Finding Your Fierce

Carolyn Colleen
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‘Finding Your FIERCE’ is the podcast for people wanting to take their life, relationships, and career to the next level. Each episode features inspiring stories of people who are living their most FIERCE life - despite facing massive obstacles and challenges. Hosted by best-selling author, acclaimed speaker, and philanthropist Carolyn Colleen; the ‘Finding Your FIERCE’ podcast will help you to overcome the adversity you’re facing in your life so you can transcend and evolve into your best self. Hit the “follow” button and get ready to unleash your most FIERCE self! Learn more at https://CarolynColleen.com

  1. Poverty is a Circumstance, Not a Character Flaw with Chad Dull

    3D AGO

    Poverty is a Circumstance, Not a Character Flaw with Chad Dull

    What happens when you realize your "stable" life is actually just stagnation? In this episode of Finding Your FIERCE, Carolyn Colleen sits down with educator and advocate Chad Dull to explore a midlife transformation that turned a safe career into a mission-driven Odyssey. After 20 years of "doing some good" from a professional distance, Chad faced a pivotal moment when he realized the systems he participated in weren't truly working for the people they served. When leadership failed to grasp his vision for a "poverty-informed" institution, Chad stopped waiting for permission and decided to lead from exactly where he stood. This choice didn't just change his career—it reignited his spirit in his late 40s. About Our Guest: Chad DullChad Dull has spent over 20 years at the intersection of poverty, education, and equity. He is a sought-after speaker and the author of Poverty Informed Practice in Education: 10 Actions to Try Now!. Driven by a fierce pride in his humble beginnings, Chad works tirelessly to remove the barriers that keep talent trapped in poverty. In his personal life, Chad is a husband to Mandy, father to Hannah and Jane, and a proud grandfather to Parker. Links and Resources: Dr. Carolyn Colleen WebsiteJoin RESET: a free daily reset for clarity, calm, and intentional living. Connect with Chad: Website: www.povertyinformedpractice.com Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Finding Your Fierce? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!

    22 min
  2. The Woman Who Survived and Chose Audacity with Erika Rothenberger

    MAR 29

    The Woman Who Survived and Chose Audacity with Erika Rothenberger

    What if the moment that nearly broke you… was actually the moment that revealed who you truly are? In this powerful episode of Finding Your FIERCE, Carolyn Colleen sits down with media personality, keynote speaker, and author Erika Rothenberger — a dynamic voice on audacity, leadership, and resilience. Erika has appeared on FOX News and has been featured across major media outlets. In 2025, she was named Dynamic Woman of the Year by Philly Style / Modern Luxury Magazine for her impact on leadership, empowerment, and women’s advancement. But behind her success is a story that changed everything. Erika shares the moment she survived a brutal attack — a moment where she believed her life might end. And the powerful decision that followed: not to be defined by it, but to be refined by it. Today, Erika is the author of Audacious Expansion (releasing February 22, 2026), founder of the sold-out Audacious Women’s Summit, and host of the Grit, Grace & Glitz podcast. She also serves as Director of Performance Systems at Henkels & McCoy, where she leads high-performance culture and leadership development. In this episode, she shares what it truly means to choose audacity — not just in big moments, but in the quiet, daily decisions to rise, heal, and grow. You’ll also learn her powerful B.O.L.D. framework: Believe in yourselfOngoing growth (and omitting what no longer serves you)Lean on othersDevelop others This conversation is a reminder that we all experience our own “punch” in life — but we always have a choice in how we respond. Links and Resources: Dr. Carolyn Colleen WebsiteJoin RESET: a free daily reset for clarity, calm, and intentional living.Erika Rothenberger’s WebsiteThe Audacious Expansion Journal (available on Erika’s website)Audacious Women’s SummitAudacious Expansion (Book)Erika on InstagramErika on LinkedIn Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Finding Your Fierce? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!

