FINE is a 4-Letter Word

Lori Saitz
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

What happens when fine is no longer good enough? You’ve got the career, the family, all the outward signs of success. But underneath that competence and capability are quiet questions that won’t leave you alone. How do I build a legacy beyond next quarter’s revenue? Where do I find more meaning? What if I were true to myself? Welcome to Fine is a 4-Letter Word, with host Lori Saitz. Each week, you’ll hear personal stories blended with practical insight What happens when fine is no longer good enough? You’ve got the career, the family, all the outward signs of success. But underneath that competence and capability are quiet questions that won’t leave you alone. How do I build a legacy beyond next quarter’s revenue? Where do I find more meaning? What if I were true to myself? Welcome to Fine is a 4-Letter Word, with host Lori Saitz. Each week, you’ll hear personal stories blended with practical insight from leaders, creators, and change-makers, offering a window into what’s possible when you listen to and honor your heart. We explore what it takes to lead with empathy, vulnerability, gratitude, and courage, especially when everything isn’t fine. You’ll get grounded perspectives and usable tools for moving from stuck, restless, or successful-but-empty into clarity, truth, and passion. None of us knows how much time we have here. So we have to make the most of it. It’s time to live a life that feels like it belongs to you. One thing’s for sure… you’ll never hear—or say—the word “fine” in the same way again., offering a window into what’s possible when you listen to and honor your heart.

  1. Promises You Make To Yourself With Scott Lackey

    1d ago

    Promises You Make To Yourself With Scott Lackey

    Scott Lackey grew up as a free-range kid roaming the woods and building forts, convinced he had all the time in the world. Then three questions from three people in the span of two weeks turned everything upside down. What followed was a winding path through the military, a failed invention, a Ponzi scheme, and a long list of promises he kept breaking to himself — until one sleepless night during Covid changed the trajectory of his life. In this episode of Fine Is a 4-Letter Word, host Lori Saitz sits down with Scott to unpack the stories behind his upcoming book, including why crossing the finish line is never the actual victory, how military service wired him differently than the civilian world could handle, and why the Ironman he completed wasn't really about endurance at all. Scott shares the moment he realized broken promises to himself were the root of his unrest, and why learning to listen to your inner voice, whether you call it God, instinct, or something else entirely, changes how you move through every challenge. Key Topics Covered: How Scott's free-range upbringing shaped his sense of adventure and created the blind spots that nearly derailed his early adult lifeThe two-week period where three questions from a coach, a teacher, and his father forced him to think about the future for the first timeHow an Army commercial became the clearest sense of direction he had ever feltServing with the 1st Infantry Division in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, and why four years of military service were irreplaceableThe Wire Dog invention he built in the desert, the $10,000 Ponzi scheme that ended the dream, and what those failures actually taught himWhy Scott believes the gifts are always in the pain, and how that principle shaped his leadership philosophyThe danger of taking advice from people who have nothing at stake in your decisionHow broken promises to yourself erode self-trust, and the internal wake-up call that led him to register for the IronmanThe practices Scott uses to stay connected to his inner voice, including journaling, fasting, long workouts, and meditationWhat the Ironman's question 'What are you willing to sacrifice?' ultimately revealed to him If you've ever felt stuck at 'fine' and couldn't put your finger on why, this conversation will hit close to home. GUEST BIO: Scott Lackey Scott Lackey is a US Army veteran, entrepreneur, Ironman athlete, and author whose life story reads like a series of pivot points, each one forced by failure, chance, or a voice he couldn't quite ignore. He grew up in rural America, joined the Army after seeing a TV commercial that spoke to something he couldn't articulate, and served with the 1st Infantry Division across Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. After leaving active duty, Scott pursued an entrepreneurial dream built around an invention he'd prototyped in the desert, only to have it derailed by a Ponzi scheme. What followed was years of building, failing, learning, and ultimately creating something worth sustaining. His upcoming book draws on all of it, examining why failure and pain carry more lasting value than the victories people celebrate, and why the hardest promises to keep are often the ones made in private, to yourself. Scott completed a full Ironman (140.6 miles) after a period of quiet internal reckoning during Covid, a decision he kept to himself for six weeks because he didn't yet trust himself to follow through. He's a husband, father, and dedicated student of what it means to live with integrity to your own inner compass. Connect With Scott: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottlackey1/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thescottlackey/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Thescottlackey/X: https://x.com/thescottlackey You may find some of the topics in his top 10 most requested keynotes of topical interest. Link on his website: https://scottlackey.com/speaking/ Another area of possible interest is his published short stories: https://scottlackey.com/published-work/ Subscribe to Fine Is a 4-Letter Word wherever you listen to podcasts. Invitation from Lori: This episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Smart business leaders know trust is the foundation of every great workplace. And in today’s hybrid and fast-moving work culture, trust isn’t built in quarterly town halls or the occasional Slack message. It’s built through consistent, clear, and HUMAN communication. Companies and leaders TALK about the importance of connection and community. And it’s easy to believe your organization is doing a great job of maintaining an awesome corporate culture. Because you’ve got annual all-hands and open door policies, and “fun" team-building events. But let's be real. Leaders who are serious about building real trust are finding better ways to strengthen culture, create connection, and foster community. That's where I come in. Forward thinking companies are hiring me to produce internal/private podcasts. To bring leadership and employees together through authentic stories, real conversations, and meaningful connections. Think of it as your old-school printed company newsletter - reinvented for the modern workforce. I KNOW, what a cool idea, right?! If you run, work for, or know of a company that wants to upgrade communication, facilitate connections, build community, and maintain culture, let's chat. Message me at Lori@ZenRabbit.com. Because when people feel heard, they engage.

