From Fear To Fire

Heather Hansen Oneill

Keynote Speaker, Author, Podcastor

  1. 4d ago

    Find the Thread with Carl Walsh

    This week’s theme: Find the Thread In this episode of From Fear to Fire, Heather Hansen O’Neill interviews Carl Walsh about finding a thread that runs through your being, what excites you, and the work that you are called to do. Carl reflects on his own journey, initially struggling to understand how his professional background in the corporate world and theater could be connected. However, as he explains the thread that connects them, he realizes that it has always been there. He further advises people to think through what they always do, where they invest their energy, and what calms and excites them to discover their thread. In his advice to leaders and managers, Carl shares some of the lessons he learned in the theater that are applicable now in business and leadership. He says that they should show up, own their role, see leadership as a role everyone can play, and learn a new skill set. Moreover, he advises leaders to invest in diversity of thought and destroy silos in their organizations to enhance exchange of ideas and better decision-making. Overall, his main message is that people should look for their thread, which will last forever, as opposed to a career or a job that could change over time, including with the emergence of technologies such as artificial intelligence. From Fear to Fire: Secrets to Overcome Fear, Embrace Your Gifts and Achieve Success This is the place where real people share real challenges. Where you can find a common bond and uncommon wisdom through their stories. Use tips from the breakthroughs of others to jump-start your success. Speaker, author, adventurer, and host Heather Hansen O’Neill takes you on the journey from fear to fire. Today, we talk about how to find the thread that connects your purpose, strengths, and work while staying aligned through change. Carl Walsh Carl Walsh brings a rare perspective to leadership and business transformation because he has lived both worlds. Before spending nearly three decades in corporate leadership, Carl spent 20 years in professional theater as an actor, director, and Artistic Director of the 21st Street Theater Company in Los Angeles. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and recipient of top honors from UCLA’s theater program, including the Natalie Wood and Hugh O’Brien awards, he built his early career around one essential truth: great performances only happen when people learn how to work together. That lesson never left him. Carl transitioned from the stage to business and spent 27 years building teams, leading operations, and solving organizational problems from the sales floor to the executive level, ultimately serving as an IT Director of Quality Assurance. His experience inside large organizations taught him that the biggest drag on performance is rarely talent, strategy, or effort. It is communication failure. Smart people misunderstanding each other costs companies enormous amounts of money, momentum, and trust. Today, through We Are Alpha Dogs Consulting, Carl helps leaders fix that problem. Using The Oval Table framework and Dogologic methodology, he helps organizations improve decision-making, strengthen team commitment, and reduce the hidden costs of poor communication by creating real diversity of thought around the table. His message is simple: business should work more like great theater. The best results happen when people understand their role, trust the people around them, and commit to building something larger than themselves. Carl and his partner Douglas Bowers are currently launching We Are Alpha Dogs Business Coaching. Connect with Carl: Website: The Oval Table LinkedIn: Carl Walsh YouTube: The Oval Table Offering an online business personality test and a free webinar. Quote of the Day: “Theatre is the art of looking at ourselves.” ~Augusto Boal   Finding Humanity: The Evolution of Sales is out now. Check it out here!   The post Find the Thread with Carl Walsh appeared first on Heather Hansen Oneill.

