Your Soul-led Business

Ascension Academy
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Succeeding on the outside. Unraveling on the inside. You've built something impressive—but you're white-knuckling your way through success, wondering why clarity feels impossible and your next level stays just out of reach. I'm Anik Malenfant. I spent 15 years on Wall Street before discovering: your subconscious patterns are writing your business plan. Every Monday, I decode what's really keeping you stuck. Solo deep-dives on the patterns you can't see. Raw conversations with leaders scaling without sacrifice. Insights that shift everything. If you're done choosing between your soul and your success— Welcome home.

  1. 2H AGO

    Stop Following Rules You Never Agreed To

    For six years, Mattanja Lennings tried to fit into a box that was never hers. She shaved off parts of herself. Followed every rule. Did everything "right" — Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, classical opera training. And she lost her joy. Her spark. Her reason for singing in the first place. Until her spirit whispered: "Go paint." She went to the dollar store. Bought some supplies. And started creating again — this time, with zero rules. Now she sells paintings for five figures. Not because of strategy. Because she followed her intuition instead of the industry. In this episode, you'll discover: • How six years of "doing everything right" led to complete emptiness • The moment her spirit whispered something that changed her path • Why not knowing the rules became her biggest business advantage • The Hathor story: when a painting told her to charge €3,333 (and she'd never sold above €200) • How to expand your nervous system to hold what your intuition already knows • The question to ask yourself: What's YOUR opera? About Mattanja Lennings: Mattanja Lennings is an artist, former opera singer, and mentor from the Netherlands. After six years of classical training left her empty, she followed her spirit to painting — and built a business selling work for five figures without ever learning the "rules" of the art world. Connect with Mattanja: • Website: https://www.mycosmicdreams.com • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattanjalennings/ Connect with Anik: • Website: https://masteringascension.com/coaching/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anikmalenfant • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikmalenfant/ • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anik.malenfant Resources: • Your Breakthrough Blueprint (Free Quiz): https://subscribepage.io/breakthroughblueprint • You & Your Soul-Led Business Program: https://ascensionacademy.life/product/you-your-soul-led-business-development-program/ Memorable Moments: "For six years, I made myself smaller and smaller to try to fit in the box. In the end, I did not fit and I had completely lost myself." — Mattanja Lennings"Every year you stay in a box that isn't yours, it gets harder to remember who you were before you started performing." — Anik Malenfant"The goals aren't the problem. The foundation is." — Anik Malenfant If this resonates: Leave a review and tell us — what rules are YOU following that you never actually agreed to?

    22 min

  2. DEC 22

    The Pattern to Leave Behind in 2025

    The Pattern to Leave Behind in 2026 I snapped at my husband over something small. And what came out of my mouth showed me a pattern I'd been running for years. "I know we joke that you guys can all just access my brain — the family cloud — but I'm exhausted. I'm out of bandwidth." He didn't see me juggling four calendars. The meal plans. The bedtime routines. The constant "Mom, where's my..." Managing my team while holding the vision for my business. I was the cloud for my family AND my business. Before you set a single goal for 2026, you need to see what patterns you're dragging with you. In this episode, you'll discover: • The moment I realized I'd made myself "the family cloud" — and what it cost me • Pattern #1: Hyper-Independence — why "if you want it done right, do it yourself" is keeping you stuck • Pattern #2: Conditional Permission — the "once/then" trap that sounds like wisdom but keeps moving the goalpost • Pattern #3: Time Scarcity — why it's not ambition, it's self-abandonment • The questions that help you work with patterns (without adding them to your to-do list) • My challenge for you before the new year Featured Moment: "I gave myself maybe sixty seconds of satisfaction before my brain kicked in: 'Okay but what's next? You're behind on this other thing.' Sixty seconds. That's all I allowed myself. And I remember thinking: If I can't celebrate this — if I can't let this land — what's any of it for?" Connect with Anik: • Website: https://masteringascension.com/coaching/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anikmalenfant • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikmalenfant/ • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anik.malenfant Resources: • Your Breakthrough Blueprint (Free Quiz): https://subscribepage.io/breakthroughblueprint • You & Your Soul-Led Business Program: https://ascensionacademy.life/product/you-your-soul-led-business-development-program/ Memorable Moments: • "I know we joke that you guys can all just access my brain — the family cloud — but I'm exhausted. I'm out of bandwidth." • "He didn't know it, but he'd just thrown a match into a pool of gasoline." • "Hyper-Independence is dangerous because it works." • "That 'once/then' language? That's the tell." • "It's not ambition. It's self-abandonment." • "You cannot change what you refuse to look at." • "2026 will give you exactly what you allow." If this resonates: Leave a review and tell us — which pattern hit you in the chest? We read every one.

