Take The Leap
Take the Leap is the podcast where we get real about the rollercoaster that is entrepreneurship and life.
Sure, some folks make running a business look like a walk in the park, but let's be honest – it's more like a wild ride through a theme park with unexpected twists and turns!
Join us your co-hosts, Victoria & Ashlan, as we spill the beans on our own real-life experiences and shine a spotlight on some amazing guests. From the highs of success stories to the lows of epic failures, and hey, we'll even throw in some cringe-worthy, laugh-out-loud embarrassing moments for good measure!
So buckle up and tune in every week for a dose of raw, unfiltered truth about what it's really like to chase your dreams and build a business. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just dipping your toes into the startup world, we've got something for everyone. Even if it's just to make you think, "I'm so glad I didn't do what they did!"
Episodes
176 episodes
#149: Why Selling Her Business Changed Everything
Christine Manning is a business and mindset coach who helps founders and leaders navigate the point where pushing harder no longer creates better results. Drawing on over 20 years in marketing leadership, a decade building and exiting her own f...
#148: The Best Marketing Strategy is Still Nurturing Relationships with Your Network
In this solo reflection episode, Ashlan and Tory revisit their conversation with Christina Spaulding and discuss the realities of career instability, entrepreneurship, and building a sustainable business. Christina's story of experiencing multi...
#147: What Small Businesses Need to Know About International SEO & Multilingual Marketing
Christina Spaulding, founder of Manzanita Marketing, shares how repeated layoffs throughout her career ultimately led her to entrepreneurship. After experiencing firsthand how quickly job security can disappear, she decided to bet on herself an...
#146: The Business Case for Rest & Reflection
In this solo reflection episode, Ashlan and Tory unpack their conversation with returning guest Asmaa Methqal, exploring the themes that resonated most after the interview. They discuss why rest shouldn't be something we feel guilty about, the ...
#145: The Power of Showing Up with Integrity
In this episode, we welcome back Asmaa Methqal for a powerful conversation about leadership, community, intuition, and what it means to move through transition with trust. Since her last visit, Asmaa has launched The Thread: Women + Tech Vancou...
#144: Why Emotional Intelligence and Self-Awareness Matter in Business and Life
In this recap episode, Ashlan and Tory reflect on their conversation with leadership coach Vicki Semanie and dive deeper into the role emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and consistency play in building successful businesses and careers. D...
#143: Stop Controlling, Start Trusting: A New Way to Grow Personally & Professionally
In this episode, we catch up with returning guest Vicki Semanie as she enters year three of her business. Vicki shares how her work has evolved beyond coaching into consulting, speaking, and leadership development, and how embracing uncertainty...
#142: Permission to Let Go of What’s Draining You in Your Business
In this recap episode, Ashlan and Tory reflect on their conversation with Peya and explore what it really means to build a business that aligns with your values, energy, and goals. They discuss the importance of letting go of work that no longe...
#141: Stop Building a Business That Drains You
In this return conversation with Peya Robbins, we talk about what it means to stop running your business from obligation and start building it around joy, boundaries, and actual capacity. Peya shares how intentional rest helped her clear space,...
#140: Why Failure is a Skill Worth Building
In this recap episode, Ashlan and Tory reflect on their conversation with Lindsey Pope and explore the connections between entrepreneurship, resilience, health, and personal growth. Drawing inspiration from Lindsey’s experiences with strength t...
#139: How Failure Builds Strength and Resilience in the Gym & Your Business
In this episode, we sit down with acupuncturist and holistic nutritionist Lindsey Pope, founder of Instinctual Health, to talk about what it really looks like to build a business rooted in both passion and personal evolution. Lindsey s...
#138: Stop Doom Scrolling and Start Showing Up for Your Community
In this recap episode, Ashlan and Tory reflect on their powerful conversation with returning guest Elizabeth Doerr and explore what community care, civic engagement, and hope look like during uncertain times.They discuss the importance o...
#137: Finding Your Role in Times That Feel Overwhelming - How to Take Action Locally
In this episode, Elizabeth Doerr returns for a third time, and the conversation goes far beyond business. From grassroots organizing in her local school community to launching a new creative project centered on national parks, Elizabeth shares ...
#136: Remember You Don’t Need to Work With Everyone, Why Aligned Clients Matter
In this solo recap episode, Ashlan and Tory reflect on their conversation with Marina Martinez-Bateman and unpack the realities of consulting, nonprofit work, professionalism, and building a business rooted in alignment rather than performative...
#135: Real Talk on Capitalism, Consulting, and Client Work
In this unfiltered and wide-ranging conversation, Marina Martinez-Bateman returns to share what it actually looked like to survive one of the most volatile years many nonprofit professionals have ever experienced. From losing clients week after...
#134: You Don’t Owe the Internet Your Presence Everywhere
In this solo recap episode, Ashlan and Tory reflect on their conversation with writer and writing coach Sam Pollack and unpack the pressure entrepreneurs feel to constantly create content, stay visible online, and “play the algorithm game.”...
#133: The Anti-Algorithm Strategy: SEO, Email, and Real Connection
In this candid and refreshingly honest conversation, we sit down with returning guest Samantha (Sam) Pollack to talk about what it really looks like to navigate a business pivot in today’s ever-changing marketing landscape. From walking away fr...
#132: Business, Politics, and Community Impact
In this recap episode, Ashlan and Tory reflect on their conversation with Michael Jonas and dive deeper into collaboration, community-building, networking, and the scarcity mindset that often shows up in entrepreneurship.They explore why...
#131: Stop Waiting for Better Systems and Start Building Them Instead
In this powerful and wide-ranging conversation, we welcome back Michael Jonas for a candid update on his work, from launching innovative community-building tools like the Narwhal Pod to diving into big, uncomfortable questions through his new p...
#130: Building Better Workplace Transitions
In this recap episode, Ashlan and Victoria reflect on their powerful conversation with Naomi Hattaway about leaving well, workplace culture, sabbaticals, succession planning, and the reality that no one stays in a role forever.They unpac...
#129: The Realities of Workplace Transitions, Succession Planning, and Normalizing People Leaving
In this conversation, Naomi Hattaway returns to talk about what it really means to design your work, your leadership, and your life with intention. From building a home meant for aging in place to preparing organizations for sabbaticals, leader...
#128: Building a Business that Fits Your Life Goals, Not the Other Way Around
In this solo recap episode, Ashlan and Tory reflect on their conversation with Eunice and the way she intentionally redesigned her business to support a more flexible, travel-centered life. They explore what it really means to build your busine...
#127: What 4 Months of Solo Travel Taught Eunice About Business and Life
What happens when you stop waiting for “someday” and actually design your life around the things you say you want?In this episode, we sit down with returning guest Eunice Brownlee to talk about her bold decision to spend four months trav...
Extended Break - Back with New Episodes on May 5
In this short solo update, Ashlan shares a quick behind-the-scenes moment from the Take the Leap team, along with an exciting announcement you won’t want to miss. While Tory takes some much-needed time to recover (sending all the good vibes her...