    40 min
  2. The Walmart Love Story with Dr. Andrena Phillips

    May 28

    The Walmart Love Story with Dr. Andrena Phillips

    Raised in a household steeped in integrity, respect, and love, Dr. Andrena Phillips credits her upbringing and the strong leadership modeled by her Marine father and telephone company manager mother for shaping her approach to life. Those early foundations became the fuel for a lifetime of showing up authentically, keeping her word, and encouraging others to live by values that go farther than any resumé line or professional accolade. And Dr. Andrena carried all of that — through a nursing career, through raising three kids as a single mom, through earning her doctorate, through building a business that certifies coaches and develops leaders — into every chapter of her life. She met her late husband in Walmart when she walked up to a tall, bald, hazel-eyed stranger and told him his wife was a lucky woman. He followed her to the hair gel aisle and told her he wasn't married. They were together from that moment on. When he got sick, they had what she calls the "hard truth conversations." He was a military man — practical, prepared, purposeful. He told her two things to hold onto: never question the man above, because He knows our beginning and our ending. And run your race, Andrena, whether I'm here or not, because you had purpose from the very beginning. And so she did. She kept showing up. She kept building her business. She kept dancing — because she and Mr. Phillips used to dance together on social media and people loved it, and dancing still brings him close. From the outside, people saw her and thought, she's fine. But what they didn't see was the therapist, the long walks, the internal work happening behind the scenes. She wasn't fine. She was just getting through and those two things are not the same. Three years later, Dr. Andrena is still doing the deep work and letting it show up in how she leads, how she loves, and how she lives. She's still grieving — she'll tell you straight up that grief has no timeline and no rulebook — and she's also still growing, still coaching, still owning her greatness. Hype Song: Affirmations by Flippa T Affirmations (Radio Edit) Resources: Dr. Andrena’s website: https://KeepMovinWithAndrena.com LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/andrenaphillips Facebook: https://facebook.com/KeepMovinWithAndrena Instagram: https://instagram.com/Keep_MovinWithAndrena Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndrenaKMovin Dr. Andrena’s book: https://keepmovinwithandrena.com/walkingagain/ Invitation from Lori: This episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Smart business leaders know trust is the foundation of every great workplace. And in today’s hybrid and fast-moving work culture, trust isn’t built in quarterly town halls or the occasional Slack message. It’s built through consistent, clear, and HUMAN communication. Companies and leaders TALK about the importance of connection and community. And it’s easy to believe your organization is doing a great job of maintaining an awesome corporate culture. Because you’ve got annual all-hands and open door policies, and “fun" team-building events. But let's be real. Leaders who are serious about building real trust are finding better ways to strengthen culture, create connection, and foster community. That's where I come in. Forward thinking companies are hiring me to produce internal/private podcasts. To bring leadership and employees together through authentic stories, real conversations, and meaningful connections. Think of it as your old-school printed company newsletter - reinvented for the modern workforce. I KNOW, what a cool idea, right?! If you run, work for, or know of a company that wants to upgrade communication, facilitate connections, build community, and maintain culture, let's chat. Message me at Lori@ZenRabbit.com. Because when people feel heard, they engage.

