Business Origin Stories for Entrepreneurs, Coaches, and Leaders

Amy Schutte
  • 4.8 (28)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
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Business Origin Stories is the podcast for leadership, life, and business. This show features coaching calls and heart-to-heart conversations with successful entrepreneurs, leaders, authors, and experts. Join your host, Amy Schutte, a business coach and brand strategist, as she dives into ways to create stand-out brands and aligned businesses through storytelling and proven business frameworks.  At its core, Business Origin Stories is a recognition that the stories we tell are our greatest currency. 

  1. 3D AGO

    104: Find Your Frequency: How to Cut Through the Noise Without Copying Anyone Else with Macy Robison

    Send a text If you’ve ever looked around online and thought, “What’s working for everyone else, and why doesn’t it work for me?” this episode is for you. In this conversation, Amy sits down with Macy Robison, a longtime friend from the StoryBrand Guide community, to talk about why so many experts get stuck chasing shiny strategies and how to come back to the way you are actually wired to lead. Macy helps experts and thought leaders transform their wisdom into resonant thought leadership that feels authentic, creates impact, and builds sustainable success. Her central idea is simple and disruptive: most people aren’t failing because they’re not talented. They’re exhausted because they’re forcing themselves into strategies that don’t fit. Inside this episode, you’ll hear: The story that changed Macy’s trajectory, including a moment at an Amy Porterfield event where she realized she could build courses for others but could not create one for herselfMacy’s “core resonance” model, built around the four Es: essence, experience, expression, and embodimentThe archetype assessment Macy created to measure how you naturally express ideas and guide transformationA breakdown of several archetypes, including Resonant Orator, Wisdom Writer, Digital Learning Architect, Strategic Advisor, and Category CreatorWhy voice and frequency matter in leadership and marketing, plus Macy’s unforgettable opera story about the “singer’s formant” and cutting through noise without a microphoneHow to stop trying to productize yourself the wrong way and instead design offers and platforms that work with your strengthsMacy also shares why this work matters beyond business: owning your impact is a deliberate choice, and the “size of your stage” is something you can decide over time. Connect Website: macyrobison.comTake the quiz: macyrobison.com/quizPodcast: Own Your ImpactInstagram: @amyschutte_ Work with us: www.hudsonandco.co

    41 min

  2. FEB 24

    104: When Survival Leadership Stops Working with Traci Phillips

    Send a text When the old leadership model stops working, most leaders assume the problem is external. The market. The team. The generation. The culture. In this episode of Business Origin Stories, Amy Schutte sits down with Traci Philips, founder of the Innate Coach and an executive leadership and performance coach working with high performers in major transition, especially in the mergers and acquisitions space. Traci supports leaders navigating uncertainty, ambiguity, and rapid change, where decisions impact entire teams and cultures. Traci explains a pattern she sees repeatedly in high-performing leaders: they often build success on uncomfortable pressure. Not healthy pressure, but fear-driven intensity. The fear of losing control. The fear of falling behind. The fear of not surviving. Over time, that fear becomes the engine behind their edge. But what happens when that same model starts to break? Amy and Traci talk about what it means to move from a survival paradigm to a thrive paradigm. Survival leadership focuses on scarcity and control. Thrive leadership builds from alignment, groundedness, and transparency. Traci shares a recent experience speaking at a leadership summit in Salt Lake City for a private equity-backed organization, where a new CEO modeled transparent leadership by welcoming hard questions, acknowledging mistakes, and leading forward anyway. In this conversation, you’ll hear: Why fear-based leadership can quietly drive both performance and burnoutWhat grounded leadership looks like in times of uncertaintyWhy “don’t let them see you sweat” no longer builds trustHow Traci uses Human Design as a framework for understanding innate traits and alignmentWhy collaboration is becoming essential to the future of leadershipTraci also shares her book, Looking In: Discover to Find and Align the True Value of Your Life, Leadership, and Legacy, and invites leaders to stop pretending they have to know it all. Connect Connect with Traci Philips on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/traci-philips/Explore her book and work: https://theinnatecoach.com/Instagram: @amyschutte_ Work with us: www.hudsonandco.co

    51 min

  3. FEB 17

    103: Beyond Palatable: Sophie Jane Lee on Women, Voice, Visibility, and the Courage to Take Up Space

