Gratitude Geek | Business Education for Gen X Women Solopreneurs

Kandas Rodarte | Gen X Growth Coach for Women Solopreneurs
  • 5.0 (39)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Gratitude Geek is the podcast for Gen X women solopreneurs who've faced major life challenges like cancer, divorce, or loss—and are rebuilding their businesses and lives with strategy, systems, and gratitude as a powerful business tool. Host Kandas Rodarte—a Gen X metastatic breast cancer thriver, growth coach, and digital marketing pioneer with 30+ years of expertise—interviews inspirational Gen X women entrepreneurs who've transformed adversity into wisdom and business growth. Each week, you'll discover practical strategies for marketing, productivity, building genuine client connections, and creating a business that fits your life. Whether you're starting over after a difficult season or simply ready to grow your business with more authenticity and less hustle, this podcast will help you learn, grow, and foster the connections that matter most. Join the Gratitude Geek community and turn gratitude into your competitive advantage.

  1. Cycle Sync Your Business | Renae Fieck

    15h ago

    Cycle Sync Your Business | Renae Fieck

    Your hormones are not a productivity problem — they are your secret business strategy. In episode 329 of Gratitude Geek, cycle advantage coach and author Renae Fieck breaks down how to cycle synch your business so you can stop hustling against your body and start building in a way that actually works for you. If you’ve ever wondered why “just be more consistent” advice feels impossible during certain weeks of the month, this conversation will feel like a giant exhale. Renae explains how to align your content creation, launches, client work, and rest with your natural rhythms so you get more done with less stress, guilt, and self-judgment. In this episode, we talk about: Why traditional productivity and hustle culture burn out high-achieving women The four phases of your cycle and how each one supports different kinds of work Practical ways to plan your marketing, money-making tasks, and downtime around your energy What to do when life knocks you flat and your body simply cannot hustle anymore About Renae Fieck Renae is a mom of three, feminine leadership and cycle advantage coach, and the author of Cycle Sync Your Business. She helps high-achieving women use their body’s rhythms to create more income and impact without adding more to their plates, so they can thrive in both life and business. Connect with Renae Website: renaefieck.com Podcast: The Cycle Advantage Book: Cycle Sync Your Business: How to Leverage Your Menstrual Cycle for More Income and Impact Within Your Business (affiliate link) Free Gift: Cycle Sync Your Business Audio Book About Gratitude Geek Gratitude Geek is business education for Gen X women solopreneurs who are rebuilding after cancer, divorce, or loss. Host Kandas Rodarte shares candid conversations and practical strategies to help you build a resilient, sustainable business that honors your real life, real body, and real responsibilities. Show notes + links kandasrodarte.com/329 Is this episode for you? This episode is for you if you’re exhausted by hustle culture, curious about cycle syncing, and ready to experiment with a more humane way to grow your business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    46 min
  2. Digital Defense for Solopreneurs | Rob Broadhead

    Jun 16

    Digital Defense for Solopreneurs | Rob Broadhead

    What is Digital Defense? A few years ago, I lost my decades-old website, momgeek.com, to a hacker, and hundreds of blog posts about my business and cancer journey were gone. That was my wake-up call that digital defense is not just a big business issue — it matters for solopreneurs, too. In this episode, I’m joined by Rob Broadhead of RB Consulting to talk about practical ways to protect your website, use AI with a little more common sense, and respond fast if something goes sideways. Rob and I also revisit our earlier conversations in episodes 149 and 150: Episode 149: Learned Contentment Episode 150: Beyond Cancer In this episode, we cover: Why digital defense is really common sense. What to do when you discover you’ve been hacked. How AI and vibe coding can create risk if you skip the guardrails. Why Cloudflare can be a useful layer of protection for content sites. Why security awareness matters for solopreneurs. Rob’s links and resources: RB-SNS.com Develpreneur Contact Rob for the free AI readiness assessment Free gift from Rob: Fill out the contact form at rb-sns.com and mention Gratitude Geek to request your free AI readiness assessment. Thanks for listening to Gratitude Geek, the podcast for Gen X women solopreneurs weaving gratitude into your business strategy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    43 min
  3. How to Build a Resilient Business | Ksenia Votinova-Arnaud