    24 min

  3. MAR 15

    Before You Choose a College Major, Listen to This with Wendi Witzke

    Four years is a long time to spend on a degree that doesn’t fit you. Choosing a major is one of the biggest decisions students make—often before they’ve ever experienced what the work in that field actually looks like. In this episode of Finding Your Fierce, we sit down with Wendi Witzke, Program Director of the Legal Studies and Paralegal Program at Western Technical College. With more than 20 years of experience supporting students entering the legal profession, Wendi has seen firsthand how the right learning environment can completely change a student’s career path. Instead of sitting in large lecture halls, students in her program gain hands-on experience—drafting real legal documents, walking through real legal processes, and building the practical skills they’ll need in the field. But one of the most powerful insights from this conversation is something many students discover along the way: Sometimes you don’t truly know what you enjoy until you’re actually doing the work. Wendi also shares how her program emphasizes community impact and access to justice, preparing students to support individuals who may not otherwise have the legal representation they need. If you’re a student, parent, or someone exploring a new career direction, this conversation offers a powerful perspective on how the right environment, practical experience, and mentorship can help people discover a path that truly fits. Links and Resources: Dr. Carolyn Colleen WebsiteJoin RESET: a free daily reset for clarity, calm, and intentional living. Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Finding Your Fierce? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!

    24 min
  4. Trust. Believe. Surrender with Emilene Anna

    FEB 27

    Trust. Believe. Surrender with Emilene Anna

    In this powerful episode of Finding Your FIERCE, Emilene Anna — He-ART-ist of Wholeness, midlife mom of four, CrossFit athlete, and founder of Driftless Retreats & Studios — shares the sacred transition that changed everything. After 22+ years behind the chair and thousands of heart-to-heart conversations, Emilene realized she had been performing for love — building success, serving others, and over-giving while quietly losing alignment with herself. Through grief, autoimmune healing, motherhood, and faith, she reclaimed her deeper calling and created her Holistic SOULutions spiritual formation framework: Trust. Believe. Surrender. Now she helps women unmask beauty culture, heal from the inside out, and build aligned lives and income rooted in wholeness — because beauty isn’t something you see. It’s something you feel. You don’t have to earn love. You already belong. Links and Resources: Dr. Carolyn Colleen WebsiteJoin RESET: a free daily reset for clarity, calm, and intentional living.Emilene on InstagramDriftless Retreats Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Finding Your Fierce? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!

    28 min
  5. Leading Inside Systems That Were Never Built for Women with Jodi Vandenberg-Daves

    FEB 7

    Leading Inside Systems That Were Never Built for Women with Jodi Vandenberg-Daves

    In this episode of Finding Your FIERCE, Jodi Vandenberg-Daves explores what it means to lead with courage inside systems that were never designed for women to thrive. Drawing on her work as a historian, leadership coach, and author of Leading With Courage, Jodi unpacks how women navigate careers, leadership, and caregiving within institutions that reward conformity, undervalue emotional labor, and often demand resilience without support. She challenges the idea that leadership belongs only to titles, emphasizing values-driven leadership, voice, boundaries, and integrity at every stage of career. The conversation highlights expansive leadership for women, asking hard questions, resisting burnout, mentoring across generations, and building inclusive workplaces and communities that don’t require women to shrink, overextend, or assimilate to succeed. This episode is a powerful reminder that courage for women isn’t just personal—it’s structural, collective, and necessary for real change. Links and Resources: Dr. Carolyn Colleen WebsiteJoin RESET: a free daily reset for clarity, calm, and intentional living.Jodi on LinkedIn Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Finding Your Fierce? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!

    16 min
  6. The Shift Toward Acceptance: Healing Through Grief with John DeDakis

    JAN 17

    The Shift Toward Acceptance: Healing Through Grief with John DeDakis

    What if healing doesn’t come from fighting your way through grief but from accepting what is, one honest step at a time? In this powerful episode of Finding Your Fierce, host Carolyn Colleen sits down with John DeDakis: award-winning novelist, writing coach, and former Senior Copy Editor for CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer to explore the quiet, courageous work of healing through loss. John shares the pivotal moments that shaped his life: facing an existential crisis as a young man during the Vietnam War draft, choosing acceptance over resistance, and discovering only in hindsight that grief had been woven through his writing for decades. What began as storytelling became an unintentional path to healing, clarity, and purpose. Together, Carolyn and John reflect on why healing is often gradual, why it’s only visible in the looking back, and how creative expression, whether through writing, art, or reflection, can help us process grief without forcing outcomes. This conversation reframes fierceness not as pushing harder, but as the strength to surrender, listen, and trust what’s unfolding. If you’re navigating grief, transition, or a season of deep uncertainty, this episode offers a compassionate reminder: acceptance can be one of the fiercest acts of healing there is. Links and Resources: Dr. Carolyn Colleen WebsiteJoin RESET: a free daily reset for clarity, calm, and intentional living.John on LinkedInUpcoming Retreat with John DeDakis: Writing Through the Pain of Loss Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Finding Your Fierce? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!

