How do leaders use energy—not strategy—to gain a true competitive edge?
Dr. Alison sits down with energy strategist Faryl Moore to explore emotional capacity, boundaries, and embodied leadership in high-pressure environments.

In this episode of the (un)conversations® podcast, Faryl shares insights from more than 20 years of guiding corporate executives through burnout, misalignment, and energetic overwhelm. Together, they unpack how leaders can expand emotional capacity, cultivate embodied presence, and create energetic clarity that supports sustainable success.

You’ll also hear the three (UN)words shaping Faryl’s leadership journey— uncontainable, unwavering, unveiled—and how these principles help leaders release draining energy, set self-compassionate boundaries, and lead with grounded intention.

Whether you're a CEO, founder, or soul-curious seeker, this episode will help you understand the energetic side of leadership and step into your next level with clarity and confidence.

In This Episode

• How the (UN)word Effect supports deep self-discovery
• Why energy—not strategy—is often the missing leadership edge
• Breaking internal limitations and expanding personal capacity
• Why unwavering belief in purpose fuels transformation
• Understanding your unique energetic gifts
• Emotional awareness as a foundation for well-being
• Rethinking work-life balance and what true balance looks like
• Creating joyful, energetically supportive work environments
• Why each person’s leadership journey is deeply individual

Timestamps

(00:00) Welcome
(01:21) Meet Faryl Moore
(02:24) The (UN)word Effect
(03:45) How Faryl discovered her (UN)words
(07:53) Uncontainable
(10:41) Unwavering
(15:45) Unveiled
(26:05) Faryl’s journey to founding Moore Energy
(43:52) The role of energy in corporate leadership
(58:32) A new perspective on work-life balance
(1:03:42) Why awareness matters
(1:13:06) Tools for getting centered
(1:16:58) Final reflections
(1:25:45) Ask Dr. Alison
(1:37:10) The (UN)wrap up

About the Guests

Dr. Alison L. Schmidt, Ph.D.
Founder and host of (un)conversations®, Dr. Alison helps leaders and organizations (un)learn what no longer serves them and embrace authentic, courageous, purpose-driven leadership.
Website: https://www.unconventionllc.com/

Faryl Moore
Energy strategist and founder of Moore Energy, supporting CEOs, founders, and soul-led leaders in expanding emotional capacity and cultivating energetic clarity.
Website: https://mooreenergyhealing.com/

Connect with Dr. Alison, CEO of Unconvention

Instagram: @alsphdbcc | @unconventionllc | @unconversationspodcast

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-l-schmidt-phd-bcc/
TikTok: @alschmidtphd

Podcast: https://www.unconventionllc.com/podcast

#LeadershipDevelopment #ConsciousLeadership #EmotionalIntelligence #EnergeticLeadership #PersonalDevelopment #MindsetMatters #SelfAwareness #HighPerformanceLeadership #WomenInLeadership #PodcastEpisode

🎙️ What Does It Really Mean to Have Power—and Use It Ethically?

With Shanna Francesca | Cult Survivor, CEO & Leadership Scholar

What happens when you break free from a high-control environment—and rebuild your identity from the inside out?
In this powerful episode of (un)conversations®, Dr. Alison sits down with Shanna Francesca, a cult survivor turned CEO, leadership scholar, and change-maker. Together, they explore how unlearning psychological control becomes the foundation of ethical, human-centered leadership.

Shanna shares the three defining (UN)words—Unfettered, Unleashed, Unveiled—that reshaped her life, leadership, and sense of agency. From escaping indoctrination to challenging ego-driven cultures, this conversation reveals why real power exists beyond control and how curiosity, accountability, and respect drive meaningful change.

Perfect for leaders, survivors of high-control systems, innovators, and anyone committed to healing and leading with integrity.

