The KTS Success Factor® (a Podcast for Women)

Sarah E. Brown, Ph.D.
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Relationships
  • Semimonthly

The mission of the KTS Success Factor® Podcast for Women is to bring proven ideas female business leaders can use to increase their ability to achieve big goals and become happy, successful, and understood at work. All this in 25 minutes or less. Sarah E. Brown, Ph.D. is an expert on personalizing work to the unique interests, strengths, and needs of the workforce. A former Managing Director at Accenture, she is now on a mission to reach 250,000 women with knowledge of their unique gifts and the tools to be happy, successful and understood at work.

  1. 1d ago

    What Can You Do as a Leader to Increase Belonging in Your Organization with Andrea Carter

    What if your best employees aren't burned out because they're doing too much, but because they're giving everything and getting nothing back? Andrea Carter reveals why workplace belonging is more than fitting in, and how a lack of belonging can fuel exhaustion, disengagement, and turnover. She breaks belonging down into five measurable indicators and shares six practical actions leaders can take to build trust, strengthen psychological safety, and help people do their best work. Listen to the end to discover why your top performers may be at risk when they're always the ones giving 100% and receiving nothing in return.   What you will learn from this episode: Learn the five indicators of workplace belonging and how they influence engagement, innovation, and retention. Discover why fitting in isn't the same as belonging, and how a lack of reciprocity can lead to burnout. Discover six practical ways to make belonging measurable and build a healthier, more engaged workplace.   "You regulate or dysregulate any room you walk into." – Andrea Carter   Topics Covered: 01:15 – What workplace belonging really means: Andrea explains the five indicators that create the conditions for people to feel safe, valued, and able to contribute. 04:45 – How to measure belonging: Learn how organizations can identify belonging gaps instead of relying on averages that may hide employees who feel excluded. 06:15 – Why employees feel exhausted and disconnected: Andrea explains how giving 100% to support others without receiving support in return can contribute to chronic stress. 08:30 – How leaders influence the room: Discover why clarity, predictability, and clear expectations can help employees feel more comfortable and work at their best. 10:00 – The five indicators in action: Learn how comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and well-being work together to strengthen teams. 11:15 – Why resilience isn't a solo sport: Andrea explains why women leaders need supportive networks and must learn to receive help, not just give it. 13:00 – Why women struggle to ask for what they need: Explore the workplace expectations that can discourage women from speaking up, seeking support, and advocating for themselves. 17:00 – Six ways leaders can increase belonging: Andrea shares practical actions, from measuring belonging gaps and closing the feedback loop to making contributions visible. 22:00 – Protecting boundaries and well-being: Discover why leaders should check team capacity, normalize recovery, and avoid creating a culture of constant availability. 24:00 – The 50/50 framework for belonging: Learn why healthy teams require a balance of giving and receiving, and why leaders should intervene when some people continually give without support. 26:00 – Why consistent contributors matter: Andrea explains why teams need more than top performers and how an unhealthy team culture can spread when people feel overburdened.   Key Takeaways: "Belonging is actually a shared responsibility and a shared accountability." – Andrea Carter "That exhaustion isn't weakness. That exhaustion is actually your nervous system in chronic stress because the infrastructure isn't reciprocated." – Andrea Carter "Resilience is not a solo sport." – Andrea Carter "People need to know that they can speak up without punishment." – Andrea Carter "Opting out is not a tool." – Andrea Carter "You can't always be the person who is giving. You need to be receiving." – Andrea Carter   Resources Mentioned: Belonging Breakdown: A five-minute diagnostic to help individuals identify where giving and receiving may be breaking down in their relationships. Visit Belonging First and look for the Belonging Breakdown. The Devil Emails at Midnight: A book Andrea mentions about archetypes of bad bosses.   Ways to Connect with Andrea Carter: Website: https://belongingfirst.com/ Belonging Health Check: 5 Minutes to Find Out If Belonging Is Fragile https://belongingfirst.com/belongingbreakdown/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrSarahEBrown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: https://bookachatwithsarahebrown.com