    40 min
  3. Grief, Golf, and Van Life with Kym Coco

    May 21

    Grief, Golf, and Van Life with Kym Coco

    From a childhood shaped by the loss of her father and the blending of deeply religious family values, Kym Coco developed an early appreciation for spirituality as a lived sense of connection and empowerment. Her journey began with the awareness that we are spiritual beings within physical bodies, a notion both comforting and inspiring when navigating life’s difficult moments. As Kym grew older, especially after her father’s passing, she felt compelled to internalize and reinterpret her spiritual upbringing, seeking an authentic alignment with her own experiences and needs. This was the foundation she leaned on when her husband Steve became ill. Their rich conversations about meaning and connection to something greater became the foundation of Kym adult life. Before he passed, Steve told her plainly: "Kym, you're gonna need structure when I'm gone." So she bought a van. (He wasn't thrilled about it.) But that van became a beacon of hope and the centerpiece of a solo golf adventure across the western U.S. where Kym played courses from the Oregon coast to Montana to Wyoming. She met wonderful people, played in the rain, dodged lightning, and caught a double rainbow. Meditation, learned in her twenties, became a lifeline, a practice to quiet the chaos, cultivate presence, and forge mind-body-spirit alignment. For Kym, meditation was about learning to witness and gently release the tension, angst, and old energy patterns of childhood and young adulthood. Her willingness to try different modalities, whether a 10-day silent retreat or simply stepping away from her phone, reflects a growth mindset and playful curiosity that infuse her journey. Kym’s not someone who pretends the hard stuff isn't hard. She recognizes that the stubborn patterns of worry or fear don’t dissolve overnight; instead, it starts with small acts of awareness, self-compassion, and the willingness to let go of static definitions of self. She highlights the importance of sampling different “flavors” of transformation, just as one might experiment with various styles of yoga or tea. Because who you are today isn’t fixed, and your resources for change evolve alongside you. Hype Songs: Real Good Feeling by Oh the Larceny Andy Grammer - Damn It Feels Good To Be Me (Official Video) Resources: Kym’s website: https://swagtail.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/swagtailyoga Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swagtailyoga Attention is our greatest resource, and we can train it to focus on what matters most. I'm sharing a free 20minute class to start boosting it now. https://swagtail.com/podcastbonus/ Invitation from Lori: This episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Smart business leaders know trust is the foundation of every great workplace. And in today’s hybrid and fast-moving work culture, trust isn’t built in quarterly town halls or the occasional Slack message. It’s built through consistent, clear, and HUMAN communication. Companies and leaders TALK about the importance of connection and community. And it’s easy to believe your organization is doing a great job of maintaining an awesome corporate culture. Because you’ve got annual all-hands and open door policies, and “fun" team-building events. But let's be real. Leaders who are serious about building real trust are finding better ways to strengthen culture, create connection, and foster community. That's where I come in. Forward thinking companies are hiring me to produce internal/private podcasts. To bring leadership and employees together through authentic stories, real conversations, and meaningful connections. Think of it as your old-school printed company newsletter - reinvented for the modern workforce. I KNOW, what a cool idea, right?! If you run, work for, or know of a company that wants to upgrade communication, facilitate connections, build community, and maintain culture, let's chat. Message me at Lori@ZenRabbit dot com. Because when people feel heard, they engage.

