Contributors

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Host

Dr. Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer - Climbing the Corporate Ladder without Breaking a Heel

Climbing the Corporate Ladder Without Breaking a Heel is hosted by Dr. Cynthia Mercer, a leadership strategist, executive advisor, and advocate for ambitious professional women navigating high-performance careers.

Each week, Dr. Mercer sits down with influential leaders, authors, and change-makers to explore real conversations about leadership, influence, resilience, and success—without burnout or compromise. The show blends practical career strategy with honest discussions about power, purpose, and the realities women face while climbing the corporate ladder.

With a focus on confidence, visibility, and sustainable leadership, the podcast equips listeners with the tools to grow their careers, lead with clarity, and define success on their own terms—without breaking themselves in the process.

https://linktr.ee/drcynthiabentzenmercer
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Pam Dwyer

Pam Dwyer is the host of The Plus One Theory podcast, where she explores how real stories, hard-won wisdom, and everyday resilience can add up to life-changing impact — one choice, one conversation, one “plus one” at a time. Writing under the pen name PJ Hamilton, Pam is a bestselling author, speaker, and creator of Delay the Binge, a mindset-first approach to coping and self-regulation. Known for her honesty, heart, and humor, Pam uses her platform to spotlight voices that often go unheard and to remind listeners that healing isn’t linear — but it is possible. Her mission: help people finish stronger than they started. 

https://theplusonetheorypodcast.com/

Guests

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Carla Royal

Carla Royal is a transformation coach, speaker, and co-creator of the Mindful-U method, a powerful framework that helps individuals break free from limiting patterns and create lasting personal change.

With a background in psychology, addiction recovery, and behavioral transformation, Carla blends science, mindfulness, and practical tools to help people understand the deeper “why” behind their behaviors—so they can choose differently in real time.

She is also the co-host of the podcast Rebels for Peace, where she explores conscious living, personal growth, and the journey of becoming more aligned from the inside out.

Carla’s work focuses on helping people move beyond surface-level change and step into a more aware, intentional way of living.

https://www.carlaroyal.com/

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Charles Coulter

Charles Coulter is a compassionate, client-centered marriage counselor based in San Antonio, TX. With years of experience helping couples navigate challenges and rebuild connection, Charles specializes in communication issues, conflict resolution, trust repair, and emotional healing. His approach is grounded in empathy and guided by evidence-based methods that empower couples to grow stronger together. Whether you're facing a relationship crisis or simply want to deepen your bond, Charles creates a safe space where both partners feel heard, supported, and guided toward meaningful change. Located in San Antonio, he is committed to helping couples find lasting solutions and renewed hope. Schedule a session with Charles today — and take the first step toward a healthier, more connected relationship. 

https://thebestmarriage.com/
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Claudia Taboada

Claudia Taboada is The Midlife Success Mentor™, a holistic wellness coach specializing in menopause, metabolism, muscle health, and sustainable fat loss for women over 45. After struggling with hormonal changes, burnout, and stubborn weight gain herself, Claudia transformed her health by rebuilding lean muscle, strength, energy, and resilience without extreme dieting or excessive cardio.

Now, through her STRONG Method and More Muscle Lifestyle approach, she helps women reclaim their health, confidence, and vitality through practical, sustainable habits focused on strength training, protein intake, and healthy aging.

Claudia is also the author of Burnout to Unstoppable and is passionate about helping women become strong, energized, and unstoppable in midlife and beyond.

https://claudiataboada.com/
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Dr. Suzanne Simpson

I hold a PhD in Education, and my work is grounded in research and years of parenting and in the classroom. I’m not a registered counsellor, psychologist, or psychiatrist. I offer speaking and coaching based on research-based insight, space for reflection, and practical strategies that help you understand teen perspective and behaviour, strengthen parent and teenager relationship, build secure attachment, reduce conflict, and connect better with teens at home and at school.

https://www.drsuzannesimpson.com/

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Hussein Hallak

Hussein Hallak is a serial entrepreneur, startup mentor, and the founder of Next Decentrum, a company pioneering storytelling in emerging tech and culture. With over 25 years of experience building ventures and mentoring founders, Hussein has helped launch more than 500 startups and worked with organizations like Techstars, Launch Academy, and Startup Weekend. 


He's passionate about education, innovation, and the intersection of technology and humanity. 