    Jun 9

    How to Build a Resilient Business | Ksenia Votinova-Arnaud

    What if your business could hold up — not just when things are good, but when everything falls apart? There's actually a system for that. Ksenia Votinova-Arnaud is a serial tech entrepreneur, co-founder of Le VPN, and business coach at INSEAD. She's coached over 1,100 executives from companies like Google, AWS, Salesforce, and Adobe — and she built all of it into the Weatherproof Business™ method, her signature system for building a resilient business that gives you real freedom on your own terms. In episode 327 of Gratitude Geek Podcast, host Kandas Rodarte and Ksenia talk about: The one foundation most women skip that determines whether a business survives hard times Why → Who → What → How: the four components of a weatherproof business How to validate a business idea before you spend a single dollar building it The time-for-money trap that quietly caps your income (and how to get out of it) Why patience is the most underrated resilience tool you have Free resource from Ksenia: Scorecard to evaluate how solid your business idea is, based on the Weatherproof Business™ method → kseniavotinova.com Full show notes + links: kandasrodarte.com/327 About Gratitude Geek Podcast: Gratitude Geek is the podcast for Gen X women solopreneurs building genuine, lasting connections with clients, colleagues, and community. Host Kandas Rodarte believes gratitude is a business strategy that transforms how we show up in our work and lives. Subscribe & Listen: YouTube: youtube.com/@gratitudegeek Apple Podcasts: Apple Podcasts Spotify: Spotify Website: kandasrodarte.com Connect with Kandas: Weekly Email: kandasrodarte.com/subscribe Instagram: @gratitudegeek LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gratitudegeek Support the Show:kandasrodarte.com/support Work with Kandas:Are you a woman solopreneur over 40 who's experienced something difficult like cancer, divorce, or loss? Kandas helps women rebuild their businesses and lives with strategy, systems, and gratitude as a business tool. kandasrodarte.com/start-here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    39 min
  4. The Real Reason You Can't Make That Decision | Sarah Andreas

    Jun 2

    The Real Reason You Can't Make That Decision | Sarah Andreas

    You're not stuck because you don't have enough information. You're stuck because you haven't learned to trust yourself yet. Sarah Andreas — artist, author, and PhD in Organizational Leadership — joins Kandas Rodarte for episode 326 of Gratitude Geek. They chat about how to trust yourself when you're facing a big decision and can't yet see the path ahead. Sarah shares her journey from Harley-Davidson dealership employee to painter and author of Step Into the Ether, and the hard-won lessons she learned about fear, self-trust, community, and what it means to hold your plans in an open palm instead of a closed fist. In This Episode Why self-trust is built in small, quiet moments — not big breakthroughs How to do it afraid (and what to do when the fear is legitimate) The difference between a mistake and a learning experience Why one community can't hold all of you How curiosity and trust work together to move you forward when you can't see what's next Connect with Sarah Andreas Website: sarahandreas.com Instagram: @sarahandreasart LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahandreas Free resource: Reinvention Orientation — a gentle starting point for women who feel something shifting but don't yet know what to do about it Step Into the Ether on Amazon: amzn.to/439a7sm Resources Mentioned Toastmasters International Episodes Mentioned Karen Yankovich — the labyrinth metaphor Lydia Knight — curiosity and getting out of cults Heather Vickery — gratitude out loud About Gratitude Geek Gratitude Geek is business education for Gen X women solopreneurs — practical, experiment-driven, and completely free of hustle culture. Hosted by Kandas Rodarte from Muskegon, Michigan. Subscribe to the podcast: kandasrodarte.com/subscribe Join the Gratitude Geek Lab: kandasrodarte.com/lab Support the show: kandasrodarte.com/support Theme music by Rev Brock and Soul Lily. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    49 min
  5. Visibility and Wealth for Women Solopreneurs | Karen Yankovich