  2. Oct 21

    How and Why to Prioritize Your Physical Health with Kristy Berry

    What if your health is actually your most valuable career asset? Kristy Berry, CEO of Cenegenics, explains why high-achieving women often put their health last—and why that can come at a much bigger cost than they realize. She shares how to stop guessing about your health, understand what your biomarkers are telling you, and build sustainable habits that support your energy, confidence, performance, and longevity. Listen to the end for the question Kristy believes every woman should ask herself if she wants her success to be sustainable.   What you will learn from this episode: Learn why prioritizing your health isn't selfish. Understand how personalized biomarkers can help you make more informed decisions about your health. Discover how small, sustainable changes can support your energy, performance, and longevity.   "Your health and your biology are your greatest asset. Health is wealth." – Kristy Berry   Topics Covered: 01:15 – From nursing school to CEO: Kristy shares how starting at Cenegenics as its first patient services associate eventually led her to the CEO role. 03:00 – What Cenegenics actually does: Discover how physician-led, personalized health programs use biomarkers and biometrics to understand individual health. 05:15 – Why there is no one-size-fits-all solution: Kristy explains why optimizing health requires understanding your unique biology and how it changes with age. 11:00 – Women's hormones and health: Learn why hormone levels and other biomarkers need to be considered differently for women and men. 13:00 – Why "normal" may not be optimal: Kristy explains the difference between being within a broad population's normal range and understanding what's optimal for you. 19:00 – The biggest mistake people make: Kristy reveals why guessing what is happening with your health can prevent you from seeing the bigger picture. 21:00 – Where should you start?: Discover why Kristy recommends measuring your health levels before randomly adding new health habits or interventions. 23:00 – Your health as your greatest asset: Kristy shares the question every woman should ask about the relationship between her biology, career, and long-term success.   Key Takeaways: "Self-care should be a non-negotiable." – Kristy Berry "The biggest mistake is guessing." – Kristy Berry "I don't want to be normal. I want to be the best version of myself." – Kristy Berry "Your energy becomes more consistent, your confidence becomes grounded, your decisions are sharper, your stress becomes more manageable." – Kristy Berry   Ways to Connect with Kristy Berry: Cenegenics: https://www.cenegenics.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristynicoleberry/    Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrSarahEBrown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com

  3. Oct 7

    What Your Body Can Tell You About Stress with Karen Canham

    What if your body has been warning you about stress long before your mind catches up? Karen Canham is a Board-Certified Wellness Practitioner and founder of Karen Ann Wellness, where she helps individuals and organizations move from stress and reactivity to regulation-- clear, confident and connected.  In this episode, she explains how chronic stress can show up through your breath, tension, exhaustion, numbness, and other signals we often ignore. She reveals why high-achieving women can become disconnected from their bodies, how simple practices can bring you back to the present moment, and why awareness is only the first step. Listen to the end to discover how somatic work and parts work can help you understand the patterns behind your stress and reconnect with your authentic self.   What you will learn from this episode: Learn how to recognize the physical signals your body sends when you're under stress. Discover simple ways to reconnect with your body without adding another complicated practice to your schedule. Understand nervous system regulation and how to move out of chronic fight, flight, or shutdown patterns.   "The body would know that you are in stress. It feels unsafe for some reason and it's trying to communicate that to you." – Karen Canham   Topics Covered: 01:15 – What stress really looks like: Karen explains how stress can show up as constant pushing, exhaustion, depletion, and shutdown. 03:05 – Learning to listen to your body: Discover why noticing your feet, breath, and physical sensations can be the first step toward reconnecting with yourself. 06:15 – Using neurotools to regulate stress: Karen explains how simple practices can stimulate the vagus nerve and help bring your nervous system back into the present moment. 08:00 – Understanding nervous system regulation: Discover the difference between heightened, shutdown, and regulated states—and why all of them have a purpose. 12:00 – Karen's personal journey: Hear how her experience with an eating disorder, therapy, yoga, and corporate leadership led her toward somatic work. 14:15 – What is somatic work?: Karen breaks down how paying attention to sensations in your body can reveal patterns you've been overlooking. 16:00 – A simple tool for calming your system: Learn one practical neurotool Karen uses to help shift out of heightened or shutdown states. 21:00 – Reconnecting with your authentic self: Karen explains why the goal isn't to eliminate these parts, but to understand them and choose how you respond.   Key Takeaways: "When we override that body, eventually we come into [these] chronic patterns." – Karen Canham "The ultimate source of being able to live the life that I wanted to live was really being in my body." – Karen Canham "When we ignore these signals in our body, some of those things can then turn into that chronic state of stress." – Karen Canham   Ways to Connect with Karen Canham: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenannwellness/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrSarahEBrown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com

