The Write Your Own Story Podcast

Betsy Leonidas

Grab your fav pen ladies, because it’s time to write the story of how your life goes! The Write Your Own Story podcast is here to encourage women to live the life they dream about by sitting with women business owners, game changers, community leaders and friends in the most honest, no perfect allowed, just girls gabbin way, about all things life and womanhood. Stories are rooted in meaning, connection, and understanding and so often are the clues for our future selves. It’s so important for all of us to hear what other women are doing with their lives. Their successes, their struggles, their perseverance, what failure has taught them, how they show up in this world, and what sets their heart on fire. It’s these stories that make us realize we’re not alone and motivate us to take a closer look at our own dreams. I promise it will be down to earth, super real and honest, funny, and feel like we’re all just gabbin over a cup of coffee or a glass (glasses) of wine. At the end of each show, my hope ist women are inspired to block out the societal “should’s” and the inner voices of “Why me?” and “Am I enough?” so they can pick up the pen with confidence and write their own stories of their lives.

  1. Jun 25

    What Losing My Husband Taught Me About Life, Love & Healing with Sarah Herringer

    What do you do when your entire life changes overnight? In this deeply moving conversation, Sarah Herringer shares her journey through unimaginable loss, trauma, grief, and the difficult process of rebuilding a life she never expected to have to create. Together, we explore why grief isn't something to fix, how loss changes your identity, the difference between trauma and grief, and what it actually means to keep living after losing someone you love. Sarah shares powerful insights on intuition, healing, relationships, nervous system recovery, and the reality of carrying grief long after the world expects you to move on. Whether you're navigating loss yourself or supporting someone who is, this conversation offers a compassionate reminder that grief isn't a problem to solve—it's love that still remains. In this episode: • Why grief and love are two sides of the same coin • The difference between trauma and grief • What to say (and not say) to someone who is grieving • How loss changes your identity • Rebuilding safety after trauma • The role of intuition during life's hardest seasons • Learning to carry grief without letting it define you If this episode resonates with you, share it with someone who may need it today. Sarah Heringer: https://linktr.ee/theladyheringer?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=acd787df-1bd4-43a7-96c3-d8ed2dcef6eb Support the show JOIN THE WAITLIST, NOW WHAT: https://forms.gle/upoSwPQEu5vm1wYW6 Connect with Betsy: Website: writeyourownstory.co Email: betsy@writeyourownstory.co Instagram: write_your_own_story_co Or betsyleo Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

    1h 35m
  2. Jun 19

    The Courage to Choose: How to Stop Waiting and Start Trusting Yourself with Nan Whaley

    What if the life you're dreaming about is waiting on a decision you're too afraid to make? So many women spend years waiting to feel certain before they take the leap—whether that's changing careers, ending a relationship, starting a business, running for office, or simply admitting they want something different. But what if confidence doesn't come before the decision? What if it comes after? In this deeply honest conversation, former Dayton Mayor and trailblazing leader Nan Whaley shares why some of the most important choices of her life were made long before she felt ready. From becoming the first woman nominated by her party for Governor of Ohio to leading a city through extraordinary challenges, Nan has learned that perfection is not the goal—courage is. Together, we explore: ✨ Why perfectionism keeps women stuck  ✨ The real reason decision-making feels so overwhelming  ✨ How to stop waiting for certainty and start trusting yourself  ✨ What failure actually teaches us  ✨ Reinvention, resilience, and choosing again and again  ✨ Why sharing our stories helps other women find their own strength This episode is for every woman standing at a crossroads, wondering if she's capable of more than the life she's currently living. Because the truth is: there is no perfect choice. There is only the choice to trust yourself enough to take the next step.  JOIN THE WAITLIST, NOW WHAT: https://forms.gle/upoSwPQEu5vm1wYW6 Support the show JOIN THE WAITLIST, NOW WHAT: https://forms.gle/upoSwPQEu5vm1wYW6 Connect with Betsy: Website: writeyourownstory.co Email: betsy@writeyourownstory.co Instagram: write_your_own_story_co Or betsyleo Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

    1h 18m
  3. Jun 12

    Why Every Woman Should Take a Solo Trip (At Least Once)

