Short Story Long: Life Lessons from Leaders, Coaches, and Entrepreneurs
Short Story Long shares life-changing stories of growth, resilience, and reinvention from leaders, coaches, and everyday people navigating pivotal turning points. Hosted by leadership coach Beki Fraser, each episode explores the moments that shaped someone's path and the lessons we can all learn.
Every other week, Beki follows up with a Skill Builder episode that breaks down insights from the previous story into practical tools, reflection prompts, and leadership actions.
Whether you're building a business, transitioning into a new career, or learning to lead with greater purpose, this podcast offers real stories and practical strategies to help you grow. New episodes every other week.
Episodes
53 episodes
No, Not Every Challenge Is A Gift, But Gratitude Still Works
I explore gratitude as a daily leadership practice that turns ambition into belonging and presence into progress. There's a simple three-direction exercise—upward, outward, inward—to make gratitude real at work and at home.• gratitude a...
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Season 2
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Episode 36
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5:04
When Vision Meets Uncertainty, Choose Presence
Plans rarely survive contact with real life, and that’s where leadership truly begins. Drawing on Kaila’s leap from solopreneur to agency owner while becoming a parent, we explore how to trade grind for grace and control for connection without ...
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Season 2
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Episode 35
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24:30
Shifting Leadership From Me to We — Kaila Sachse’s Story
Ever built two babies at once—one human, one company? That’s the real-world tension Kaila brings to the mic as she shares how a leap from solo designer to agency owner collided with a surprise pregnancy, forcing her to redesign time, pricing, a...
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Season 2
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Episode 34
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45:59
Rewriting the Story of Success
What if safety and fulfillment were not opposites, but partners you could design on purpose? We walk through a practical, human path from control to contribution—using a true story about shifting from programming to journalism as a lens for sma...
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Season 2
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Episode 33
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26:22
Starting to Shift with a What If — Holden Galusha's Story
What if the safest choice isn’t the most honest one? That question frames a candid conversation with science journalist Holden Galusha, who started in programming for stability and found his voice by following curiosity, not clichés. A personal...
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Season 2
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Episode 32
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47:30
You Don’t Need Confidence. You Need Practice
The ground will shift—so what do you train for? We dive into resilience you can actually use: the steady, repeatable practice of recovering with intention, not the myth of unbreakable confidence. Sparked by Greg Stephens’ honest story about nea...
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Season 2
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Episode 31
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20:00
Everything You Create, Promote, or Allow — Greg Stephens' Story
Some choices don’t arrive with fanfare—they hit like a shove out of the nest. Greg Stephens shares the moment he was on his own at seventeen and the vow that followed: choose the path that honors your gut, then move one step at a time until the...
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Season 2
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Episode 30
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39:24
From Drifting to Driven: Building Career Ownership and Growth
Ever feel like your career is steering you instead of the other way around? We dig into the shift from autopilot to agency and unpack how development-minded leadership turns growth into a daily practice rather than a once-a-year form. Drawing o...
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Season 2
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Episode 29
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17:20
No More Autopilot: Claim Your Leadership Agency — Tammy Daniels’ Story
What happens when you finally take control of your career? Tammy Daniels' story reveals how one pivotal decision transformed her professional trajectory and personal understanding.After years of following the work at established law fir...
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Season 2
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Episode 28
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57:09
Layoffs and Job Hugging: Leading Through Uncertainty
Layoffs shatter our sense of security and challenge our professional identity in profound ways. Whether you've just received the news, survived while colleagues departed, or sense the anxiety of possible workforce reductions, this episode offer...
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Season 2
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Episode 27
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24:55
Redefining Success After a Layoff — Steve Jaffe’s Story
When the rug is pulled out from under your career, what comes next? Steve Jaffe knows this disorienting experience all too well. After weathering four layoffs across his 25-year marketing career, he's transformed from someone devastated by job ...