✨ In This Episode

• How Shanna’s journey from cult survivor to CEO redefined her leadership

• Why trauma shapes leadership style—and how to rebuild with clarity and agency

• What it means to be Unfettered, Unleashed, and Unveiled

• How ego, hierarchy, and psychological control undermine performance

• The role of community, healing, and unapologetic self-expression

• Why ethical leadership is rooted in relationship—not authority

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Intro to the (un)conversations® Podcast
(00:01:41) The (UN)word Effect: Shanna’s Leadership Framework
(00:02:47) Choosing the “Un” Words
(00:03:25) Life Inside the Cult
(00:07:54) UNword #1: Unfettered
(00:10:40) Leaving the Cult & Reentering the World
(00:17:18) UNword #2: Unleashed
(00:18:49) UNword #3: Unveiled
(00:21:15) Reclaiming Personal Agency
(00:26:00) Childhood in a High-Control Environment
(00:35:01) Survivor → CEO
(00:36:50) Challenging Ideology & “Normal”
(00:41:06) From Broken to Empowered
(00:57:55) The Meaning of Concinnate
(01:05:47) Ethical Leadership, Culture & Innovation
(01:17:16) Collaboration Over Competition
(01:22:51) Final Thoughts + Shanna’s Upcoming Book
(01:24:24) Ask Dr. Alison
(01:28:37) The (UN)wrap Up & Outro

About the GuestsDr. Alison L. Schmidt, Ph.D.

Founder and host of (un)conversations®, Dr. Alison helps leaders and organizations unlearn what no longer serves them—and lead with authenticity, courage, and purpose.
Website: unconventionllc.com

Shanna Francesca – Founder & CEO, Concinnate LLC

A cult survivor, scholar, and leadership innovator, Shanna transformed trauma into a framework for ethical leadership built on Curiosity, Respect, and Accountability.
Website: concinnate.world/shanafrancesca

#shanafrancesca #concinnate #cultsurvivor #changemaker #authenticleadership #theunwordeffect #dralisonschmidt #unfettered #unleashed #unveiled #unconversationspodcast #unconvention #ceo #neurodiversity #personalgrowthjourney #ethicalleadership #consciousbusiness #trauma #workplaceculture #healingjourney #accountability #curiosity #organizationalchange #psychologicalcontrol

💥 Ready to Stop Playing Small? Step Into Your Most Powerful Chapter (with Cathy Derksen)

What if your most life-changing chapter begins after everything seems to fall apart?

In this inspiring episode of (un)conversations®, Dr. Alison sits down with Cathy Derksen, Founder of Inspired Tenacity, international speaker, publisher, and bestselling author who empowers midlife women to find unstoppable confidence and reinvent their lives on their own terms.

Cathy shares how her entire world “(un)raveled” in her mid-40s after a traumatic car accident pushed her to reevaluate everything. Within months, she left a toxic marriage, walked away from a high-stress career in medical genetics, and stepped boldly into the (Un)known—proving that it’s never too late to rewrite your story.

If you’re a woman over 40 feeling stuck, craving a fresh start, or contemplating a career change, this conversation is your blueprint for purposeful reinvention, entrepreneurship, and personal transformation.

✨ In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The (UN)word Effect and how “unraveling” becomes the doorway to growth

• How to release toxic environments and reclaim your identity

• The story behind Cathy’s mantra: “Chin up, keep moving”

• How to build unstoppable confidence in midlife

• What it takes to shift from a career in medical genetics to running a purpose-driven business

• How collaborative book projects create visibility, community, and legacy for women

• Why Inspired Tenacity reflects the courage required to start over

Connect With the Host & Guest

Dr. Alison Schmidt, Ph.D. — Founder and host of (un)conversations®, Alison helps leaders and organizations unlearn what no longer serves them—and lead with authenticity, courage, and purpose.
Website: unconventionllc.com
Podcast: unconventionllc.com/podcast

Cathy Derksen, Founder of Inspired Tenacity, international speaker, bestselling author, and mentor to women seeking reinvention. Cathy has helped over 200 women become published authors, expanding their visibility, businesses, and legacy.
Website: inspiredtenacity.com

#CathyDerksen #InspiredTenacity #DrAlisonSchmidt #unconversationspodcast #MidlifeWomen
#MidlifeReinvention #UnstoppableConfidence #FindYourPurpose #LifeAfter40 #CareerChange #Entrepreneurship #WomenEntrepreneurs #PersonalGrowth #Empowerment #Storytelling