    Do you feel like you're standing between chapters of your life? Maybe you know something needs to change, but you're not quite sure what comes next. Maybe you've been feeling overwhelmed, disconnected from yourself, or stuck in a season that no longer fits. In this episode, Betsy shares one of the most powerful tools she's used for years to navigate life's biggest transitions: solo travel. What began as a post-breakup trip during her senior year of college has become a ritual she returns to whenever she needs clarity, confidence, and a reset. After her most recent solo getaway, Betsy came home with a renewed sense of peace, excitement, and direction for the chapter ahead. She shares why every woman should consider taking a solo trip at least once, how solitude can help you reconnect with your intuition, and the surprising lessons that emerge when you stop distracting yourself and finally sit with your own thoughts. In this episode: ✨ Why solo trips have become Betsy's secret weapon during life transitions ✨ The difference between being alone and being lonely ✨ How to find clarity when you're in a "Now What?" season ✨ Why confidence grows when you learn to trust yourself ✨ The mindset shift helping Betsy step into her next chapter with more peace and less fear If you've been craving a fresh start, more clarity, or simply a deeper connection with yourself, this episode is your reminder that sometimes the answers you're searching for are found in the quiet. JOIN THE WAITLIST, NOW WHAT: https://forms.gle/upoSwPQEu5vm1wYW6 Support the show JOIN THE WAITLIST, NOW WHAT: https://forms.gle/upoSwPQEu5vm1wYW6 Connect with Betsy: Website: writeyourownstory.co Email: betsy@writeyourownstory.co Instagram: write_your_own_story_co Or betsyleo Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

    21 min
  4. Jun 4

    Your Old Life Is Falling Apart, Now What? with Sarah Barnes-Humphrey

    What happens when the life you worked the hardest for suddenly falls apart? When the career, marriage, identity, or future you built your entire world around no longer exists… and you’re left staring at the question: Now what? In this raw and deeply honest conversation, Sarah Barnes-Humphrey shares what it looked like to lose the life she thought she was supposed to want — after spending 20 years helping build the family business she believed she’d one day take over. Overnight, the doors closed. The identity disappeared. And while everyone else saw a successful woman holding it together, behind the scenes Sarah was rebuilding herself from scratch — working part-time jobs, questioning everything, crying on the couch daily, and trying to figure out who she was without the titles, certainty, and expectations she had built her life around. What came next was not a polished reinvention. It was messy, painful, confusing, brave, and ultimately transformational. In this episode, we talk about: What happens when your “dream life” no longer fitsThe pressure women feel to perform, achieve, and hold it all togetherHow to know whether fear is stopping you… or whether something simply isn’t alignedIdentity loss after career shifts, divorce, burnout, or major life changeWhy curiosity is more powerful than perfectionThe hidden loneliness of entrepreneurship and rebuildingLearning to trust yourself before you feel readyThe difference between purpose and self-worthSarah also shares how she went from losing everything she built to creating an entirely new path rooted in authentic connection, storytelling, and helping others feel seen and heard. If you’re in a “now what?” season right now — where the old chapter has ended and the next one feels uncertain — this episode will feel like someone finally saying the quiet part out loud. Because you do not need to have it all figured out to begin again. JOIN THE WAITLIST, NOW WHAT: https://forms.gle/upoSwPQEu5vm1wYW6 Sarah Barnes-Humphrey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahbarneshumphrey/  Let's Talk Supply Chain: https://letstalksupplychain.com  The Blended Podcast: https://blendedpledge.org/podcast  Blended Pledge: https://blendedpledge.org  Book: I Buried Her in a French Press – https://www.amazon.com/Buried-Her-French-Press-Finding/dp/1544549466/ref=sr_1_1 Support the show JOIN THE WAITLIST, NOW WHAT: https://forms.gle/upoSwPQEu5vm1wYW6 Connect with Betsy: Website: writeyourownstory.co Email: betsy@writeyourownstory.co Instagram: write_your_own_story_co Or betsyleo Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

    1h 8m
  5. Apr 29

    How to Be Heard as a Woman (Even When You Doubt Yourself) with Sarah Jakle

    What if the voice you’ve been doubting… is the very thing the world needs most? In this deeply moving episode of Write Your Own Story, Betsy sits down with Sarah Jakle, founder of Democrashe, for a conversation that will stay with you long after it ends. This episode is for the woman who has something to say—but hesitates. The one who questions if her voice matters, if she’ll be heard, or if it’s even worth speaking at all. After being told she would never work again due to a life-altering autoimmune diagnosis, Sarah faced a moment where everything she knew about herself was stripped away. What followed wasn’t just a comeback—it was a complete redefinition of identity, courage, and what it means to use your voice.  Together, Betsy and Sarah explore:  How to transform your inner critic into your inner best friend  The power of taking one small, brave step at a time  Why confidence doesn’t come first—and what actually does  How to speak up even when you feel unseen, unheard, or afraid  The concept of “What’s your victory?” and redefining success on your own terms  Why your voice matters—even when it feels like it doesn’t This is not a conversation about becoming louder.  It’s about becoming truer. If you’ve ever felt like shrinking, silencing yourself, or waiting for permission—this episode is your reminder: your voice already belongs. And the moment you start using it, everything begins to shift. Listen all the way through—you might just meet a version of yourself you’ve been waiting for 💫 Learn more about DemocraShe: https://www.democrashe.org/who-we-are Support the show JOIN THE WAITLIST, NOW WHAT: https://forms.gle/upoSwPQEu5vm1wYW6 Connect with Betsy: Website: writeyourownstory.co Email: betsy@writeyourownstory.co Instagram: write_your_own_story_co Or betsyleo Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