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Season 2
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Episode 26
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44:27
Breaking Old Scripts: The Courage to Choose Your Own Leadership Story
What happens when the version of success you've been told to follow no longer fits who you really are? Chris Blount faced this question head-on, making the brave choice to honor his authentic self by leaving behind security for something unknow...
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Season 2
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Episode 25
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21:55
From Burnout to On Purpose: Rewiring Work & Life — Chris Blount’s Story
What happens when the blueprint you've been handed for success starts suffocating your soul? Chris Blount's journey offers a compelling answer to this question that many of us face but few dare to confront.Growing up in a blue-collar Ne...
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Season 2
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Episode 24
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45:52
Stop Doing All the Things: Get Recognized for Your True Impact
Ever found yourself drowning in tasks but wondering why you're not growing as a leader? You might be caught in what I call the "breadth trap" – mistaking busyness for advancement and spreading yourself too thin across responsibilities without d...
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Season 2
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Episode 23
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24:44
Shannon King's Story: Surviving the Fallout of Broken Corporate Promises
The moment Shannon King declined a lateral position after returning from maternity leave, she knew exactly what it meant – unemployment. Yet, she felt completely at peace with her decision. After seven years of building a department from scratc...
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Season 2
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Episode 22
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47:50
The Mindset Shift: From Manager to Strategic Leader
The leap from technical expert to strategic leader requires more than skill—it demands a shift in mindset. This episode highlights the subtle but powerful communication shifts that signal executive readiness, and the importance of c...
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Season 2
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Episode 21
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4:49
Aaron Wilkerson's Story: The Mindset Shift That Fueled His Promotion
In this episode, I reconnect with Aaron Wilkerson, a former client and thoughtful leader whose growth journey offers real insight into what it takes to move from technical expert to strategic leader. Together, we explore how leaders...
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Season 2
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Episode 20
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48:38
The Focus Paradox: Do Less, Achieve More - Skill Builder
Show Notes (199 words):What’s the difference between staying busy and making meaningful progress? Focused leadership reshapes the way we work—and how we feel about that work. It’s easy to default to being available, in...
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Season 2
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Episode 19
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5:04
Namon's Story: Choosing Growth Into HR Over Going with the Flow
This episode explores Namon's journey from a decade in sales to a new path in human resources. Blending his creative identity as DJ Blue with a growing passion for people-focused work, Namon shares how formal education became a tool for finding...
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Season 2
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Episode 18
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35:19
Celebrating a Decade of Entrepreneurship: Insights and Evolution
In this special anniversary episode, we’re turning the mic around! To mark 10 years of full-time coaching through my business, Focus for Growth, I’m stepping into the guest seat. My friend and podcast producer, Richard Dodds, hosts the conversa...
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Season 2
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Episode 17
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38:57
Boundaries for Effective Leadership - Skill Builder
Leadership isn't just about managing others—it's about managing yourself with intention. Drawing from a powerful conversation with Alan Heyman, this episode dives deep into two critical leadership skills: setting boundaries and creating psychol...
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Season 2
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Episode 16
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5:48
Alan Heymann's Story: Reclaiming Energy Through Professional Reinvention
From drowning in meetings to discovering his authentic path, Alan Heyman's journey reveals what happens when we acknowledge the disconnect between career expectations and reality. This transformative conversation pulls back the curtain on what ...
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Season 2
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Episode 15
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43:27
Fear Doesn't Have to Run Your Show - Skill Builder
Let's dig into the powerful distinction between following someone else's blueprint and charting your own authentic path as a leader.This episode explores how effective leadership begins with managing your internal reactions—especially fe...
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Season 2
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Episode 14
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5:15
Toby Adamson's Story: Reimagining Who You Are When Life Forces a New Path
What happens when you realize you're living a life on remote control? For Toby Adamson, this revelation sparked a transformation.Her awakening triggered a series of life-altering decisions. After years of solving business problems with ...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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28:03