  4. Sep 16

    How to Start a Mission-Driven NonProfit with Sharon Elefant

    Have you ever dreamed of leaving your corporate career to build a nonprofit around a mission you deeply care about—but wondered how you would actually fund it, structure it, or pay yourself? Sharon Elefant reveals why good intentions aren't enough: a sustainable nonprofit needs business structure, funding strategy, measurable programs, strong relationships, and the right board. She also explains why you shouldn't rush to leave your corporate job—and why collaboration may be far more powerful than competing for the same funding. Listen to the end for the mindset shift that can turn a passion project into a truly sustainable mission-driven business.    What you will learn from this episode: Learn how to turn a passion project into a fundable, sustainable nonprofit. Discover why you may need to build consistent funding before leaving your corporate career. Understand how to build a nonprofit with the business structure and mindset needed to scale your impact.   "Good intentions deserve strong infrastructure." – Sharon Elefant    Topics Covered: 01:15 – What The Nonprofit Plug actually does: Sharon explains how she supports nonprofits from formation and IRS filings through funding, financial management, leadership, and growth. 03:05 – Turning passion into a nonprofit structure: Learn how to take the mission in your heart and reverse-engineer it into programs, metrics, deliverables, and a sustainable funding model. 04:45 – Getting comfortable asking for money: Sharon explains why donor cultivation is one of the biggest challenges for new nonprofit founders—and why fundraising isn't begging. 06:15 – Can nonprofit founders pay themselves?: Discover why nonprofit founders can earn a salary and why sustainable compensation is part of building a sustainable mission. 07:50 – Why grant funding is getting more competitive: Sharon explains how economic, political, and donor changes are affecting grants and why nonprofits need a stronger funder-cultivation strategy. 09:35 – Collaboration instead of competition: Find out why nonprofits serving similar populations may be stronger together—and why funders often value collaboration. 11:00 – Navigating government funding: Sharon explains how political changes can reshape government funding while opportunities in areas like housing, welfare, and mental health remain available. 12:15 – When should you leave your corporate job?: Learn why Sharon recommends staying in your job while you build donors, grants, partnerships, programming, and consistent funding. 13:45 – Building a board that works for you: Discover how the right board can help with fundraising, partnerships, strategic thinking, and growth—and why college students can be valuable board members. 15:35 – The nonprofit mindset shift: Sharon explains why founders need to treat nonprofits like businesses and develop business acumen around payroll, insurance, hiring, leadership, and compliance. 16:35 – Building impact and income together: Discover the mindset behind creating a nonprofit that can serve the community while also creating sustainable income for its founder.   Key Takeaways: "We don't beg. We just save the world." – Sharon Elefant "Collaboration actually will get you a lot further." – Sharon Elefant "People treat nonprofits not like a business, and that's where everyone messes up." – Sharon Elefant   Ways to Connect with Sharon Elefant: Website: https://thenonprofitplug.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsharonelefant/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrSarahEBrown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com

  5. Sep 2

    Re-Placed: How to Think About Your Future in an AI World with Kari Zeller

    AI may not just change what you do at work. It could change how you think, where you find your value, and even how you understand your place in the world. Kari Zeller is a U.S. Air Force combat veteran, founder and CEO of TGN Consulting, and a battle-tested leadership strategist who advises boards, CEOs, and senior executive teams across Fortune 100 companies, healthcare systems, retail, private equity, and government. She is the author of Re-placed: Answering the Call of Leadership in the Age of AI, a playbook for executives navigating a future shaped by AI, robotics, and quantum computing. In this episode, Kari explains why the future of work shouldn't be viewed simply as a question of whether AI will replace us. Instead, she introduces the idea of being "re-placed": actively finding a new context where our human contributions, relationships, judgment, intuition, and experience can create value.   What you will learn from this episode: Learn why being "re-placed" may be more important than avoiding replacement. Find out how AI can weaken your critical thinking, judgment, and accountability. Discover how to protect your "thinking sovereignty" in an AI-driven world.   "To be re-placed is to be placed again."  – Kari Zeller   Topics Covered: 01:15 – From "replaced" to "re-placed": Kari explains why the future isn't about waiting to see whether technology makes you obsolete, but actively finding where your contribution can matter next. 03:45 – Why AI changes the container of work: Discover why AI is fundamentally different from previous workplace technologies and why it could reshape the place where many people find identity and purpose. 09:15 – The danger of outsourcing your thinking: Learn how excessive reliance on AI recommendations can weaken critical thinking, narrow innovation, and diffuse personal accountability. 12:00 – Protecting your thinking sovereignty: Kari explains why you need to keep practicing your own judgment, decision-making, and ability to navigate complexity. 14:40 – Preparing for an AI-driven future: Sarah and Kari discuss education, critical thinking, values, context, and why knowing the answer may matter less than knowing how to ask the right questions. 17:20 – What is ontological vulnerability?: Kari explains the difference between a threat to what you do and a threat to your identity, purpose, and sense of place in the world. 20:10 – Is work our "buffalo"?: Explore the powerful idea that when work changes dramatically, we may lose more than income or tasks. We may also lose a source of identity, meaning, community, and achievement. 23:00 – Separating your identity from your job: Kari shares how women can begin identifying the deeper value they bring beyond their current role, expertise, or productivity. 25:30 – The value of experiential wisdom: A real-world restaurant scheduling example shows why AI can create an answer in seconds, while human experience can recognize why that answer won't work. 33:00 – Finding the bigger contribution: From blacksmiths to Swiss watchmakers, Kari shares examples of people and industries that adapted by redefining what they were really contributing. 35:20 – Why the future of AI is a leadership question: Kari explains why leadership means actively co-creating a future that matters instead of simply accepting the future created by circumstances.   Key Takeaways: "We need to maintain our thinking sovereignty." – Kari Zeller "If you don't use it, you lose it." – Kari Zeller "Operational vulnerability threatens what you do. Ontological vulnerability threatens your sense of who you are and your place in the world." – Kari Zeller "Leadership is about the co-creation of a future that matters and one that we're not on a trajectory for." – Kari Zeller   Ways to Connect with Kari Zeller: Book: Re-placed: Answering the Call of Leadership in the Age of AI Website: http://karizeller.com   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrSarahEBrown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com