    48 min
  6. Apr 15

    If You Feel Like You Have to Prove Yourself, Listen to This | Margot Grant Witz

    If you feel like you have something to prove… this episode is for you. That pressure to be more. To do more. To show people you’re capable. It doesn’t come out of nowhere. It comes from expectations. From the path you’re on. From the feeling that you’re supposed to live up to something—even if you’re not sure what’s actually yours. Today’s episode is about that. Betsy sits down with Margot Grant Witz, third-generation leader of Elizabeth Grant Skincare, to talk about what it really feels like to grow up inside something that already exists—and then be expected to carry it forward. But this isn’t just about business. It’s about identity.  Confidence.  Family.  And learning how to trust yourself when it feels like you have something to prove. In this episode, you’ll hear:  Why feeling like you have something to prove can quietly control your decisions  The truth about “earning your place” (and why it’s not what you think)  What nobody tells you about working with family  How to handle the pressure of not wanting to “mess it up”  Why humility is your biggest advantage  The real reason generational paths break down  How to separate who you are from what you do  What to do if you’re not even sure this path is yours  Why confidence only comes after you take action And one shift that changes everything: You don’t have to prove yourself to become who you’re meant to be. Support the show JOIN THE WAITLIST, NOW WHAT: https://forms.gle/upoSwPQEu5vm1wYW6 Connect with Betsy: Website: writeyourownstory.co Email: betsy@writeyourownstory.co Instagram: write_your_own_story_co Or betsyleo Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

    1h 1m
  7. Apr 8

    You Don’t Have to Do It All: Why Asking for Help Changes Everything with Betsy Leonidas

    You’re not overwhelmed because you’re doing it wrong—you’re overwhelmed because you’re doing everything. In this solo episode, Betsy speaks directly to the woman who’s been holding it all together—quietly, consistently, and often alone. The one who believes she should be able to do it all. But what if that belief is the very thing slowing you down? Betsy unpacks the hidden cost of doing everything yourself—not because you’re incapable, but because you’re carrying more than you were ever meant to. From the mental load of business to the invisible pressure in everyday life, she explores why so many women delay asking for help… and how that keeps them stuck in maintenance mode instead of stepping into real growth. Inside, she shares a simple yet powerful framework—the Four Ds: Drain, Decide, Delegate, Debrief—to help you identify what’s draining you, where your energy is truly meant to go, and how to start inviting in the right kind of support. This is a soft but honest reminder:  You don’t hire when everything is perfect.  You hire so things can finally grow. If you’ve been feeling stretched, tired, or quietly overwhelmed—this conversation will meet you there. And gently show you another way. Sign up for the webinar Investing in Support: Building Your Dream on April  16th, 2026 12:30-2:00: https://writeyourownstory.co/webinar/p/every-task-that-drains-you-is-a-dollar-lostinvest-in-support-instead Support the show JOIN THE WAITLIST, NOW WHAT: https://forms.gle/upoSwPQEu5vm1wYW6 Connect with Betsy: Website: writeyourownstory.co Email: betsy@writeyourownstory.co Instagram: write_your_own_story_co Or betsyleo Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast

    26 min
5
out of 5
24 Ratings

About

Grab your fav pen ladies, because it’s time to write the story of how your life goes! The Write Your Own Story podcast is here to encourage women to live the life they dream about by sitting with women business owners, game changers, community leaders and friends in the most honest, no perfect allowed, just girls gabbin way, about all things life and womanhood. Stories are rooted in meaning, connection, and understanding and so often are the clues for our future selves. It’s so important for all of us to hear what other women are doing with their lives. Their successes, their struggles, their perseverance, what failure has taught them, how they show up in this world, and what sets their heart on fire. It’s these stories that make us realize we’re not alone and motivate us to take a closer look at our own dreams. I promise it will be down to earth, super real and honest, funny, and feel like we’re all just gabbin over a cup of coffee or a glass (glasses) of wine. At the end of each show, my hope ist women are inspired to block out the societal “should’s” and the inner voices of “Why me?” and “Am I enough?” so they can pick up the pen with confidence and write their own stories of their lives.

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