The Wellthy Life

Deanna Rose
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Biweekly

For founders and high achievers who want the science behind what’s happening in the body under sustained high pressure, and the honest conversations about what it costs to build at this level without the support most people never talk about. Hosted by Deanna Rose, founder performance strategist, creator of The Wellth Method, and the person who tells you exactly what’s happening in your system and what to do about it. This podcast bridges physiology, neuroscience, and embodied psychology, so your internal world matches the success you're building externally.

  1. Aug 6

    48. I was alone, in excruciating pain, and no one was coming. What it taught me about control

    The year my body forced me to stop, a 2 months chest infection, back injury that had me shuffling to a bathroom like a 90yo, and a nervous system so overloaded it triggered rashes doctors couldn't explain. I break down exactly what got me through it, why forcing a timeline on your recovery only makes it longer, and the difference between accepting a situation and giving up on it. If you're a founder running your business on fumes and ignoring what your body is telling you, this episode will change how you make decisions, protect your energy, and handle the things you can't control. Connect with Deanna: 14 Day inerOS Reset https://deannawrose.com/osreset Take the Founder State Audit https://shorturl.at/aHm4Q Instagram: https://instagram.com/dr.deannawrose/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannawrose/ How I support high performers https://deannawrose.com/programs  Get email updates: https://deannawrose.com/connect#newsletter Clarity call https://calendly.com/deannawrose/claritycall Timestamps: [00:47] The year my resilience got tested more than ever [02:18] Two months of chest infection, my body forces me to stop [03:11] My back completely seizes, alone, with no help coming [13:51] Finding gratitude from a bed I couldn't leave [18:39] What "acceptance" actually means (it's not what you think) [24:21] Why gripping control never gets you what you want [28:50] The family emergency that pushed my nervous system past its limit [31:18] Why fix me in 3 weeks is a lie, the real recovery timeline [33:23] The swing door metaphor: how your nervous system actually works [35:50] What changed once I stopped fighting the rashes and the situation Keywords: nervous system regulation, founder burnout, stress recovery timeline, acceptance vs control, fight or flight response, chronic stress symptoms, founder resilience, nervous system dysregulation, stress and immune system, letting go of control, entrepreneur burnout recovery, somatic stress response, eczema stress trigger, how long does burnout recovery take, founder mental resilience, dealing with chronic stress alone, nervous system and decision making

  2. Jul 21

    47. From Layoff to Author: The Nervous System Behind Reinvention ft. Knox Keith

    Knox Keith has been laid off, built an Emmy-winning media program from scratch, consulted for Michael Dell, and written a book called Validated, and none of it happened because he had a perfect plan. But all because he learned to regulate his nervous system to ride the waves of uncertainty. In this conversation, we sit down with former client turned author and speaker Knox Keith to unpack what actually carries someone through the hardest career transitions: layoffs, reinvention, grief, and the pressure to perform. Knox shares the mindset shifts that took him from corporate management consulting to co-regulation, visibility, and building a body of work rooted in authenticity over performance. If you've ever doubted yourself after a setback, felt like your credibility depends on constant output, or struggled to separate your worth from your job title, give this episode a listen. In this episode: Why growth-oriented thinking matters more than hitting milestones How Knox went from management consulting to winning an Emmy in social media production The real reason layoffs are one of the hardest things people go through and how to process one without spiraling Why co-regulation is the missing piece in most leadership and management The second language of translating expertise across departments and executives Why visibility and credibility require showing your work Why being rejected can be redirection Knox's book Validated, and the idea of "show, don't tell" applied to your career and your life About Knox Keith: Most professionals think they have a visibility problem. They don’t. They have a credibility problem. Everyone is posting to gain attention, but few are building trust, which is harder than ever to earn. Knox Keith helps professionals and organizations understand the difference — and how to turn expertise into real opportunity. Knox is a strategic advisor, instructor, author, and Emmy-winning storyteller focused on digital credibility and professional visibility. He has advised Fortune 500 companies including Dell, AT&T, and Nike, as well as startups and nonprofits navigating growth and change. He is the creator of Digital Validation™ and the Strategic Effects Framework, used to train more than 10,000 professionals to build trust, clarify positioning, and attract opportunity in a world where everyone is visible — but few are truly credible. For over 17 years, Knox has taught and mentored MBA students at SMU Cox School of Business, helping professionals understand how reputation, storytelling, and strategic thinking shape careers. Where to find Knox: Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/knoxkeith/ Email: knox@knoxmc.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/knoxknox/ Website: knoxkeith.com  Timestamp: [00:35] Knox's background: author, speaker, strategic advisor [01:00] The secret to staying grounded: a growth-oriented mindset [02:00] Intellectual curiosity as a career mantra [03:00] The "peaks and valleys" reality behind career growth [04:27] Origin story: learning to translate technical work for executives [07:16] Building an Emmy-winning social media program before anyone believed in it [11:00] Being laid off after being a top performer [14:03] Co-regulation: why a dysregulated manager creates a dysregulated team [18:51] Trusting yourself in high-stakes rooms [42:53] Authenticity, "data nerd" branding, and the shift away from polished perfection [45:14] Why rejection can be redirection [56:57] Knox's book Validated — where the title comes from Keywords: Validated book, career reinvention, layoff recovery, nervous system regulation, co-regulation leadership, professional visibility, authenticity in branding, growth mindset career, corporate burnout, imposter syndrome executive, LinkedIn personal branding, show don't tell branding, curiosity playfulness connection, self-trust in business, Wellthy Life podcast, founder mindset, leadership regulation, rejection as redirection, human to human marketing