  6. Aug 19

    Nature's Blueprint for Business with Ines Garcia

    You can be successful in your organization but still struggle with collaboration and alignment across departments. Many leaders face the challenge of getting teams to agree on priorities, especially when deadlines loom. Ines Garcia is an organizational coach and the founder and CEO of GetAgile, dedicated to helping businesses deliver better value and reduce waste. Her new book, Nature's Blueprint for Business: Harnessing the Hidden Power of Edges, explores how principles from nature can be applied to improve organizational effectiveness and collaboration. In this episode, Ines shares insights on how to bridge the gap between inspiration and implementation by leveraging the properties of edges in natural systems. She discusses how these principles can help organizations navigate complex challenges and foster better teamwork.   What you will learn from this episode: The significance of edges in organizational design and how they can enhance collaboration. How to create triadic connections to improve information exchange and institutional knowledge. Practical strategies for applying nature-inspired principles to overcome silos and enhance teamwork.   "Organizations should operate like ecosystems, but what does that actually mean when we are on a Monday morning, facing a deadline, and three departments can agree on priorities?"  – Ines Garcia   Topics Covered: 01:15 – The concept of edges and their importance in organizational dynamics.  03:30 – How natural systems can inform better collaboration and decision-making.  05:00 – The idea of triadic connections and how they can enhance information flow.  07:20 – Bridging the gap between inspiration and implementation in business practices.  09:45 – Real-world examples of applying nature-inspired principles in organizations.  12:00 – The role of redundancy in fostering resilience and innovation.  14:30 – Strategies for creating spaces of abundance and collaboration in the workplace.  16:15 – The impact of organizational silos on performance and employee engagement.  18:00 – How to cultivate a culture that embraces nature-inspired solutions.   Key Takeaways: "Nature provides us with proven strategies that can help us solve our organizational challenges." — Ines Garcia "By focusing on the edges, we can create opportunities for collaboration and innovation." — Ines Garcia "Redundancy is not a negative; it can be a source of resilience and strength in our organizations." — Ines Garcia   Ways to Connect with Ines Garcia: Book: Nature's Blueprint for Business: Harnessing the Hidden Power of Edges  Website: https://www.inesgarcia.me/ LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/inesgarciaagile   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrSarahEBrown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com

