, cancer survivor, caregiver, or navigating a major life transition, this conversation is a powerful reminder that success isn't just about what you accomplish—it's about how you show up for yourself and others along the way.

"The definition of success for most people is giving and receiving as much love as you can in your lifetime." — Robin Toft

Connect with Robin Toft:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robintoft/
Website: https://www.curebound.org/

Connect with Dr. Alison Schmidt:

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

🎵 Theme Song produced by DJ Doug Jackson: https://soundcloud.com/dougjackson

Disclaimer: This episode reflects Robin Toft's personal experiences and perspectives and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult qualified healthcare professionals regarding medical conditions or treatment decisions.

© 2026 UNCONVENTION LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Screw the "Startup Playbook." Do This Instead with Katie Sterns | S2.E15

How do you scale a startup when traditional business strategies fail? In this episode of the (un)conversations podcast, host Dr. Alison Schmidt sits down with Katie Sterns, Founder and CEO of Blyngz Luxury Technologies. Together, they break down why cookie-cutter startup guides fail and how to build a successful company using an unorthodox growth mindset.

If you are an entrepreneur, creator, or female founder tired of the status quo, this raw conversation about business resilience, tech disruption, and using ADHD as an entrepreneurial superpower is for you.

🎧 What You’ll Learn In This Episode:

The Myth of the Startup Playbook: Why there is no linear, step-by-step guide to building a massive business.

The Pivot Strategy: How Katie turned a massive pandemic threat into a major B2B revenue opportunity.

Competing with Tech Giants: How small startups can outmaneuver multi-billion dollar companies using agility and authenticity.

Brand Identity vs. Product: Why competitors can copy your product, but no one can steal your brand.

ADHD as a Superpower: Embracing a divergent brain to synthesize big data and spot market gap

🕒 Episode Timestamps:

00:00 - Podcast Teaser & Intro

02:16 - The Story Behind Blyngz Luxury Technologies

08:45 - Balancing Startup Obsession with Personal Relationships

11:59 - The Power of an Unorthodox Mindset

14:43 - Real-World Pivot: Sourcing During a Crisis

20:18 - Remaining Undeterred Against Global Tech Giants

24:38 - Protecting Your Brand Identity

34:12 - Why Having ADHD is an Entrepreneurial Superpower

41:05 - Managing Investor Relations & Data Room Stress

48:50 - Combining Sociology, Big Data, and Consumer Research

1:09:15 - Common Pitfalls Early-Stage Founders Make with Late-Stage Capital

🎙️ About Our Host & Guest:

Dr. Alison Schmidt is an organizational psychologist, Founder & CEO of Unconvention, and strategic advisor to elite global leaders, founders, and CxOs looking to navigate market disruption.

Connect with Dr. Alison on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alison-l-schmidt-phd-bcc/

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

Katie Sterns is the founder and CEO of Blyngz Luxury Technologies, pioneering the "Jewelry Tech" category with a modular, AI-integrated audio platform. She is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and advocate for women's economic power.

• Learn more about Blyngz: blyngz.com

• Connect with Katie on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/katiesterns/

Support the Show: If you enjoyed this masterclass on leadership, please follow, download, and rate the podcast 5 stars on Spotify!

🎵 Theme Song: Produced by DJ Doug Jackson: / dougjackson

StartupStrategy, Entrepreneurship, WomenInTech, BusinessPivot, Venture Capital, ADHDEntrepreneur, FemaleFounders, LeadershipDisruption, ExecutivePresence

©2026 by UNCONVENTION LLC - all rights reserved