    47. From Layoff to Author: The Nervous System Behind Reinvention ft. Knox Keith

  3. Jul 18

    46. Why clean eating isn’t fixing your bloating & brain fog

    You've cut gluten, dairy, sugar, maybe alcohol. You've done the probiotics, enzymes, supplements that promise you miracles, and maybe even the $500 gut test. You're still bloated, foggy, and holding weight you shouldn't have. Here's what nobody selling you supplements is telling you, your gut takes orders from your nervous system, not your grocery list. In this episode, we break down the most up-to-date research behind the gut-brain connection. You'll learn why 80-90% of vagus nerve signals travel from your gut to your brain (not the other way around), why chronic sympathetic activation shuts down digestion at the mechanical level regardless of what you eat, and five specific, simple practices to switch your body into the state where digestion and clear thinking can happen. If you've fixed your diet and still symptomatic, give this episode a listen. In this episode: Why the vagus nerve runs mostly gut-to-brain, not brain-to-gut How gut bacteria produce serotonin and directly influence vagal signalling Why chronic stress mechanically shuts down digestion no matter your diet 5 practical daily practices to regulate your nervous system for better digestion and decision-making Why tracking your emotional state around meals matters more than tracking macros Ready to find out what your nervous system is costing you in decision-making, energy, and capacity? Take the Founder State Audit here https://shorturl.at/aHm4Q Connect with Deanna: 14 Day inerOS Reset https://deannawrose.com/osreset Take the Founder State Audit https://shorturl.at/aHm4Q Instagram: https://instagram.com/dr.deannawrose/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannawrose/ How I support high performers https://deannawrose.com/programs  Get email updates: https://deannawrose.com/connect#newsletter Clarity call https://calendly.com/deannawrose/claritycall Time stamp: [02:45] Gut bacteria, short-chain fatty acids, and serotonin production [03:35] Chronic stress shuts down digestion at the mechanical level [04:24] Why your gut isn't getting the safe to digest signal [05:15] Most gut protocols only fix the plate [06:10] Practice 1: Regulate before you eat [07:45] Practice 2: Eat without competing stimulus [08:55] Practice 3: Feed gut bacteria [09:45] Practice 4: Build a daily vagal tone practice [11:25] Practice 5: Track your state Keywords: vagus nerve, gut-brain connection, gut brain axis, nervous system regulation, chronic bloating causes, why am I still bloated, vagal tone practices, parasympathetic nervous system, short chain fatty acids, gut bacteria serotonin, high performer burnout, founder nervous system, digestion and stress, HRV and digestion, resonance breathing, nervous system and decision making, gut health beyond diet, founder state audit, Wellthy Life podcast, executive function and gut health Timestamps