  2. Oct 14

    Rethink Retirement with Andi Simon, PhD

    This week’s theme: Rethink Retirement Retirement is more than leaving a job. It can impact your identity, purpose, relationships, and sense of belonging. In this episode of From Fear to Fire, Heather Hansen O’Neill talks with corporate anthropologist and author Andi Simon about why so many people struggle when work ends. Our careers often become part of who we are, so retirement can leave us asking, “Who am I now?” Andi explains that financial preparation is important, but being financially ready does not always mean being emotionally or socially prepared for the next chapter. Andi encourages listeners to rethink retirement as a beginning rather than an ending. Instead of waiting until retirement to figure out what comes next, start exploring hobbies, relationships, service, travel, learning, and other sources of meaning now. She also encourages people to repurpose their experience and wisdom, visualize the life they want, and build a community around them. Retirement can be an opportunity to redefine who you are, what you contribute, and what brings you joy. As Andi says, “You’re in charge. Enjoy the journey.” From Fear to Fire: Secrets to Overcome Fear, Embrace Your Gifts and Achieve Success This is the place where real people share real challenges. Where you can find a common bond and uncommon wisdom through their stories. Use tips from the breakthroughs of others to jump-start your success. Speaker, author, adventurer, and host Heather Hansen O’Neill takes you on the journey from fear to fire. Today, we talk about rethinking retirement as a new beginning filled with purpose, identity, connection, and possibilities. Andi Simon, PhD Andi Simon, PhD, is a corporate anthropologist studying what happens when work ends but life doesn’t, and why retirement has become one of the most misunderstood and emotionally complex transitions of our time. She’s the founder of Simon Associates Management Consultants (SAMC), an award-winning author, and a global keynote speaker who helps leaders see culture and identity more clearly, turning observation into innovation and designing smarter transitions for people and organizations. She also hosts a popular podcast show, On the Brink with Andi Simon. Connect with Andi: Website: Simon Associates Management Consultant LinkedIn: Andrea Simon Podcast: On the Brink with Andi Simon Quote of the Day: “Retire from work, but not from life.” ~MK Soni   Finding Humanity: The Evolution of Sales is out now. Check it out here! The post Rethink Retirement with Andi Simon, PhD appeared first on Heather Hansen Oneill.

  3. Sep 30

    Uncommon Courage with Becky Estby

    This week’s theme: Uncommon Courage In this episode of From Fear to Fire, Heather Hansen O’Neill welcomes Becky Estby, CEO of Next Monday and author of Uncommon Courage, to discuss what it means to redefine success, leadership, and belonging. Becky shares how her experiences growing up on a farm, building a corporate career, and creating a community for high-achieving women shaped her mission to help people recognize when they feel unseen, exhausted, or misaligned. Through her work, she encourages women to stop assuming they are the problem and instead find the courage to understand their needs, use their voice, and create a path that aligns with who they truly are. Becky and Heather explore why courage is one of the most overlooked leadership qualities and how leaders can build environments where people feel safe to speak honestly. Becky shares her “mirror test” for making decisions with integrity, the importance of addressing challenges strategically rather than reacting emotionally, and why the answer is not always to leave a situation but sometimes to fix what is misaligned. Her message of uncommon courage reminds listeners that they do not have to navigate difficult moments alone. By finding supportive communities, embracing their authentic selves, and standing up for what matters, they can move from fear toward a more fulfilling and purposeful life. From Fear to Fire: Secrets to Overcome Fear, Embrace Your Gifts and Achieve Success This is the place where real people share real challenges. Where you can find a common bond and uncommon wisdom through their stories. Use tips from the breakthroughs of others to jump-start your success. Speaker, author, adventurer, and host Heather Hansen O’Neill takes you on the journey from fear to fire. Today, we talk about embracing uncommon courage, finding your authentic voice, redefining success, and creating alignment between your values, leadership, and life. Becky Estby Becky Estby is the CEO of Next Monday, where she helps professional women in leadership grow through peer groups, coaching, events, and leadership consulting. A former senior HR and organizational development executive, Becky works with high-achieving women who look successful on paper but feel unseen, exhausted, or misaligned. Her upcoming book, Uncommon Courage, helps women stop assuming they are the problem and start redefining success, leadership, and belonging on their own terms. Connect with Becky: Website: Next Monday LinkedIn: Becky Estby, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CPCC LinkedIn Company: Next Monday Becky Estby’s new book, Uncommon Courage: How to Reframe Success Without Sacrificing Your Soul, is now available on Amazon. You can learn more about the book HERE. Quote of the Day: “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” ~EE Cummings   Finding Humanity: The Evolution of Sales is out now. Check it out here!   The post Uncommon Courage with Becky Estby appeared first on Heather Hansen Oneill.