    40 min
  4. Drunk at His Desk with Dan Flanagan

    May 14

    Drunk at His Desk with Dan Flanagan

    What if everything you’ve gone through in life — the chaos, the loss, the addiction, the grief — was the exact preparation you needed to save someone else's life? Dan Flanagan grew up surrounded by strong values of integrity, hard work, and loyalty, anchored in the rhythm of small-town Ohio life and Catholic faith. His childhood had a kind of Norman Rockwell quality to it — a baseball field in the backyard, dirt bikes, snowmobiles, his mom ringing a bell to call the kids in for dinner. But underneath that idyllic surface, something harder was brewing. Dan's dad, his hero, his best coach, was secretly battling severe clinical depression. When Dan was 15, his dad went away to a psychiatric unit an hour from home to undergo treatment and was gone for over a year. His mom held down the fort working 12-hour days. The sudden loss of his parental anchor left Dan and his siblings with too much freedom, few role models, and an onslaught of confusion and pain. He went off the rails. Started drinking, making bad choices, falling in with the wrong crowd. The darkness in his family didn't stop with his dad. His brother Sean also developed mental illness in college and attempted suicide more than once. Dan managed to earn a degree and build a sales career out of sheer determination and grit, the unresolved trauma and anger simmered beneath the surface. He masked his struggles with alcohol and bravado, insisting that everything was “fine,” when he was far from it. The turning point came on May 6th, 2019, when he finally said enough. He enrolled himself in an intensive outpatient program at the Cleveland Clinic, started showing up at the gym at 4:45 AM, and began listening obsessively to Eric Thomas, Tony Robbins, Jocko Willink, and David Goggins — anyone who had built something from nothing and come out the other side. About a year into his sobriety, he was listening to a Jocko podcast and heard about Dr. Daniel Amen, a world-renowned psychiatrist who developed brain SPECT imaging, a tool that shows what's happening in a living brain rather than just guessing. Dan ordered the book “The End of Mental Illness” before he even got home. And sitting on his couch that Saturday, something cracked open. He describes it as a spiritual moment, followed by a question that felt like it came from somewhere bigger than him: what if all of this was the preparation? Motivated to make a difference, Dan leveraged his story and his sister’s expertise to launch the Brain Enrichment Initiative, a peer-to-peer mentoring and mental wellness program for students. Rooted in authenticity and vulnerability, the program aims to help young people break the silence around emotions, teaching them proactive brain health strategies and creating space for real connection. The urgency behind BEI is very real to Dan. He is out there doing the work every single day — for his family, for those kids, and for every version of himself that didn't have someone showing up to say: your brain can get better, and so can you. Hype Song: Dan’s hype song is Zach William’s “Survivor” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R4tdF2s42w Resources: Dan Flanagan’s website www.bei-neo.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-flanagan-a4934850/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dqflanagan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dqflan/ Invitation from Lori: This episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Smart business leaders know trust is the foundation of every great workplace. And in today’s hybrid and fast-moving work culture, trust isn’t built in quarterly town halls or the occasional Slack message. It’s built through consistent, clear, and HUMAN communication. Companies and leaders TALK about the importance of connection and community. And it’s easy to believe your organization is doing a great job of maintaining an awesome corporate culture. Because you’ve got annual all-hands and open door policies, and “fun" team-building events. But let's be real. Leaders who are serious about building real trust are finding better ways to strengthen culture, create connection, and foster community. That's where I come in. Forward thinking companies are hiring me to produce internal/private podcasts. To bring leadership and employees together through authentic stories, real conversations, and meaningful connections. Think of it as your old-school printed company newsletter - reinvented for the modern workforce. I KNOW, what a cool idea, right?! If you run, work for, or know of a company that wants to upgrade communication, facilitate connections, build community, and maintain culture, let's chat. Message me at Lori@ZenRabbit dot com. Because when people feel heard, they engage.