  4. Jul 14

    45. Wired to push | Part 2: The Addiction Nobody Talks About

    In this Part 2 of the Wired to Push series, we break down why scaling founders come back from vacation more depleted than when they left, why just relax doesn't work on a body that's been running in survival mode for years, and why willpower is the one tool that was never going to fix this. You'll learn why your nervous system treats stillness as a threat, what actually happens in your brain when you're dysregulated (and why reasoning shuts off completely), and the real difference between stress that builds capacity and stress that drains it for years. This episode covers the science of incomplete stress cycles, how pushing through creates more damage than results, and what it actually takes to shift from a starting-stage founder to one who can scale without burning the whole operation down. If you've ever felt guilty for resting, or noticed your business runs better when you're anxious than when you're calm, this episode was made for you. Take the Founder State Audit to find out which of the five founder patterns is running your decisions https://shorturl.at/aHm4Q Connect with Deanna: 14 Day inerOS Reset https://deannawrose.com/osreset Take the Founder State Audit https://shorturl.at/aHm4Q Connect on Social https://instagram.com/dr.deannawrose/ How I support high performers https://deannawrose.com/programs  Get email updates https://deannawrose.com/connect#newsletter Clarity call https://calendly.com/deannawrose/claritycall  Timestamps: [00:00] the problem with too much information and not enough integration [01:35] Why founders can't stop even when they understand the science [03:00] The body becomes addicted to its own stress chemistry [04:00] How chronic stress states get conditioned and reinforced over time [06:22] Why the vacation doesn't work, the firefighter/paramedic analogy [08:49] The identity shift from starting-stage founder to scaling founder [11:15] The gazelle: what completing a stress cycle actually looks like [13:40] Why stress itself isn't the problem [16:06] Why discipline and willpower can't override a dysregulated nervous system [18:27] The ankle injury story, what staying disciplined actually costs Keywords:founder burnout, nervous system regulation, stress cycle completion, cortisol and performance, scaling founder mindset, chronic stress in entrepreneurs, prefrontal cortex dysregulation, vagus nerve and decision making, why rest feels uncomfortable, founder identity shift, sympathetic nervous system overdrive, high performer burnout, Peter Levine stress release, Stephen Porges vagal theory, willpower vs regulation, founder state audit, entrepreneur nervous system science, business performance and biology, capacity vs discipline

  5. Jul 7

    44. Elite athlete. Elite salesman. Elite burnout. The discipline that built him also forced him to stop ft. Max Troiani

    Max Troianni was the most disciplined person in every room, Division 1 baseball, top-of-the-board in sales, first one in and last one out. Then his body surprised him with a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis at 26. In this episode, Max unpacks what was actually driving his discipline. We trace the full arc: losing his identity when his baseball career ended, the depressive period that followed, the perpetual motion strategy he used to outrun it, and how that same pattern eventually burned out his nervous system in a high pressure sales career. You'll hear how Max learned to tell the difference between urgency that serves him and urgency that's depletes him, why "the law of infinite energy" is a lie every high performer eventually has to unlearn, and how tapping into pain, instead of avoiding it, changed the way he leads his own team. In this episode: Why discipline built on fear looks identical to one built on passion Losing an athletic identity and the next kingdom reframe Why urgency is one of the most taxing states a high performer can live in Avoiding pain vs. feeling it: the shift that changed his nervous system and his relationships How a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis became an unsolvable problem for a lifelong problem solver Why human connection is a non-negotiable About Max Troiani: Max Troiani is a commercial real estate executive and former Division 1 collegiate athlete who is focused on sharing his personal journey so other high-performers can better understand themselves and lead healthier lives. Driven by a lifelong competitive streak, Max was managing high-velocity real estate acquisitions when a sudden Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis forced him to completely halt, re-evaluate, and re-engineer his entire physical and mental operating system. Through a journey of personal alignment and by transforming a taxing chronic condition into a data-driven framework for metabolic health and nervous system resilience, he moved from a state of reactive burnout to one of sustainable energy. Today, alongside his executive career, Max is dedicated to mentoring others who find themselves in similar positions to understand that it is entirely possible to change your core software, maintain an elite edge, and transition from merely surviving to truly leading. Where to find Max: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maxtroiani_/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxtroiani/  Check out Solstice Growth https://www.solsticegrowth.com Solstice on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solstice_growth/  Connect with Deanna: 14 Day inerOS Reset https://deannawrose.com/osreset Take the Founder State Audit https://shorturl.at/aHm4Q Connect on Social https://instagram.com/dr.deannawrose/ How I support high performers https://deannawrose.com/programs  Get email updates https://deannawrose.com/connect#newsletter Clarity call https://calendly.com/deannawrose/claritycall  Timestamps: [02:21] Where his discipline actually came from [04:45] Passion or fear? What was really driving him [09:33] The stress state that shaped his early decisions [11:55] The 10-month job search and the isolation that followed [14:18] Taking action to break a depressive state [16:25] Setting up the Type 1 diabetes conversation [28:02] Losing his athletic identity and finding his next kingdom [32:52] The real cost of urgency [37:21] Avoiding pain vs. tapping into it [39:44] How dysregulation trains your brain to fear your own body [56:08] How self-compassion changed the way he leads his team Keywords: nervous system dysregulation, burnout recovery, high performer burnout, chronic stress, identity loss, athlete identity transition, discipline vs fear, perfectionism, pain avoidance, nervous system regulation, founder burnout, high achiever mindset, urgency and burnout, emotional regulation for men, men's mental health, chronic stress symptoms, identity after sports, grief and pain processing, rest and recovery for high performers, dysregulated nervous system symptoms, emotional authority