  7. Aug 5

    Spirituality at Work with Lauren Reed

    Are you ready to discover how blending intuition and unconventional practices, like astrology and past life regression, can lead to extraordinary success in your career?   Lauren Reed is the CEO & Founder of REED Public Relations, an award-winning Nashville agency recognized as Best Boutique Agency and a Best Place to Work. Named to multiple 40 Under 40 and Most Admired CEO lists, she is celebrated for her leadership and culture building.  She also cofounded Wealth of a Woman, a community helping women align finances with values, and is an active member of EO and WPO. A global speaker, Lauren blends business acumen with a distinctive philosophy: spirituality belongs at work, and rest can be a growth strategy.  In this episode, Lauren Reed shares her journey of integrating spirituality into the workplace and the remarkable results it has brought to her business and personal life.    What you will learn from this episode: Discover how aligning your spirituality and personal values can bring more fulfillment in your personal and professional life. Explore how unconventional tools like astrology and past life regression can improve decision-making and leadership. Understand the importance of creating safe spaces for women to discuss taboo topics like money, spirituality, and personal challenges.   "Life puts you where you need to be and throws events at you that look like obstacles and hurdles, but ultimately you can end up in a really beautiful place from them." - Lauren Reed   Topics Covered: 00:00 – Introduction to the episode and guest Lauren Reed 00:40 – Overview of Lauren's background and her agency, Reed Public Relations 02:11 – Explanation of EO (Entrepreneurs' Organization) and WPO (Women's President's Organization) 03:16 – Lauren's current role and her transition from CEO to a passive owner 04:41 – The catalyst for Lauren's spiritual journey: extreme burnout and personal challenges 06:27 – The introduction of astrology and its impact on Lauren's life 08:28 – How Lauren integrated spirituality into her business practices 10:41 – The results of using astrology in team building and leadership 12:39 – The success of Wealth of a Woman and its grassroots initiatives 14:09 – The taboo around discussing money and wealth among women 16:39 – The challenges women face in bringing spirituality to work 18:41 – Advice for women exploring their spirituality in a professional context 20:58 – The importance of aligning life with core values    Ways to Connect with Lauren Reed: Website: https://www.reedpublicrelations.com/ Wealth of a Woman: https://www.wealthofawoman.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenreedpr   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrSarahEBrown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com

  8. Jul 15

    Leading Becomes You with Natalie Pickering

    You can be successful on paper and still feel unfulfilled in your leadership. Many high-capacity women leaders are thriving in environments that reward performance while quietly suppressing perspective, intuition, and authentic influence.  Dr. Natalie Pickering is a psychologist, TEDx speaker, and executive coach who helps women in leadership move from autopilot to agency and from performing to becoming. She has worked with hundreds of leaders, teams, and organizations around the world committed to flourishing workplaces and leadership.  Her new book, Leading Becomes You: A Real-World Framework for Leading from the Inside Out, guides leaders into the deeper, human work beneath strategy-- helping them shed the stories that drain them, reclaim the values that anchor them, and inhabit leadership in a sustainable, soulful way that is unmistakably their own.    In this conversation, she shares why many women leaders find themselves adapting to systems that can't keep pace with their growth, and how reclaiming identity clarity can transform the way they lead.   What you will learn from this episode: Why many women leaders feel stuck despite being highly capable and successful. How organizational systems can contribute to burnout, disengagement, and self-silencing. The role identity clarity plays in sustainable leadership and long-term fulfillment.   "Many women are carrying this unprocessed debris from their history, whether that's toxic leadership, relational pressure, chronic stress." – Natalie Pickering   Topics Covered: 01:35 – Why high-capacity women leaders often outpace the emotional maturity of the systems around them 04:15 – How women gradually adapt to unsupportive workplaces without realizing it 05:12 – Reframing burnout: What organizations may be doing to create it 06:08 – Natalie's definition of burnout and the three signs leaders should watch for 08:35 – The inspiration behind Leading Becomes You and Natalie's research-driven framework 09:45 – Understanding the Identity Clarity and Connection Matrix 11:05 – The Four A's: Awareness, Acceptance, Assimilation, and Authentic Activation 14:05 – The balance sheet leaders must use to separate personal challenges from organizational dysfunction 17:40 – What to examine when you feel stuck in your role or career 18:55 – The connection between values misalignment and leadership fulfillment 20:05 – Natalie's Identity-First Leadership Assessment and how it helps leaders gain clarity bit.ly/IFLSelfAssessment    21:00 – The hidden cost of leading without identity clarity—and why self-erosion matters   Key Takeaways: "You can't burn out if you weren't on fire." — Natalie Pickering "I want every leader to have their own approach, their own identity, instead of borrowing someone else's leadership story." — Natalie Pickering "The hidden cost of leading without identity clarity is self-erosion." — Natalie Pickering   Ways to Connect with Natalie Pickering: Assessment: bit.ly/IFLSelfAssessment Book: Leading Becomes You: A Real-World Framework for Leading from the Inside Out Website: https://www.becominginstitute.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drnataliepickering/    Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrSarahEBrown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com

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About

The mission of the KTS Success Factor® Podcast for Women is to bring proven ideas female business leaders can use to increase their ability to achieve big goals and become happy, successful, and understood at work. All this in 25 minutes or less. Sarah E. Brown, Ph.D. is an expert on personalizing work to the unique interests, strengths, and needs of the workforce. A former Managing Director at Accenture, she is now on a mission to reach 250,000 women with knowledge of their unique gifts and the tools to be happy, successful and understood at work.

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