    43 min
  5. Five years of Fine is a 4-Letter Word

    May 7

    Five years of Fine is a 4-Letter Word

    Welcome to the celebration of five years of fine is a four letter word. I'm your host, Lori Saitz, and man, what a ride it has been. Five years. I don't know that I could have said five years ago that I would expect to be still doing this show five years later. mean, man, that's like another lifetime ago. Think of everything that's happened in your life in the past five years. I mean, I had different cats, I lived in a different state. I've had so many adventures in the past five years and met so many amazing, incredible people and been through so many experiences. Someone asked me the other day, I was a guest on someone else's show, and they asked me what I was grateful for, and I said, all the incredible experiences I have gotten to experience, all the incredible adventures I've gotten to experience in my life. So grateful. You know what else I'm grateful for? Every single guest, more than 200 of them who have been on this show, and especially the first 20 who trusted me enough to give me their time and say yes to being on a brand new show. Because stats show 80 to 90 % of shows never make it past the first 20 episodes. 44 % don't even get past the first three episodes. And here we are at episode 227, five years of weekly publishing. Wow. Sure, there have been some vacation weeks like last year when I was in Tanzania and that year, Panther and I were on our month long road trip sabbatical, but average it out and we've published 45 episodes a year. When I say we, I'm referencing that this show isn't a solo effort from the people who've helped me with strategy before it even launched, specifically Donnie and Mark, to my editors Greg and Chad and Adam and team and Jennifer, who put it all together after it's recorded. I thought for this episode, we do a little review of some especially memorable moments and shows. This episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Listen, we all know that no one's reading emails and those all hands meetings and Slack messages can feel a little impersonal. How do you make work feel more human? Leaders who are serious about building real trust with their teams are finding more modern and effective ways to strengthen culture, create connection and foster community. That's where I come in. Forward-thinking companies, and specifically those with new CEOs, are hiring me to produce internal podcasts, to bring leadership and employees together through insightful stories and personalized conversations, and to share information that actually helps you move your career and company forward. Think of it as your old school printed company newsletter, reinvented. I know, what a cool idea, right? If you run, work for, or know of a company that wants to upgrade communication, facilitate connections, build community, and maintain culture, let's chat. Message me at lori at zenrabbit.com. As I look ahead, I can’t necessarily promise another five years, but I can promise I’ll keep doing this for as long as it brings me joy. And right now, it brings me SO MUCH JOY to meet all these fantastically interesting people and hold space in my studio for them to be seen and heard and to tell their stories. Thanks for listening to Fine is a 4-Letter Word. If you enjoyed the show, please follow and share it with a friend. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite platform to help others discover it too. Remember, you do not have to settle for FINE. You have the power to become a leader people respect and want to follow AND create a life you love. Now let’s f-ing go!