    May 26

    Visibility and Wealth for Women Solopreneurs | Karen Yankovich

    If you've ever thought "I'm not ready yet" or "who am I to put myself out there" — this episode is for you. Karen Yankovich is a LinkedIn and PR strategist, host of the top 2% Good Girls Get Rich podcast, and on a mission to create more wealthy women in the world. She believes visibility is how you get there — not hustle, not a hundred certifications, not waiting until you feel ready enough. In this conversation, Karen and Kandas talk about why smart, experienced women stay invisible the longest, how to build the kind of online presence that attracts real opportunities, and why being seen is one of the most powerful things a woman solopreneur can do for her income, her impact, and the world. You'll hear: Why imposter syndrome doesn't go away — and why that's actually okay The "money tree" approach to LinkedIn that takes 15 minutes a day How podcast guesting builds credibility that Google can find Why consistency beats volume every single time How visibility and wealth are more connected than most women think Women with money change the world. This is how you become one of them. 📝 Show Notes + Links: https://kandasrodarte.com/325 🎓 LinkedIn Profile Training: https://LinkedInProfileTraining.com 🌿 Join the free Gratitude Geek Lab: https://kandasrodarte.com/lab Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    49 min
  6. Video Storytelling: Real Stories Win Clients | Graham Kuhn

    May 19

    Video Storytelling: Real Stories Win Clients | Graham Kuhn

    In this episode of Gratitude Geek, Kandas Rodarte talks with Graham Kuhn, founder of Focus Films, about why real stories, simple video, and authentic connection are often more persuasive than polished production. Graham shares how his path from singing to video storytelling shaped the way he helps businesses build trust and attract clients. They dig into why networking works best when it feels like service, why people remember stories more than sales pitches, and how Gen X women can use video without trying to be perfect. If you’ve ever felt awkward on camera or unsure how to talk about your work, this conversation offers practical encouragement and a more human way forward. What You’ll Hear Why storytelling builds trust faster than slick marketing. How being a connector can become part of your marketing strategy. Why authenticity matters more than perfection on video. How Graham helps clients open up and tell better brand stories. Why short-form video gets attention, but deeper story content drives trust. Guest Links Website: https://www.focusfilms.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FocusFilmsATL LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gkuhn1/ Free e-book: https://www.focusfilms.com/e-booksignup Episode Resources Episode blog post: https://kandasrodarte.com/324 Subscribe to Gratitude Geek: https://kandasrodarte.com/subscribe About Graham Kuhn Graham Kuhn helps businesses win clients with video storytelling. Through Focus Films, he focuses on helping people communicate their value in a way that feels real, trustworthy, and human. About Gratitude Geek Gratitude Geek is business education for Gen X women solopreneurs. Each episode explores sustainable growth, honest marketing, and practical ideas for building a business that fits real life. If this conversation encouraged you, share it with a business owner who needs a gentler, more effective way to market themselves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    57 min
  7. The Power of Gratitude and Hugs in Business and Life | LuAnn Buechler

