Bench To Bold with Alisa Hood and Marnie Schneider
Life isn’t a spectator sport—and this podcast is your invitation to get off the bench and into the game.
Welcome to Bench to Bold—a show for anyone who's ready to stop sitting on the sidelines and start living life like they mean it. Hosted by dynamic duo Alisa Hood, fashion and lifestyle entrepreneur, and Marnie Schneider, author, speaker, and football legacy, the podcast brings together inspiring guests, bold conversations, and a sprinkle of sports energy to help you own your moment—on your terms.
Each episode features real, unfiltered stories from bold individuals across industries—leaders, founders, creatives, and changemakers. Whether they were born bold or had to grow into it, these are people living with intention, taking risks, and showing up fully in their lives.
With Alisa’s polished edge and Marnie’s infectious energy, Bench to Bold is equal parts motivational and relatable. Grounded in their personal love of sports (Alisa is a competitive tennis player; Marnie is the granddaughter of former Philadelphia Eagles owner Leonard Tose), the show uses a sports metaphor as a powerful lens for personal growth. Because life isn’t about watching from the sidelines—it’s about becoming the main character and making bold moves, whatever that looks like for you.
From the sidelines to center court—this is Bench to Bold.
Episodes
40 episodes
S2 Ep 11: From Hard Hats to Flats | Carla Truitt | Bench to Bold
Carla Truitt, founder of Eight Royale, joins Marnie and Alisa to share how sore feet, a music career, and a lot of hustle led her to design a line of stylish, packable flats and why year eight is the year she's finally found her voice.E...
S2 Ep 10: From São Paulo to Charlotte | Renata Gasparyan | Bench to Bold
Boutique fashion, bold reinvention, and the courage to start over — Renata Gasparyan joins Marnie and Alisa in the studio for a conversation as rich and layered as the pieces she designs. In this episode of Bench to Bold, the founder of Renata ...
S2 Ep9: From the Eagles to the Panthers | Leslie Stephenson Matz | Bench to Bold
She graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a French degree, moved to Philadelphia, and told her new boss she'd stay exactly one year. Thirty-plus years in the NFL later, Leslie Stephenson Matz is the woman who built the Carolina Panthers' TopCats ...
S2 Ep8: Swipe Right on Yourself | Heather Anderson | Bench to Bold
Fashion, dating, healing, and showing up fully — Heather Anderson joins Marnie and Alisa for a conversation that goes well beyond style tips. In this episode of Bench to Bold, the founder of So Heather shares how a decade-plus career in fashion...
S2 Ep7: Fireballs, Ben Franklin & No-Guest | Marnie & Alisa | Bench to Bold
No guest. No agenda. Just Marnie and Alisa taking over the show to let listeners finally get to know them. In this Season 2 solo episode of Bench to Bold, the co-hosts go deep on the things that actually matter: favorite flowers, candy dealbrea...
S2 Ep 6: Mabel's Misfits: The Pig That Started a Movement | Rebecca Lobb | Bench to Bold
It started with a phone call: a friend leaving town in 45 minutes with a pig she didn't know what to do with. Rebecca Lobb said yes — and that single moment became the spark for Mabel's Misfits, a Waxhaw, NC-based nonprofit built around the ani...
S2 Ep 5: Viral in a Dad Outfit With Monopoly Money | Carolina MiC
He's a tech worker from Minnesota, a Marine Corps veteran, a Camden, South Carolina native, a lifelong Carolina Panthers superfan — and, as of July 4th, 2025, one of the most infectious viral sensations in NFL history. In this episode of Bench ...
S2 Ep 4: The Cancer Conversation Nobody Else Is Having | Dr. Chadi Nabhan | Bench to Bold
What happens in the room when a doctor delivers a cancer diagnosis — and what should happen next? In this episode of Bench to Bold, Marnie and Alisa sit down with Dr. Chadi Nabhan, internationally recognized hematologist, medical oncologist, au...
S2 Ep 3: She Survived the Miracle on the Hudson — and She's Still Fighting for You | Denise Lockie
On January 15, 2009, Denise Lockie boarded US Airways Flight 1549 at LaGuardia Airport — a routine Thursday afternoon trip home. What happened next would become one of the most remarkable survival stories in aviation history. In this episode of...
S2 Ep 2: The First Woman in the Dallas Cowboys Locker Room | Marjorie Herrera Lewis | Bench to Bold
Marjorie Herrera Lewis is a trailblazing sports journalist who became the first female beat writer to cover the Dallas Cowboys, and she brought her incredible energy and stories to Bench to Bold. From growing up in a sports-obsessed family in S...