    42 min
  6. This Wasn't Supposed to Happen with Nicole Milone

    Apr 30

    This Wasn't Supposed to Happen with Nicole Milone

    What would you do if your business partner, the woman who recruited you, trained you, and believed in you before you believed in yourself, didn't come home from vacation? That's exactly what happened to Nicole Milone, wealth advisor and founder of Solaris Strategic Wealth. Raised as the oldest of three in an entrepreneurial family, Nicole Milone internalized the values of compassion, curiosity, and resilience from an early age. Helping run her family’s shoe store, she learned firsthand the value of hard work, adaptability, and the complexities of money. After studying finance and spending years in the banking industry, Nicole was invited by her mentor and financial advisor to move into the world of financial planning. What began as helping with processes and paperwork grew into a deep calling to empower others around money. She recognized from her own experience how few people truly understand or feel confident in their financial lives. Nicole’s world was turned upside down when her business partner and mentor, Debbie, passed away unexpectedly, suddenly leaving her in charge. There was a succession plan — on paper. But the real knowledge, the day-to-day operations, the payroll, the bank accounts — all of it lived in Debbie's head. Overnight, Nicole became the owner of a business she didn't fully know how to run. She was forced to hold it all together for her team and clients, without ever really stopping to grieve. She was waking up at 3am, making massive decisions with a brain that grief had essentially rewired. She still can't fully recall that entire first year. She thought she had to do it all. That was the only model of business ownership she'd ever seen. But she finally realized she couldn't — and more importantly, she didn't have to. With her husband by her side, and professionals she learned to trust and delegate to, Nicole rebuilt both the business and herself. She did the deeper work around her own complicated relationship with money, the fear of losing it, the silence around it she grew up with, and how all of that quietly drives our financial decisions without us realizing it. Now she's on a mission to make sure no one else gets caught as unprepared as she was. Hype Song: Fireball (feat. John Ryan) - song and lyrics by Pitbull, John Ryan | Spotify Resources: Nicole Milone’s website: Strategic Wealth Management Services | Solaris Strategic WealthLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-milone/Facebook: Https://www.facebook.com/solarisstrategicwealthInstagram: @thenicolemiloneTwitter (X) @Solaris_SW Episode with Kristi Straw Invitation from Lori: This episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Smart business leaders know trust is the foundation of every great workplace. And in today’s hybrid and fast-moving work culture, trust isn’t built in quarterly town halls or the occasional Slack message. It’s built through consistent, clear, and HUMAN communication. Companies and leaders TALK about the importance of connection and community. And it’s easy to believe your organization is doing a great job of maintaining an awesome corporate culture. Because you’ve got annual all-hands and open door policies, and “fun" team-building events. But let's be real. Leaders who are serious about building real trust are finding better ways to strengthen culture, create connection, and foster community. That's where I come in. Forward thinking companies are hiring me to produce internal/private podcasts. To bring leadership and employees together through authentic stories, real conversations, and meaningful connections. Think of it as your old-school printed company newsletter - reinvented for the modern workforce. I KNOW, what a cool idea, right?! If you run, work for, or know of a company that wants to upgrade communication, facilitate connections, build community, and maintain culture, let's chat. Message me at Lori@ZenRabbit dot com. Because when people feel heard, they engage.