    44. Elite athlete. Elite salesman. Elite burnout. The discipline that built him also forced him to stop ft. Max Troiani

  6. Jul 4

    43. "I didn't know who I was outside my business" ft. Chantal Philippe on burnout, boundaries & rebuilding her identity

    What happens when the thing you built to prove your worth becomes the only thing you know yourself by? In this episode, I sat down with Chantal Philippe, founder and principal designer of Nunu Interior Design, entrepreneur, and someone who spent years unable to answer one question: who are you without what you've built? We get into the real story behind the discipline and high standards everyone admires from the outside, the inherited work ethic from her parents, and the bike accident that did more damage to her nervous system than her body. This conversation moves through identity, boundaries, team-building through intention instead of force, and the difference between making decisions from love vs. fear. If you've ever built something everyone praises, while quietly losing track of who you are behind all the success, this one will hit different. About Chantal Philippe: Chantal is an entrepreneur and the founder of Nunu Interior Design, an award winning interior design studio based in Toronto, Canada. With a deep fluency in construction, from structural details to finishing specs, she bridges the worlds of design and building with rare ease. Her philosophy is simple: a space only truly succeeds when its aesthetics, functionality, and emotional resonance are in complete harmony. This conviction drives every decision she makes, from the earliest concept to the final install. Architects, builders, and contractors trust her as a collaborator who speaks their language while never losing sight of the feeling a space is meant to evoke and the life her client is meant to live inside it. Where to find Chantal: Instagram: ​​https://www.instagram.com/nunuinterior.design/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantal-philippe-ncidq-arido-17752345/  Website: https://www.nunuinterior.design/ Timestamps: [02:27] The fear of losing your identity if your body or mind gave out [04:14] Where her discipline and high standards actually came from [08:17] Recognizing the trauma cycle she'd been standing inside [14:56] The "angry dad" analogy for overriding her own body [19:03] Making decisions from love vs. from fear [21:33] Why she started her business and who gave her the confidence to leave [25:50] Catching her 5 year burnout cycle before it repeats again [28:14] Choosing experiences that feed her instead of filling a schedule [30:37] Building a team of five through intention, not job postings [42:38] Learning to say no without over-explaining herself [49:48] The bike accident that triggered something deeper than physical injury [54:16] The nervous system door analogy that changed how she understood herself [59:52] How the accident changed the way she leads her team [1:02:34] "Collecting evidence" how new patterns actually get built [1:04:32] Her three non-negotiables for happiness SEO/AI search keywords:founder identity outside business, entrepreneur burnout story, nervous system and trauma recovery, work life boundaries for women entrepreneurs, business owner identity crisis, manifestation for entrepreneurs, building a team through intention, how to set boundaries at work, recovering from burnout cycle, interior designer entrepreneur interview, post traumatic stress nervous system, rewiring habits repetition, love vs fear decision making, female entrepreneur mental health, founder personal growth podcast

    43. "I didn't know who I was outside my business" ft. Chantal Philippe on burnout, boundaries & rebuilding her identity