    May 12

    The Power of Gratitude and Hugs in Business and Life | LuAnn Buechler

    In episode 323 of Gratitude Geek, Kandas Rodarte and LuAnn Buechler explore how gratitude and human connection, especially through hugging, can transform both your personal and professional life. LuAnn shares how she weaves gratitude into her work, why appreciation can shift your energy and happiness hormones, and how her “iHug” movement grew from a simple idea into a mission centered on community and belonging. If you’re a Gen X woman solopreneur who wants more joy, connection, and sustainable growth without the hustle culture, this episode is for you. Listen in and hear about: How gratitude reshapes your mindset, your happiness hormones, and the way you show up in life and business. Why hugs are a universal healing message and how they help us feel safer, stronger, and more grounded. The role of community, collaboration, and loyalty in building a business that actually feels good to run. Why appreciation and the words “thank you” are powerful leadership tools that deepen relationships and loyalty. How to pivot through hard seasons by focusing on the lessons, not just the losses. LuAnn’s Inspired Strategic Plan, The 6 C’s of Making Your Passions Pay, and the Third Paradigm of Collaboration. Notable quotes “Every time you give a hug, you get one.” – LuAnn Buechler “The words ‘thank you’ are a verbal hug.” – Kandas Rodarte “We need our communities to thrive.” – LuAnn Buechler Timestamps 00:00 – The Power of Gratitude 03:41 – The Importance of Human Connection 09:28 – Building Community and Collaboration 17:13 – Inspired Action and Strategic Planning 20:51 – Mindset Shifts and Productivity 22:29 – Embracing Change and Learning from Challenges 23:33 – The Power of Appreciation and Gratitude 25:09 – Creating a Culture of Appreciation 26:51 – The Importance of Receiving Compliments 29:17 – The Need for Positive Connections 30:09 – The I Hug Movement: Spreading Love and Connection 34:51 – Building Community Through Hugs 36:50 – The Role of Hugs in Healing Divides Resources and links LuAnn Buechler’s website: https://luannb.com I Hug Movement: https://ihugmovement.com eWomen Network: https://ewomennetwork.com Transformational Leadership Council: https://tlcglobal.org Connect with LuAnn Website: https://luannb.com I Hug Movement: https://ihugmovement.com Connect with Kandas Gratitude Geek podcast for Gen X women solopreneurs (search in your favorite podcast app). Learn more about the Gratitude Geek Lab for Gen X women solopreneurs: kandasrodarte.com/lab If this episode rekindled your belief in the power of gratitude and hugs, share it with a friend who needs more connection in her life and business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    40 min
  8. Dance to Heal | Jenny C. Cohen

    May 5

    Dance to Heal | Jenny C. Cohen

    What if the thing your body needs most is also the thing you stopped letting yourself do? Award-winning dancer and movement coach Jenny C. Cohen joins Kandas for a conversation about using dance as a healing tool — not as performance, not as exercise, but as a way back to yourself. Jenny danced through chemotherapy, rebuilt her life after cancer, and turned that experience into a business that helps women reconnect with their own instincts through somatic movement. In this episode you'll hear: Why dancing to music you love activates most of your brain — and how to use that as a solopreneur reset The dominant/non-dominant hand writing exercise that bypasses your inner editor and accesses what your body already knows How to use a five-senses grounding practice to get present fast when you're overwhelmed What Jenny learned about trusting herself after spending years paying coaches who didn't understand her vision Why acknowledging hard anniversaries — cancer diagnoses, loss, hard seasons — actually deepens gratitude instead of derailing it This one is for the Gen X woman who has been through something hard and is still figuring out how to carry it while building something real. 🎁 Free Gift from Jenny:Jenny is offering Gratitude Geek listeners free admission to her monthly master workshop.👉 Grab your spot at www.movetobloom.com Connect with Jenny C. Cohen:🌐 Website: JennyCCohen.com🎙️ Podcast: dancetohealpodcast.com▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@dancetohealpodcast💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jennyccohen📸 Instagram: @jennyccohen Gratitude Geek is the podcast for Gen X women solopreneurs weaving gratitude into business strategy. New episodes drop weekly.🎧 Listen, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    41 min
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5
out of 5
39 Ratings

About

Gratitude Geek is the podcast for Gen X women solopreneurs who've faced major life challenges like cancer, divorce, or loss—and are rebuilding their businesses and lives with strategy, systems, and gratitude as a powerful business tool. Host Kandas Rodarte—a Gen X metastatic breast cancer thriver, growth coach, and digital marketing pioneer with 30+ years of expertise—interviews inspirational Gen X women entrepreneurs who've transformed adversity into wisdom and business growth. Each week, you'll discover practical strategies for marketing, productivity, building genuine client connections, and creating a business that fits your life. Whether you're starting over after a difficult season or simply ready to grow your business with more authenticity and less hustle, this podcast will help you learn, grow, and foster the connections that matter most. Join the Gratitude Geek community and turn gratitude into your competitive advantage.

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