    20 min

  3. DEC 15

    She put herself first, then came 210% growth

    For 12 years, Laura Johnson's business lost money. Every spreadsheet, every logical analysis said the same thing: quit. But her gut said something different. So she made a radical choice—she left her corporate job, put her health and happiness FIRST, and watched everything change. 210% growth later, she's proof that your intuition knows something your spreadsheet doesn't. In this episode, you'll discover: Why Laura kept going when 12 years of data said stopThe post-it note philosophy that changed everything: "Health and happiness first. Income second."How leaving corporate wasn't about escaping—it was about going all inThe pivot that transformed her business: targeting frustration instead of demographicsWhat an 11-year-old girl taught her about why this work mattersFeatured Moment: Laura shares the moment she realized she couldn't keep living two lives—the corporate employee and the entrepreneur with a dream. "I couldn't give up without really fully putting my whole heart into it. And that doesn't mean 80 hours a day. Because I quit my job for balance and sanity." About Laura Johnson: Laura Johnson is the founder of Bust'DD, a mobile bra fitting service helping women finally feel confident in their bodies. After 12 years of building her business on the side while working corporate, she took the leap in 2024—and hasn't looked back. Connect with Laura: Website: www.bustdd.comInstagram : https://www.instagram.com/bustdd/Connect with Anik: Website: https://masteringascension.com/coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anikmalenfantLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikmalenfant/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anik.malenfantResources: Your Breakthrough Blueprint (Free Quiz): https://subscribepage.io/breakthroughblueprintYou & Your Soul-Led Business Program: https://ascensionacademy.life/product/you-your-soul-led-business-development-program/Memorable Moments: "You trusted yourself—and that trust became the strategy." — Anik"Number one: health and happiness. Number two: income, business, money." — Laura"Your intuition is not mystical guesswork. It is your highest form of intelligence." — Anik"I've grown 210% from last year to this year." — LauraIf this resonates: Leave a review and tell us: When did YOUR gut know something your spreadsheet didn't? Top highlights 00:28 – Meet Laura Johnson, Founder of Bust'DD 01:39 – Laura’s Turning Point: Frustration to Purpose 02:26 – The Birth of a Business Idea 03:17 – Pivots, Intuition, and Breaking Patterns 04:55 – Overcoming Fear and Trusting Yourself 06:00 – The Leap: Leaving Corporate for Entrepreneurship 09:14 – Health, Happiness, and Redefining Success 11:34 – The Power of Intuition in Business Decisions 12:22 – Rapid Fire Round: Daily Practices & Advice 17:13 – Impact, Transformation, and Leading with Purpose 19:32 – Closing Thoughts & How to Connect with Laura 21:41 – Outro & Final Message

    22 min

  4. DEC 8

    I Was Counting Down to My Daughter's Bedtime (A Confession)

    I was sitting at the dinner table with my family—food gone cold on my plate—because I'd spent the entire meal answering "urgent" messages. I told myself I was making an impact. And I was... in everyone else's life. But in my own? I was living in a deficit. In this episode, I share the pattern I finally had to name: I was both the arson AND the firefighter in my own life. The fires weren't the problem. The pattern starting them was. I also share a recent client conversation where I almost lost a client—on purpose—because I saw something she couldn't see. And what I discovered underneath her overwhelm will sound painfully familiar. If you've ever wondered why things never seem to calm down no matter how hard you work... this episode is for you. In This Episode: • Why I spent years with cold dinners and counting down to bedtime • The pattern that keeps high-achievers exhausted (arson + firefighter) • The inherited belief that creates "indispensable" syndrome • The boundary I set with a client that changed everything • 3 questions to ask yourself next time a "fire" shows up • The shift from "sacrifice for success" to "prosperity AND presence" Memorable Moments "I was both the arson AND the firefighter in my own life." "Productivity, is the most socially acceptable form of self-sabotage there is." "You made yourself indispensable. And now you're trapped inside the very thing you built." "My daughter's not going to remember how many clients I helped. She's going to remember if I was there." RESOURCES & LINKSYour Breakthrough Blueprint (Free Quiz): https://subscribepage.io/breakthroughblueprint The You & Your Soul-Led Business Program: https://ascensionacademy.life/product/you-your-soul-led-business-development-program/ Connect With Anik Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anik.malenfant Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anikmalenfant LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikmalenfant/ Website: https://masteringascension.com/coaching/ Timestamps: 00:54 — The cost of overcommitting: Missing family time and feeling exhausted.01:34 — Emotional deficit: Realizing the impact on personal and family life.02:38 — Self-judgment: Questioning motherhood, entrepreneurship, and boundaries.03:34 — When did your family last get the best of you? Reflecting on priorities.04:42 — The pattern of saying yes: How small favors become big commitments.05:15 — Productivity as self-sabotage: A client story about overwhelm and boundaries.06:37 — Inherited patterns: Service as love, sacrifice as worth.07:51 — Why exhaustion persists: Always another fire to put out.08:28 — Setting boundaries: No more crisis calls after hours.09:09 — Empowering clients: Stepping back to let others grow.10:35 — The shift: Building a business that supports life, not the other way around.11:29 — Three questions to ask when a fire shows up in your life.12:44 — Patterns vs. time management: How to truly change.13:52 — Breakthrough Blueprint: A tool to identify your invisible ceiling.14:36 — The discomfort of change: Proof that the pattern is breaking