  7. Jun 22

    42. Wired to push | Part 1: Why pushing is killing your business

    You don't call it stress. You call it drive and doing what it takes. In this episode, Part 1 of the Wired to Push series, we break down what’s happening in your body every time you override fatigue and keep going. Your brain can’t tell the difference between a deal that just fell through vs. a man chasing you with a knife, it triggers the same survival response either way.  The cortisol and adrenaline that once sharpened your focus are now degrading your memory & sleep, and impairing the prefrontal cortex you need to lead well and run a scaling business. If you've built your identity around being the one who pushes through, this episode will change how you see every decision you make under pressure. Timestamps: [00:00] Why pushing reads as drive, but it's actually a liability [01:09] The compulsive push vs. the strategic push [02:35] Why you can't assess a compromised system from inside it [03:35] How your nervous system scans for safety or threat below conscious awareness [04:50] Why your brainstem can't tell an investor from a predator [06:03] The physiological cost of constant non-physical threats [06:50] What's really happening when you "push through" [08:28] When stress chemicals stop helping and start hurting you [09:00] How chronic cortisol degrades the exact brain function you need most [09:35] Why your body starts silencing its own fatigue signals [10:55] The broken ruler problem: why you can't measure dysregulation from inside it Keywords: founder burnout, nervous system regulation for founders, why am i always pushing through, founder pushing through exhaustion, cortisol and burnout, chronic stress founders, prefrontal cortex stress response, founder nervous system dysregulation, high performing founder burnout signs, founder identity and pushing, business owner burnout symptoms, founder capacity vs hustle, nervous system mastery for entrepreneurs, scaling founder stress response, sustainable performance for ceos

    42. Wired to push | Part 1: Why pushing is killing your business

  8. Jun 9

    41. Why pain is a business problem and what a 25 year chiropractor wants founders to know

    Dr. Waj Hoda has spent over two decades treating the factors driving the symptoms people can see and feel. With his 25+ years of experience, he’s identified a consistent pattern: jaw pain, back pain, headaches, pelvic tension, etc., the physical complaints almost always have an emotional and nervous system root. Stress manifests differently in every body and he’s a master at finding the pattern and addressing the root. Waj trained at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto, the only English-speaking chiropractic institution in Canada at the time and one of the most evidence-based programs in the world. Before building his practice, he spent two years working with sports teams in Western Australia, where a mentorship under leading clinician Dr. David Walkley shaped the way he thinks about performance, recovery, and the relationship between body and identity. He's since returned to Toronto, where he practices out of Totem Life Science on King West, treating everyone from competitive athletes and young professionals to executives and desk workers navigating the long-term cost of chronic stress. Outside the clinic, Waj is a father, hiker, and someone who has lived the principles he teaches, from burning out in his twenties and leaving the country to find perspective, to building the kind of work-life architecture that makes long-term performance sustainable. Waj is the only practitioner I trust with my recovery and is the only practitioner I feel confident in referring friends and family to.  In this episode, I sit down with Waj and chat about what chronic stress actually does to your body, why your injury cycle is probably rooted in your nervous system, and how most people spend years chasing symptoms they created by ignoring their own signals. In this episode: Why your jaw pain, back pain, or headaches are often emotional before they're structural The difference between body awareness and hyperawareness, and why getting it wrong makes both worse How growing up without physical modeling creates adult injury patterns most practitioners never address The real reason smart people keep doing things they know are making their body worse What 25 years of treating founders, athletes, and everyday people has taught Waj about the body's relationship to stress, identity, and control Connect with Waj: Dr. Waj Hoda practices at Totem Life Science | 445 King Street West, Toronto Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drwajhoda/

    41. Why pain is a business problem and what a 25 year chiropractor wants founders to know
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About

For founders and high achievers who want the science behind what’s happening in the body under sustained high pressure, and the honest conversations about what it costs to build at this level without the support most people never talk about. Hosted by Deanna Rose, founder performance strategist, creator of The Wellth Method, and the person who tells you exactly what’s happening in your system and what to do about it. This podcast bridges physiology, neuroscience, and embodied psychology, so your internal world matches the success you're building externally.

Information

  • Creator
    Deanna Rose
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    49
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Deanna Rose
  • Show Website
    The Wellthy Life