    14 min
  7. The Question That Changed Her Path: Brianna Greenspan on Pain, Purpose, and Possibility

    JAN 9

    The Question That Changed Her Path: Brianna Greenspan on Pain, Purpose, and Possibility

    What if chronic pain isn’t just physical? In this deeply personal and insightful episode, Brianna Greenspan—inspirational author, speaker, and CEO of Brianna Greenspan International (BGI)—shares her powerful journey of overcoming debilitating symptoms and unimaginable suffering to reclaim her life. As a global leader in educational training, tools, and support, Brianna reveals the unexpected truths about fostering a growth mindset and the catalyst moments that change everything. From navigating a lifetime of medical complications to discovering the transformative power of self-resourcing, she shares how she moved from a state of being "complete" to finding her fierce. If you've ever felt stuck in a cycle of pain and limiting beliefs, this episode will challenge what you think you know about healing and empower you to take control of your future. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Meet Brianna00:01:45 - Living in the Fire: Leading While Managing Complex Illness00:03:30 - Radical Authenticity: Choosing Visibility Over Hiding00:04:40 - Polished vs. Real: Letting Go of Perfection00:06:15 - A Critical Neurosurgery Appointment00:07:00 - Childhood in Crisis: Early Medical Trauma00:08:15 - Hitting the Breaking Point: Losing Basic Functions00:10:45 - A Call That Changed Everything: Losing Her Best Friend00:11:45 - From Despair to Curiosity: Asking What Else Is Possible00:12:45 - New Paths to Healing: Shortening Symptoms from Months to Minutes00:14:40 - Turning Pain into Purpose: A Global Impact Links and Resources: Dr. Carolyn Colleen WebsiteJoin RESET: a free daily reset for clarity, calm, and intentional living.Brianna WebsiteBrianna on Linkedin Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Finding Your Fierce? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!

    17 min

  8. 03/14/2025

    Your Body, Your Story—Reclaiming Health & Power with Patricia Nesler

    What if chronic pain isn’t just physical? In this deeply personal and insightful episode, Patricia Nesler, a chronic pain specialist, shares her powerful journey of overcoming fear, trauma, and physical suffering to reclaim her life. From navigating a traumatic birth experience to discovering the mind-body connection in healing, Trish reveals the unexpected truths about pain, resilience, and the power of self-awareness. If you've ever felt stuck in a cycle of stress and symptoms, this episode will challenge what you think you know about healing and empower you to take control of your body and your future. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Pain Isn’t Your Enemy—It’s a Messenger00:00:45 - Welcome to Finding Your Fierce: Meet Trish Nesler00:02:22 - Trish’s Story: From Struggle to Strength00:03:36 - Healing Through Vulnerability: The Power of Alchemy00:04:10 - Breaking Free: How Trish Helps People Overcome Chronic Pain00:05:17 - Parenting, Trauma, and the Stress We Carry00:05:55 - A Birth Experience That Changed Everything00:07:13 - When the Body Breaks Down: Searching for Answers00:14:07 - Unlocking the Mind-Body Connection00:15:22 - How Repressed Emotions and Anger Manifest in Pain00:16:58 - The Hidden Impact of the Fawning Response00:18:46 - How to Recognize and Overcome Fawning00:19:54 - Why People-Pleasing Might Be Holding You Back00:21:04 - The Science of Pain: Amygdala, Fear, and Social Exclusion00:22:29 - How Your Brain Shapes Your Pain Experience00:26:07 - Somatic Healing: Moving Beyond the Pain Cycle00:35:20 - The BFF Framework: Breathe, Focus, Take Fierce Action00:40:55 - Healing, Connection, and Reclaiming Your Power Links and Resources: Join RESET: a free daily reset for clarity, calm, and intentional living.Peaceful Warrior WebsiteGreenhouse Holistic Co-op CenterTrish on Instagram Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Finding Your Fierce? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!

    44 min
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About

‘Finding Your FIERCE’ is the podcast for people wanting to take their life, relationships, and career to the next level. Each episode features inspiring stories of people who are living their most FIERCE life - despite facing massive obstacles and challenges. Hosted by best-selling author, acclaimed speaker, and philanthropist Carolyn Colleen; the ‘Finding Your FIERCE’ podcast will help you to overcome the adversity you’re facing in your life so you can transcend and evolve into your best self. Hit the “follow” button and get ready to unleash your most FIERCE self! Learn more at https://CarolynColleen.com

Information

  • Creator
    Carolyn Colleen
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    50
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Carolyn Colleen
  • Show Website
    Finding Your Fierce