    42 min
  7. Sued for $60 Million. Not Guilty. with Shane Barker

    Apr 23

    Sued for $60 Million. Not Guilty. with Shane Barker

    What would you do if you woke up one day to find the California Attorney General was suing you for $60 million — and you hadn't done anything wrong? That's exactly what happened to Shane Barker, digital marketing expert and founder of TraceFuse.ai, and the way he navigated it says everything about who he is. Shane was shaped by the loving, free-spirited energy of his family in Sacramento, California. It was a household with hippie leanings where kindness and connection were valued above all. Though he acknowledges that no childhood is perfect, Shane credits his upbringing with teaching him resilience and the ability to view life’s challenges through a lens of growth and learning. He’s a big believer that every experience, even the tough ones, is an opportunity to evolve. This mindset was severely tested when Shane found himself at the center of a high-profile, $60 million lawsuit from the California Attorney General. He was the owner and marketing leader of a real estate company created to fight predatory lending and help vulnerable homeowners after the 2008 housing crash. The company grew rapidly, making waves by standing up to big banks and brokers who had exploited countless families. But the very system he sought to challenge turned its sights on him, launching a very public PR battle, freezing his bank accounts, and painting him as a villain in the court of public opinion. The experience was a brutal, wild ride. He was working 18-20 hours a day, 40 pounds heavier, running on energy drinks and determination, endlessly battling negative narratives online and in the media, trying to protect his family from the chaos while simultaneously fighting for his reputation and his business. He was showing up and arguing with strangers online who weren't even customers and confronting the reality that truth isn’t always what gets broadcast or believed. He thought he was winning. But he finally realized he was losing. Losing his health, his time, his energy, and his opportunity to be at his son's baseball games. Throughout it all, Shane remained steadfast, refusing to flee or hide. He eventually realized that other people were living rent-free in his head, and he was handing them the keys. He stopped fighting every battle on the internet, started walking 10 miles a day, and began asking a very different question: what can I learn from this? When we spoke, Shane and his family were beginning a 45-day vacation in a small little beach town in Oregon. He’s come a long way from what he called Shane 1.0 who was in a room with coffee, going to war every day. Now he’s looking at animals and enjoying life and continuing to grow. Hype Song: Shane’s hype song is "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers Resources: Shane Barker’s website: https://shanebarker.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanebarker/ Invitation from Lori: This episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Smart business leaders know trust is the foundation of every great workplace. And in today’s hybrid and fast-moving work culture, trust isn’t built in quarterly town halls or the occasional Slack message. It’s built through consistent, clear, and HUMAN communication. Companies and leaders TALK about the importance of connection and community. And it’s easy to believe your organization is doing a great job of maintaining an awesome corporate culture. Because you’ve got annual all-hands and open door policies, and “fun" team-building events. But let's be real. Leaders who are serious about building real trust are finding better ways to strengthen culture, create connection, and foster community. That's where I come in. Forward thinking companies are hiring me to produce internal/private podcasts. To bring leadership and employees together through authentic stories, real conversations, and meaningful connections. Think of it as your old-school printed company newsletter - reinvented for the modern workforce. I KNOW, what a cool idea, right?! If you run, work for, or know of a company that wants to upgrade communication, facilitate connections, build community, and maintain culture, let's chat. Message me at Lori@ZenRabbit dot com. Because when people feel heard, they engage.