S2 Ep 1: New Studio, New Season & The Real Work Nobody Sees | Marnie & Alisa | Bench to Bold
Season two of Bench to Bold is officially here — and Marnie and Alisa are back with a brand new studio, a lot more to say, and zero plans to slow down. In this season premiere, the co-hosts reflect on a whirlwind trip to Super Bowl Media Row (y...
Ep 28 - Stop Talking to Yourself Like That: From Self-Doubt to Self-Compassion — with Colleen Odegaard
Episode DescriptionThere’s a voice most of us carry around all day. It comments on what we eat, how we look, what we said in that meeting last week. It’s constant. It’s cruel. And most of the time — we don’t even notice we’re doin...
Ep 27: Love Without Borders: Patty Shropshire on Adoption, Faith & Building a Multicultural Family
What does it look like to open your heart and your home to children from across the world? In this deeply moving episode of Bench to Bold, Alisa and Marnie sit down with Patty Shropshire, a teacher-turned-realtor, adoptive mother of two, and on...
Ep 26: From Bench to Bold: Tiffany Blackmon on Breast Implant Illness, Reinvention at 60, and Building a Life You're Proud Of
What does it look like to reinvent yourself — not once, but over and over — and come out stronger every time? In this episode, Marnie and Alisa sit down with the incredible Tiffany Blackmon: chef, content creator, podcast host, and certified Re...
Ep. 25: Finding Real Love: Matchmaker Julie Ferman's 35-Year Journey & Dating Secrets
Join Marnie and Alisa as they sit down with Julie Ferman, a professional matchmaker with 35 years of experience who has helped create over 1,400 successful couples. Julie shares her unique origin story—meeting her husband while signing up for h...
Ep. 23: Protect Your Loved One: What Families Must Know Before Choosing a Nursing Home
Choosing a nursing home or rehab facility can happen fast—and families are often handed a short list and told to “pick one.” In this episode of Bench to Bold, we sit down with Erin Stuckey, a South Carolina attorney who has seen t...
Ep 22: Own the Room: Confidence, Grit, and Building a Bold Career
What does it really take to build a bold life—and keep building when life gets messy?In this episode of Bench to Bold, we sit down with Jennifer Torney, Global Vice President at TAPFIN (a ManpowerGroup company), to t...
Ep 21 - The Bold Mindset: How Resilient Women Build Confidence After Adversity
What does it really take to live a bold life—especially after setbacks, loss, and moments that could have kept you stuck on the sidelines?In this episode of Bench to Bold, we sit down with Alvina Alston, a media po...
Ep 20 - From HBCU to the Dallas Cowboys: Timmy Newsome on Discipline, Opportunity, and Longevity
What does it take to go from an HBCU classroom to the Dallas Cowboys—and build a successful life after the NFL?In this episode of Bench to Bold, we sit down with Timmy Newsome, former Dallas Cowboys running ...
Ep 19: Why Women Feel Exhausted, Foggy, and Off—and What to Do About It
So many women feel constantly tired, mentally foggy, irritable, or just off—and quietly assume it’s normal, stress-related, or something they just have to push through.In this episode of Bench to Bold, we sit down with
Ep 18 - Inside Charlotte’s Real Estate Boom: How Abigail Hines Miller Built a Luxury Brand From the Ground Up
What does it really take to grow a luxury real estate brand, stand out in a competitive market, and make bold moves that actually pay off? In this week’s episode, we sit down with Abigail Hines Miller, Founder of The Agency C...
Ep 17 - Matchmaker to the Stars: Samantha Daniels on Dating Smarter, Not Harder
What does it really take to build a bold life — in love, in business, and in the everyday choices that shape who we become?In this episode, we sit down with Samantha Daniels, celebrity matchmaker, relationship expert, bestselling ...
Ep 16 - Christy Martin: From Trauma to Triumph — Choosing Bold Every Time
This week on Bench to Bold, we sit down with legendary boxer Christy Martin — a woman whose story is bigger, harder, and braver than most of us can imagine.Christy survived a near-fatal domestic violence attack, years of em...
Ep 15 - A Place to Call Home for Special Needs Adults | Bench to Bold Podcast
If you’re a parent or caregiver of a young adult with special needs, you already know: planning for the future can feel impossible. The resources are limited, the waitlists are long, and true independence — the kind that’s safe, supported, and ...
Ep 14 | How to Care for Your Mental Health — The Conversation We All Need
In this episode, Alisa and Marnie sit down with Dr. Tiffany Hall, a therapist and educator, to have the conversation we all need about what it really means to be mentally well, especially when life feels heavy. She d...