  4. Sep 14

    Navigating the Pause with Dr. Ann Marie Peters

    This week’s theme: Navigating the Pause Dr. Ann Marie Peters shares a powerful perspective on navigating the pause, encouraging women to see career breaks not as setbacks but as valuable chapters of personal and professional growth. Whether the pause was for caregiving, motherhood, health, or other life transitions, she explains that the leadership, problem-solving, communication, and resilience developed during that time are highly transferable skills. Rather than apologizing for employment gaps, women should recognize the strengths they have built and confidently reframe their experiences as assets that prepare them for future opportunities. The conversation also explores the emotional side of navigating the pause, including identity loss, diminished confidence, and imposter syndrome. Dr. Peters emphasizes that rebuilding confidence starts with small, intentional steps, reflecting on past accomplishments, identifying existing strengths, and gradually re-engaging with professional networks. Through her book We’ll Be Right Back, she offers practical guidance to help women reclaim their confidence, articulate their value, and embrace the next chapter of their careers with purpose, reminding listeners that their story is far from over. From Fear to Fire: Secrets to Overcome Fear, Embrace Your Gifts and Achieve Success This is the place where real people share real challenges. Where you can find a common bond and uncommon wisdom through their stories. Use tips from the breakthroughs of others to jump-start your success. Speaker, author, adventurer, and host Heather Hansen O’Neill takes you on the journey from fear to fire. Today, we talk about navigating the pause by reframing career breaks as opportunities to build confidence, rediscover purpose, and recognize the valuable leadership skills gained through life’s transitions. Dr. Ann Marie Peters Dr. Ann Marie Peters is a research-backed author and leadership strategist focused on women’s career pauses, identity, and return-to-work transitions. Drawing on her PhD research in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and decades of leadership experience, Ann Marie explores the questions of identity, confidence, and purpose that women face after stepping away from paid work due to caregiving, motherhood, burnout, health challenges, or major life transitions. Her work helps women reframe career pauses not as gaps to apologize for, but as chapters that can build clarity, resilience, and renewed leadership. Connect with Dr. Ann Marie: Website: AMP Consulting LinkedIn: Dr. Ann Marie Peters Instagram: @backwithamp Facebook: We’ll Be Right Back Dr. Ann Marie L. Peters’ new book, We’ll Be Right Back: A Lifeline for Every Woman Who Hit Pause on Her Career, is a guide to reclaiming your confidence, recognizing the value of your experience, and moving forward with purpose. Buy the book HERE. Quote of the Day: “What a circus act we women perform every day of our lives. Look at us. We run a tightrope daily… This is not the life of simplicity but the life of multiplicity that the wise men warn us of.” ~ Ann Morrow Lindbergh   Finding Humanity: The Evolution of Sales is out now. Check it out here! The post Navigating the Pause with Dr. Ann Marie Peters appeared first on Heather Hansen Oneill.

  5. Sep 2

    Celebrating 350 Episodes with Heather

    This week’s theme: Celebrating 350 Episodes In this special episode, Heather celebrates 350 episodes of From Fear to Fire by reflecting on the incredible guests, listeners, and stories that have shaped the podcast journey. Through conversations with people who have faced burnout, cancer, fear, profound loss, and life-changing experiences, Heather shares how their vulnerability, courage, resilience, and willingness to keep moving forward have deeply influenced her own perspective. Celebrating 350 episodes also means looking back at the lessons that continue to resonate. Heather shares 10 key insights, including that everyone is afraid of something, courage means taking action despite fear, you only need to know the next right step, and your story can help someone else. Most importantly, she reflects that the goal is not to eliminate fear, but to carry it without letting it determine where you go. As Heather looks toward the future, she reminds listeners that life is a journey, it is never too late to change direction, and every small decision can create meaningful transformation. From Fear to Fire: Secrets to Overcome Fear, Embrace your Gifts and Achieve Success This is the place where real people share real challenges. Where you can find a common bond and uncommon wisdom through their stories. Use tips from the breakthroughs of others to jump start your success. Speaker, author, adventurer, and host Heather Hansen O’Neill takes you on the journey from fear to fire. Today, we celebrate 350 episodes of From Fear to Fire and share 10 powerful lessons about fear, courage, resilience, vulnerability, purpose, and personal transformation learned along the way. Heather Hansen O’Neill Heather is the host of the From Fear to Fire podcast as well as a best-selling author, igniter of inner flame, and an international keynote speaker and change strategist. Her specialty is in helping individuals and organizations consciously transform their behaviors for peak performance. Connect with Heather: Website: Heather Hansen O’Neill Social media accounts: LinkedIn: heatherhansenoneill Facebook: heather.h.oneill.9 Instagram: heather.hansen.oneill YouTube: @fromfeartofire Reach out to Heather at: Heather@HeatherHansenONeill.com. Want to dive deeper? Check out Finding Humanity book, explore The Humanity of Sales show on YouTube, and watch the powerful DisruptHR talk. Quote of the Day: “Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead.” ~Nelson Mandela   Finding Humanity: The Evolution of Sales is out now. Check it out here! The post Celebrating 350 Episodes with Heather appeared first on Heather Hansen Oneill.