    Send a text What happens when women are taught to be palatable instead of powerful? In this episode of Business Origin Stories, I sit down with Sophie Jane Lee, CEO and founder of Electric Peach, to talk about her debut book, Beyond Palatable—a bold, compassionate manifesto for women who are tired of shrinking, apologizing, and silencing themselves to fit in. Sophie shares her deeply personal journey, from growing up undiagnosed neurodivergent and struggling with addiction, to reclaiming her voice and helping thousands of women do the same. We explore why women silence themselves, why women silence each other, and how centuries of conditioning still show up in modern spaces like social media, leadership, motherhood, and visibility. This conversation dives into: Why “being seen” still feels dangerous for so many womenHow shame, perfectionism, and burnout keep women smallThe difference between women being silenced and women silencing themselvesWhat community, ritual, and cycles can teach us about coming home to ourselvesWhy using your voice will always invite resistance—and why that’s a sign it mattersThis episode is honest, expansive, and deeply human. If you’ve ever felt like you were too much, not enough, or afraid to take up space, this conversation will meet you exactly where you are. Sophie’s book Beyond Palatable is available for pre-order now, with release on International Women’s Day. Buy the book: https://beyondpalatable.com/ Connect with Sophia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophieturton/ Instagram: @amyschutte_ Work with us: www.hudsonandco.co

    36 min

  4. FEB 10

    102: Leadership, Money, and Identity Shifts: Executive Coach Steve Smith on Navigating Hard Business Seasons

    Send a text What happens when the business gets hard and there’s nowhere to hide? In this episode of Business Origin Stories,  I sit down with executive coach Steve Smith for a grounded, honest conversation about leadership when comfort zones collapse, money gets emotional, and identity is forced to change. Steve has spent over 16 years coaching leaders across industries, from startups to Fortune 500 companies, and what he brings to this conversation is refreshingly real. We talk about what’s actually at stake when leaders avoid discomfort, why financial clarity is a leadership skill, and how business owners can move forward after a year marked by layoffs, pivots, or loss of momentum. This is not a conversation about manifesting your way out of reality. It’s about discipline, responsibility, emotional maturity, and choosing to lead even when the numbers hurt and the path forward isn’t obvious. In this episode, we cover: - Why comfort zones quietly erode leadership over time - How money avoidance damages both businesses and families - What leaders owe their teams during uncertain seasons - How to rebuild after a hard year without pretending it didn’t happen - Why identity shifts, not tactics, determine long-term success If you’re a founder, executive, or business owner entering a new year carrying the weight of the last one, this conversation will meet you where you are and challenge you to step forward anyway. Connect with Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachstevejsmith/ Instagram: @amyschutte_ Work with us: www.hudsonandco.co

    39 min

  5. FEB 3

    101: Why Leadership Training Fails (and How to Fix It): Healthcare Executive Keith Repko on Building Strong Managers

    Send a text Leadership problems rarely start at the top. They start in the middle. In this episode of Business Origin Stories, I sit down with Keith Repko, a former healthcare executive who spent decades leading one of the largest VA medical systems in a five-state region. Over his career, Keith oversaw thousands of employees, multiple hospital campuses, and complex operational systems, and what he learned is simple and uncomfortable: most organizations promote people into leadership roles without teaching them how to lead. We talk about why bad managers drive great people out the door, why younger generations are increasingly opting out of leadership roles altogether, and what actually works when it comes to developing strong, relational leaders inside complex organizations. Keith shares real-world stories from healthcare, practical frameworks leaders can use immediately, and why relationship-first leadership is not “soft,” but operationally essential. In this episode, we explore: Why most leadership training comes too lateThe real cost of promoting high performers who aren’t ready to leadHow poor management accelerates burnout and turnoverPractical ways leaders can build trust and cohesion across teamsHow organizations can create leadership pathways without forcing people into managementWhether you lead a hospital system, a growing company, or a small team, this conversation will change how you think about leadership development and what it truly takes to build teams that last. Connect with Keith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-repko-a0b80684/ Instagram: @amyschutte_ Work with us: www.hudsonandco.co

    31 min

  6. JAN 27

    100:Escaping the Urgent Trap: How Leaders Reclaim Time, Focus, and Humanity with Frederick Buskey