Known for his clarity, humility, and ability to simplify complex ideas, Hussein brings a grounded, real-world perspective to entrepreneurship, leadership, and personal growth. 


He’s a frequent speaker on innovation, Web3, and purpose-driven business — and a strong believer that the future belongs to those who are bold enough to build it. 

https://www.husseinhallak.com/
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Katie Ruffino

Katie works with high-achieving women who are used to thinking their way through every decision — gathering data, seeking consensus, outsourcing authority to partners, mentors, or whoever seems most confident in the room — and who have lost connection to their own internal signal in the process.
Her approach draws on her background as a Physician Assistant with advanced training in functional and regenerative medicine, her certification as an NLP Master Practitioner, her study of nervous system regulation, and years of embodied personal practice. It is instructional and methodical. It is also deeply practical.

She teaches self-trust as a learned skill that is strengthened through the body, trained in low-stakes moments, and built through accumulated evidence.

Her work sits at the intersection of medical literacy, nervous system education, subconscious rewiring, and grounded spirituality. The goal is not transformation for its own sake.

https://sunnysidekt.com/home
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Lissy Alden

Lissy Alden, an optimistic yet sometimes-stressed high achiever, founded MYNDY to bridge the gap between academic rigor and real-world resilience.

After graduating from Cornell, she took her skills to companies like JP Morgan and General Assembly, where she helped develop operational and cultural excellence transformations.


Today, the MYNDY team, made up of experts, innovators, and enthusiasts, is dedicated to helping users feel their best. And our team won’t stop until everyone is able to take their Mental Fitness into their own hands.

MYNDY. Win the Moment.

https://www.myndy.co/

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Michelle Phillips - Write Your Outcome Podcast

Michelle Phillips is the host of the Write Your Outcome Podcast, where she helps listeners create clarity, confidence, and momentum through intentional habits and mindset shifts. With more than 25 years of experience coaching individuals and Fortune 500 organizations, Michelle is a globally respected happiness, energy, and high-performance expert. She is also the President of Key Performance, a leadership coaching firm focused on sustainable success and emotional resilience. Michelle is the bestselling author of Happiness Is a Habit, named one of Amazon’s Top 5 self-development books, and Energize Your Happiness. Her work empowers people to move from reactive living to intentionally writing the outcomes they want in their lives and work.

https://key2unlock.com/podcasts/

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Rene

Rene is a licensed massage therapist practicing since 2008, with a focus on pain management, surgical recovery, and deep relaxation. Specializing in neck, shoulder, lower back, and hip issues, Rene blends clinical skill with an intuitive touch to support each client’s unique healing process. Whether you're preparing for surgery, recovering from it, or simply needing relief from everyday tension, Rene’s approach is restorative and results-driven. Clients often say they leave feeling refreshed, balanced, and better connected to their bodies. Guided by the belief that the body has an innate ability to heal itself, Rene uses massage as a catalyst to jumpstart that natural process — creating space for both physical and emotional release. 

https://oakhavenmassage.com/san-antonio-huebner
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Robert Plank

Robert Plank is a software developer, online marketer, and entrepreneur who has built a reputation for helping creators, coaches, and business owners turn ideas into automated, income-generating systems. As the creator of tools like WP Notepad and Backup Creator, and host of the Marketer of the Day podcast, Robert has published over 800 episodes with top experts across industries. With a no-fluff, results-first approach, he teaches practical strategies in content creation, list building, product launches, and membership site growth. Robert has authored multiple books, delivered thousands of training sessions, and continues to help his audience simplify their tech, scale their businesses, and take action. His mission is simple: stop overthinking and start creating — because imperfect action beats perfect inaction every time. 

https://www.dfypodcast.com/
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Tyler Lenz

Tyler Lenz is the author of the Texas Accelerated series, a fast-paced blend of sci-fi, survival, and small-town grit. Known for creating immersive, action-packed worlds, Tyler writes stories that entertain first — with just enough chaos, creatures, and heart to keep readers hooked. His next project is the litRPG trilogy Non-Player Character, set to launch with Moonquill and Podium Publishing in 2026. With a background in technical writing and a passion for storytelling, Tyler has built a growing fanbase by serializing his work on platforms like Royal Road and embracing the indie author hustle. Whether he’s imagining saber-toothed tigers in Central Texas or leveling up characters in dystopian game worlds, Tyler writes with one goal in mind: give readers a wild, unforgettable ride.

https://amzn.to/3JKVy7T