    48 min
  8. Do It Scared with Vanessa McDowell Atlas

    Apr 16

    Do It Scared with Vanessa McDowell Atlas

    What if the secret to being an exceptional leader isn't about being stronger, working harder, or having all the answers — but about being the first one in the room to say *I need a break*? Sounds counterintuitive, right? Maybe even a little reckless. But stick with me here. Vanessa McDowell-Atlas grew up deeply rooted in the values of faith, family, and community, shaped by her upbringing in Madison, Wisconsin. The McDowell household instilled a strong connection to God, encouraged giving back, and fostered authenticity. These ideals were lived out every day. Authenticity, though often overused in today’s cultural landscape, holds a deeper resonance for Vanessa. She notes that the pressure to perform and conform is magnified by technology and social media, where curated lives and even AI-generated content can make “real” feel elusive. The craving for genuine connection, she believes, is stronger than ever because so much of what’s presented isn’t authentic at all. Growing up without the noise of constant screens, Vanessa learned the value of face-to-face relationships and the grounding that comes from truly being seen and heard. From these foundations, Vanessa’s journey into leadership and service was anything but random. Each step in her career was guided by faith and an intentional sense of purpose. She describes her path as a series of conscious choices—listening, reflecting, and praying to discern where she was meant to serve. Even when the path was uncertain or intimidating, she adopted the mantra “do it scared,” understanding that courage grows in the doing, not the waiting. She's a natural introvert. She deals with anxiety. And somehow, she ended up as the CEO of a century-old organization — becoming the first Black woman in its entire history to hold that role. No pressure or anything. She didn't stumble into it either. Her boss announced she was leaving, tapped Vanessa on the shoulder for the interim role, and Vanessa thought, *sure, six months, I can hold it down.* Spoiler: it became permanent. And what she inherited? Her words — a mess. On top of that, she was carrying what she calls "three isms" — racism, sexism, and ageism — every single day, before she even opened her laptop. So she did what a lot of leaders do. She worked twice as hard, carried the load silently, and told everyone she was fine. Burnout came for her anyway… because it always does. But here's where Vanessa's story takes a turn most leaders never make: she told her team the truth, took two weeks completely off, and came back so recharged that her staff literally noticed the difference and asked why she didn't do it sooner. By giving herself permission to pause, rest, and ask for support, Vanessa not only transformed her approach to her own well-being but also modeled a new kind of leadership for her team and community. As she puts it, being a “strong Black woman” is not about never taking a break. It’s about having the wisdom to know when to recharge, so you can serve from a place of wholeness. Oh, and did I mention she's also a DJ on the side? Yeah. DJ Ace is in the building. Vanessa is now a transformational leadership coach, and in this conversation, she's about to share what it actually looks like to lead from your values, do it scared, and give yourself, along with everyone watching you, permission to be human. Resources Vanessa McDowell-Atlas’ website: vmatransformationalcoaching.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/vanessarmcdowell Hype Song Vanessa’s hype song is You've Been So Faithful by Eddie James & The Phoenix Mass Choir https://youtu.be/m28IBrcgSIo?si=kE2OV_-o0msqb7vC Invitation from Lori: This episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Smart business leaders know trust is the foundation of every great workplace. And in today’s hybrid and fast-moving work culture, trust isn’t built in quarterly town halls or the occasional Slack message. It’s built through consistent, clear, and HUMAN communication. Companies and leaders TALK about the importance of connection and community. And it’s easy to believe your organization is doing a great job of maintaining an awesome corporate culture. Because you’ve got annual all-hands and open door policies, and “fun" team-building events. But let's be real. Leaders who are serious about building real trust are finding better ways to strengthen culture, create connection, and foster community. That's where I come in. Forward thinking companies are hiring me to produce internal/private podcasts. To bring leadership and employees together through authentic stories, real conversations, and meaningful connections. Think of it as your old-school printed company newsletter - reinvented for the modern workforce. I KNOW, what a cool idea, right?! If you run, work for, or know of a company that wants to upgrade communication, facilitate connections, build community, and maintain culture, let's chat. Message me at Lori@ZenRabbit dot com. Because when people feel heard, they engage.

    38 min
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About

What happens when fine is no longer good enough? You’ve got the career, the family, all the outward signs of success. But underneath that competence and capability are quiet questions that won’t leave you alone. How do I build a legacy beyond next quarter’s revenue? Where do I find more meaning? What if I were true to myself? Welcome to Fine is a 4-Letter Word, with host Lori Saitz. Each week, you’ll hear personal stories blended with practical insight What happens when fine is no longer good enough? You’ve got the career, the family, all the outward signs of success. But underneath that competence and capability are quiet questions that won’t leave you alone. How do I build a legacy beyond next quarter’s revenue? Where do I find more meaning? What if I were true to myself? Welcome to Fine is a 4-Letter Word, with host Lori Saitz. Each week, you’ll hear personal stories blended with practical insight from leaders, creators, and change-makers, offering a window into what’s possible when you listen to and honor your heart. We explore what it takes to lead with empathy, vulnerability, gratitude, and courage, especially when everything isn’t fine. You’ll get grounded perspectives and usable tools for moving from stuck, restless, or successful-but-empty into clarity, truth, and passion. None of us knows how much time we have here. So we have to make the most of it. It’s time to live a life that feels like it belongs to you. One thing’s for sure… you’ll never hear—or say—the word “fine” in the same way again., offering a window into what’s possible when you listen to and honor your heart.

Information

  • Creator
    Lori Saitz
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    279
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Lori Saitz
  • Show Website
    FINE is a 4-Letter Word