    Send a text What if the real leadership crisis isn’t burnout — but never having time to work on what truly matters? In this episode of Business Origin Stories, I sit down with Frederick Buskey, a former assistant principal turned leadership coach, to explore how leaders — especially in education — can escape the constant pull of urgency and reclaim their time, priorities, and humanity. Frederick shares his powerful framework for helping principals, assistant principals, and leaders stop living at the mercy of emails, interruptions, and endless to-do lists — and instead design their days around values, big priorities, and long-term impact. We talk about: Why “being busy” has replaced real leadershipHow leaders can escape the gravitational pull of urgencyThe matrix that helps leaders own their day instead of reacting to itWhat changes when schools (and businesses) align systems with valuesHow to protect your priorities when pressure comes from the topWhy creativity, humanity, and connection matter more than ever in an AI-driven worldThe future of education — and what must remain humanWe also dive into the role of creativity in leadership, including a meaningful conversation about The Artist’s Way, and why reclaiming creative energy isn’t optional — it’s essential. This episode is for educators, leaders, founders, and anyone who feels like their days are being hijacked by urgency instead of intention. If you’ve ever ended a day wondering how you worked so hard — yet didn’t move the needle — this conversation is for you. Connect with Frederick: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ Instagram: @amyschutte_ Work with us: www.hudsonandco.co

    50 min

  7. JAN 20

    99: Fertile Business, Identity Shifts, and Intuitive Leadership: Creating Sustainable Abundance with Olivier Egli

    Send a text What if the way we work is the very thing that’s breaking us—and what if there’s another way? In this episode of Business Origin Stories, I’m joined by Olivier Egli, a business guide who stands at the intersection of leadership, neuroscience, psychology, and spirituality, offering a radically different blueprint for work—one that breaks from our traditional, toxic approaches to success. Olivier’s work invites leaders, founders, and parents to reconsider everything from productivity and ambition to abundance, intuition, and peace. His perspective is deeply informed by lived transformation—moving through identity death, uncertainty, and “winter seasons” to arrive at a regenerative, fertile model of business and life. In our conversation, we explore: What a fertile, sustainable business actually looks like in practiceWhy intuition is becoming a non-negotiable leadership skillThe identity shifts required to trust abundance and reciprocityHow hustle culture and optimization-based coaching are burning people outWhy darkness, grief, and uncertainty are essential parts of real growthWhat it means to measure success by peace—not performanceHow we raise children for a world that no longer follows old rulesThis episode is not about tactics or scaling faster. It’s about becoming the kind of leader—and human—who can build something life-giving. If you feel called to create work that honors nature, nervous systems, and the soul—this conversation will resonate deeply. Connect with Olivier: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dohappywork/ www.belikeanappletree.com Instagram: @amyschutte_ Work with us: www.hudsonandco.co

    46 min

  8. JAN 13

    98: Family Business Therapy: How to Fix Friction, Build Resilience, and Grow Without Burning It All Down (with Scott Gingold) ‌

    Send a text What happens when family, business, legacy, and pressure collide? In this episode of Business Origin Stories, I sit down with Scott Gingold, a self-described family business therapist who helps founders, owners, and multi-generational companies untangle conflict, rebuild trust, and move forward without blowing up the business, or their relationships. Scott’s path to this work is anything but typical. From surviving life-or-death moments as a first responder to building, exiting, and reinventing multiple businesses, his approach to leadership and resilience is grounded in perspective, accountability, and humanity. In our conversation, we explore: - Why most family businesses stall (and what actually gets them unstuck) - How fear, guilt, and unspoken expectations quietly sabotage growth - The real difference between "talking at each other" and "working with each other" - Why resilience is the defining leadership skill right now - What successful founders do differently when the world shifts - How to redefine success beyond revenue, titles, or exits - Why CEOs and business owners need confidential space to think out loud We also talk about creativity in uncertain markets, resisting doom-scroll culture, human-to-human connection in sales, and why building a meaningful life alongside_a successful business isn’t optional—it’s the point. This episode is for: - Family-owned and multi-generational businesses - Founders and CEOs feeling stuck or overwhelmed - Leaders navigating growth, conflict, or transition - Anyone redefining success beyond hustle Connect with Scott: https://www.gingoldadvisors.com/ Instagram: @amyschutte_ Work with us: www.hudsonandco.co

    35 min
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4.8
out of 5
28 Ratings

About

Business Origin Stories is the podcast for leadership, life, and business. This show features coaching calls and heart-to-heart conversations with successful entrepreneurs, leaders, authors, and experts. Join your host, Amy Schutte, a business coach and brand strategist, as she dives into ways to create stand-out brands and aligned businesses through storytelling and proven business frameworks.  At its core, Business Origin Stories is a recognition that the stories we tell are our greatest currency. 

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