    15 min

  5. DEC 1

    The Pattern Running Your Life That You Can't See

    There's something running your entire life that you can't see. It's setting your prices, choosing your clients, and deciding how hard you push. In this episode, I'm helping you find the blindspot that's been holding you back—so you can finally break through the invisible ceiling. In This Episode: The pattern I couldn't see during my 15 years on Wall StreetWhy the pattern that kept you safe at 7 is keeping you stuck at 47The 4 types of blindspots: Values, Intuitive Discernment, Energetic Alignment, Strategic ExecutionThe buffet metaphor: Why you're eating food you never orderedHow an 8-figure CEO went from wage negotiation to 7-figure exit—in 45 minutesWhy permission is never coming—and what to do about itQuotable Moments: "The pattern that kept you SAFE at seven is keeping you STUCK at forty-seven."  "Don't wait for a breakdown to choose a breakthrough." RESOURCES: Here's the Quiz I mentioned in the show, Your Breakthrough Blueprint:The You & Your Soul-Led Business Program: https://ascensionacademy.life/product/you-your-soul-led-business-development-program/Connect with Anik:  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anik.malenfantLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikmalenfant/Website: https://masteringascension.com/coaching/

    24 min

  6. NOV 24

    Intuition Wins Cases: How a Prosecutor Used her Gut to Get Justice

    Can you trust your intuition in a courtroom? Most people think intuition belongs in yoga studios, not in high-stakes legal environments where lives hang in the balance. But JoDee Neil—a former prosecutor who handled crimes against children for 15 years—will tell you straight up: intuition wasn't optional. It was essential. In this powerful conversation, JoDee shares: → How she used prayer and journaling to prepare for jury trials (and left room in her strategy for what her gut told her to ask in the moment) → The parallel life she lived as a prosecutor and an undisclosed survivor (and how connecting with survivors became her own path to healing) → What it feels like when your soul says "I can't do this anymore" (even when you have a steady paycheck, health insurance, and external success) → The inner work that gave her the courage to leave prosecution and step into advocacy, speaking, and writing her book on disclosure for survivors → Her advice for anyone who knows they need to make a change but is paralyzed by fear JoDee's story is proof that intuition isn't separate from strategy—it IS strategy. And that the most courageous thing you can do is recognize when your values are calling you toward something different, even when it terrifies you. This episode will challenge you to ask yourself: If success looks good on paper but feels heavy in your body—whose life are you actually living? 🔗 RESOURCES & LINKS Connect with JoDee Neil: TikTok: @jodeeneilattorneyInstagram: @jodeeneilattorneyWebsite: neilnowlegal.comPre-order her book: Outcry WitnessWork with Anik: Free Soul-Led Productivity Toolkit Discover how to align your energy with your ambitions—without the burnout. 👉 Get your free toolkit here You & Your Soul-Led Business Program The proven framework to decode your patterns, strengthen your intuition, and build a business that doesn't deplete you. For soul-led professionals ready to stop performing success and start living it. 👉 Learn more & apply 1:1 Coaching with Anik Private mentorship for leaders navigating major transitions, hitting revenue ceilings, or building businesses that honor who they are. 👉 Explore 1:1 coaching More from Anik: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/anikmalenfantWebsite: masteringascension.com💬 QUOTABLE MOMENTS  From JoDee: "It's exciting scary versus paralyzing scary. When you're connected to your values, fear transforms."From Anik: "When you work from pressure, you over-control. When you work from overflow, you prepare AND trust.""The question isn't 'Can I afford to leave?' The question becomes: 'Can I afford to stay?'"