  6. Jul 15

    Career Strategy with Sonal Bahl

    This week’s theme: Career Strategy Sonal Bahl shares her remarkable journey from building a career in human resources in India to living and working across South America and Europe. Along the way, she faced setbacks that shaped her approach to career strategy. She reflects on career interruptions, learning new languages, raising a family while earning an MBA, and rebuilding her professional path after multiple layoffs. Rather than viewing challenges as failures, Sonal reframes them as opportunities for resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to embrace uncertainty. These experiences helped her build a thriving career advisory business that now serves professionals around the world. The conversation also explores practical career strategy for professionals at every stage of their journey. Sonal explains why effective communication, personal positioning, and clearly demonstrating business impact matter more than simply working hard. She discusses the difference between being highly capable and being recognized for your value, offering actionable advice on career growth, networking, storytelling, salary negotiation, and building a reputation that creates new opportunities. Whether someone is launching their career or pursuing executive leadership, her insights emphasize intentional positioning, continuous learning, and the confidence to think bigger. From Fear to Fire: Secrets to Overcome Fear, Embrace Your Gifts and Achieve Success This is the place where real people share real challenges. Where you can find a common bond and uncommon wisdom through their stories. Use tips from the breakthroughs of others to jump-start your success. Speaker, author, adventurer, and host Heather Hansen O’Neill takes you on the journey from fear to fire. Today, we talk about how a strong career strategy, effective personal positioning, and resilient leadership can help you overcome setbacks and create lasting professional success. Sonal Bahl Sonal Bahl is an experienced HR Director and a Career Strategist, living in Belgium. Originally from India, she has also lived and worked in India, Uruguay, Chile, and France. With nearly 2 decades in HR in large companies like GE and PWC to family owned enterprises and startups, Sonal has screened over 250,000 resumes and conducted over 5000 interviews on 3 continents, helping senior management to recruit, build and evolve highly talented teams. As a Career Strategist, Sonal helps people by offering authentic advice on how they can have a career they actually love. She will give you that extra edge you need to land that career defining role, get promoted & improve your happiness at work. She is also the creator and host of How I Got Hired, a top rated career podcast in multiple countries. Sonal has an MBA from INSEAD, ranked number 2 globally by FT), and has recently been recognized as LinkedIn Top Voice 2024. She speaks English, Hindi, Spanish and French fluently. Connect with Sonal: Website: Super Charge LinkedIn: Sonal Bahl Quote of the Day: “Fall in love with the process, and the results will come.” ~Eric Thomas   Finding Humanity: The Evolution of Sales is out now. Check it out here!   The post Career Strategy with Sonal Bahl appeared first on Heather Hansen Oneill.

  7. Jun 29

    Resilience with Damaris Melo-Gyasi

    This week’s theme: Resilience In this episode of From Fear to Fire, Damaris Melo-Gyasi shares her journey from growing up in a working-class family in Brazil to building a successful architecture firm in the United States. Through her experiences with immigration, entrepreneurship, faith, and personal growth, she explains how grit, determination, and resilience helped her overcome challenges and create a new life in an unfamiliar country. Her story shows that success is not about being exceptional, but about having the courage to keep going when life gets difficult. Damaris opens up about the challenges of running a business, including self-doubt, financial struggles, leadership demands, and the need to stay focused through uncertainty. She shares valuable lessons on learning from failure, staying organized, recognizing your strengths, and practicing resilience every day. Her message encourages listeners to trust the process, remain grateful as they work toward their goals, and believe that faith and perseverance can turn setbacks into opportunities for growth and success. From Fear to Fire: Secrets to Overcome Fear, Embrace Your Gifts and Achieve Success This is the place where real people share real challenges. Where you can find a common bond and uncommon wisdom through their stories. Use tips from the breakthroughs of others to jump-start your success. Speaker, author, adventurer, and host Heather Hansen O’Neill takes you on the journey from fear to fire. Today, we talk about how resilience, faith, and determination helped overcome adversity, build a successful business, and create a life of purpose despite uncertainty and setbacks. Damaris Melo-Gyasi Damaris Melo-Gyasi is an architect, entrepreneur, storyteller, and author of Making My Way, a memoir about grit, grace, faith, immigration, and rebuilding a life without a clear roadmap. Born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, she grew up in a working-class Pentecostal family where ambition was complicated, and resources were limited. Her journey took her across geographical, cultural, economic, professional, and spiritual borders, eventually leading her to the United States, where she rebuilt her life and career from the ground up. Today, Damaris leads a mission-driven architecture practice and speaks to anyone who has ever had to start over, refuse to shrink, and make their own way forward. Connect with Damaris: Website: Damaris Melo-Gyasi LinkedIn: Damaris Melo-Gyasi Making My Way: A Story of Grit and Grace book on Amazon Quote of the Day: “Life is the ability to start over again.” ~ Sister Joan Chittister   Finding Humanity: The Evolution of Sales is out now. Check it out here! The post Resilience with Damaris Melo-Gyasi appeared first on Heather Hansen Oneill.

  8. Jun 10

    Mobilize with Sandy Rosenthal

    This week’s theme: Mobilize In this powerful episode of From Fear to Fire, Sandy Rosenthal shares how one conversation after Hurricane Katrina ignited her mission to uncover the truth behind the catastrophic flooding in New Orleans. She explains how engineering failures by the Army Corps of Engineers caused devastating levee collapses and how she worked tirelessly to mobilize public awareness, challenge misinformation, and correct the national narrative. Through persistence, courage, and advocacy, she helped influence major media outlets, including the Associated Press, to accurately report the role of levee failure in the disaster. Throughout the conversation, Sandy discussed leadership, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the importance of speaking up even when facing powerful opposition. Sandy also shares her current mission to mobilize support for engineering failure education so future engineers can learn from past disasters and prevent similar tragedies. The episode delivers an inspiring message about resilience, accountability, and using your voice to create meaningful change, reminding listeners that true leadership often begins when ordinary people choose to stand up for what they know is right. From Fear to Fire: Secrets to Overcome Fear, Embrace Your Gifts and Achieve Success This is the place where real people share real challenges. Where you can find a common bond and uncommon wisdom through their stories. Use tips from the breakthroughs of others to jump-start your success. Speaker, author, adventurer, and host Heather Hansen O’Neill takes you on the journey from fear to fire. Today, we talk about how community advocates mobilized awareness, challenged misinformation surrounding Hurricane Katrina, and turned adversity into a mission for accountability, leadership, and lasting change. Sandy Rosenthal After Hurricane Katrina and the federal levee failures in New Orleans, Sandy Rosenthal founded the nonprofit Levees.org with 25,000 supporters nationwide. Her book––Words Whispered in Water––is about how she exposed the culprit in the catastrophe––the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers––and how the agency spent millions covering up its mistakes. Rosenthal is an advocate for the 62% of the American population living by levees. Sandy hosts a weekly podcast called Beat the Big Guys where she coaches her national audience on how to take on the big guys in their own communities. Rosenthal plays tennis five days a week, practices yoga, teaches her dog silly tricks and spends time every month with her two grandchildren in San Francisco. May 16th – J. David Rogers Day June 1 – Start of hurricane season Connect with Sandy: Website: Levees and Words Whispered in Waters LinkedIn: Sandy Rosenthal Facebook: Words Whispered in Waters Instagram: leveesorg Quote of the Day: “Leadership – mobilization toward a common goal.” ~Garry Wills   Finding Humanity: The Evolution of Sales is out now. Check it out here! The post Mobilize with Sandy Rosenthal appeared first on Heather Hansen Oneill.

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About

Keynote Speaker, Author, Podcastor

Information

  • Creator
    Heather Hansen Oneill
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    99
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    From Fear To Fire