    20 min

  7. NOV 18

    The Leadership Crisis No One's Talking About (And the Counterintuitive Solution)

    Here's what nobody wants to hear: All those productivity tools you're investing millions in? They're not going to save you. Not because the technology is bad—but because you're using it to optimize a broken system. Right now, 56% of leaders are burned out and nearly half of organizations lost half their leadership teams last year. Companies are spending billions trying to automate their way to productivity, but the real problem isn't efficiency—it's human capacity. In this episode, I'm sharing the counterintuitive solution that has nothing to do with your tech stack and everything to do with how humans actually work. You'll hear the story of how values-based systems allowed us to retain an entire 8-figure book of business during a high-stakes firm transition—while the industry average is losing one in five clients. This is about strategic execution: Building systems that honor the human in the business while scaling for sustainable success. What You'll Learn: • Why spending billions on productivity tools won't fix your burnout problem—and what will • The "quiet cracking" phenomenon affecting 54% of employees (and costing companies $438 billion globally) • How we retained an 8-figure book during a firm transition when competitors lose 19% on average • Why stressed leaders can't make strategic decisions (and what to do about it) • The 3-Question Leadership Audit you can do RIGHT NOW • How to build systems that scale while honoring your soul Top Quotes: 💬 "You can't software your way out of a human problem." 💬 "We built business models designed to extract value from humans until they break—and then we act surprised when they do." 💬 "Sustainable success isn't going to come from the old model of business. It's built on systems that honor the human in the business." The Leadership Audit (Do This Now): Pull out your phone and answer these three questions honestly: Am I leading from OVERFLOW or PRESSURE? Write the first word that comes to mind.What's my REAL retention number? How many top performers left in the last 12 months?Are my systems designed for EXTRACTION or RECIPROCITY? Do they fuel people or drain them?If you don't like what you see? That's not failure. That's DATA. Now you know what needs to change. Ready to Build Systems That Scale—While Honoring Your Soul? Your Soul-Led Business Program – We work through all four pillars to create systems that honor the human AND scale the business: • Values – Know exactly what you stand for and what you won't tolerate • Intuition – Make confident decisions without second-guessing yourself • Energy – Build from overflow, not fumes • Strategic Execution – Create systems that work even when you're not in the room Two Ways to Work With Me: Option 1: Group Program – All 4 pillars with coaching and implementation support. Cohort starts soon. 👉 Learn More & Enroll Option 2: 1:1 Coaching – Custom-built for YOUR business model. 👉 Apply Here Free Resource: 📥 Soul-Led Productivity Toolkit – Get instant access to tools and frameworks for building from passion, not pressure 👉 Download Free Connect With Anik: 🔗 LinkedIn 🌐 Website

    15 min

  8. NOV 10

    Why You're Successful but Exhausted (And What to Do About It)

    Are you building a business that fuels you—or are you fueling your business with YOU? If you're fully booked, revenue is consistent, but you dread Monday mornings... this episode is for you. We're diving into Pillar 3 of the Soul-Led Business Framework: Energetic Alignment. In this episode, you'll discover: Why success and exhaustion have been falsely packaged together (and how to break that pattern)The moment I realized I was borrowing time from my daughter's childhood to serve everyone—and what I restructured to hit six figures while working lessHow one client quadrupled her clientele by getting CLEAR on her focus instead of trying to serve everyoneThe difference between "tired" and "depleted" (and why most high-achievers can't tell anymore)The two questions that reveal your energetic drainsThe Time Energy Audit you can do this week to identify what's lighting you up vs. soul-suckingThis isn't about time management or productivity hacks. This is about building a business from overflow instead of depletion. Because you can have crystal-clear values and razor-sharp intuition—and still burn out if you're saying yes to too many things (even aligned things). RESOURCES MENTIONED: Time Energy Audit WorksheetYou & Your Soul-Led Business Program - Flash Sale ends Tuesday, November 12th at midnight. Use code BREAKTHROUGH.Connect with Anik:  Website: masteringascension.com/coaching/Instagram: instagram.com/anikmalenfantLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/anikmalenfant/Facebook: facebook.com/anik.malenfantReady to go deeper? Join me for the You & Your Soul-Led Business Program where we build all four pillars together. Flash sale pricing available through Nov 12th. Link in show notes.

    24 min
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About

Succeeding on the outside. Unraveling on the inside. You've built something impressive—but you're white-knuckling your way through success, wondering why clarity feels impossible and your next level stays just out of reach. I'm Anik Malenfant. I spent 15 years on Wall Street before discovering: your subconscious patterns are writing your business plan. Every Monday, I decode what's really keeping you stuck. Solo deep-dives on the patterns you can't see. Raw conversations with leaders scaling without sacrifice. Insights that shift everything. If you're done choosing between your soul and your success— Welcome home.

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  • Creator
    Ascension Academy
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Your Soul-led Business
  • Show Website
    Your Soul-led Business