What happens when you stop trying to fit into systems that don't fit you—and start building a life and business that actually do? What if the next chapter of your life doesn't require you to become someone different—but to finally stop pretending to be someone you're not? In this episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast, I sit down with my friend Donna Hartley, owner of Hartley Resources, for a conversation that goes far beyond artificial intelligence. Donna has spent decades moving through leadership, corporate America, nonprofit work, entrepreneurship, caregiving, and reinvention. Along the way, she has learned a great deal about what happens when your values no longer align with the environment you're working in—and what becomes possible when you finally trust yourself enough to leave. Donna also shares the deeply personal story of raising her son Jeffrey, living with neurodivergence herself, and how her experiences shaped the way she thinks about resilience, boundaries, purpose, and unconditional love. Eventually, those experiences led her to a new realization: she doesn't want to spend the rest of her life working for someone else. Instead, she's building Hartley Resources around a simple idea: AI should make business easier, not more overwhelming. Donna explains how she uses AI to help small businesses and nonprofits with marketing, sales, operations, lead generation, websites, automation, planning, and more—especially for people who don't have the resources to hire an entire team of specialists. But perhaps the most important lesson isn't about AI at all. It's about learning to stop waiting for the other shoe to drop. Donna shares how trauma taught her to anticipate the worst—and how faith, self-awareness, and experience have helped her replace that mindset with something different: "The gifts are coming. The abundance is coming." This is a conversation about reinvention, caregiving, leadership, entrepreneurship, faith, neurodivergence, resilience, and creating work that fits the life you're actually living. What You'll Take Away Why Donna changed her name to "DJ" when she entered the workforce—and what that experience taught her What decades of corporate and nonprofit leadership taught her about people and organizations Why she believes leaders should judge employees by results rather than rigid schedules How caregiving shaped her decision to build a different kind of life Why she refuses to return to traditional employment How neurodivergence influenced her leadership style and perspective Why Donna believes AI can become a practical "second brain" for small businesses How entrepreneurs can use AI when they can't afford a full marketing or consulting team What people misunderstand about AI How faith and intuition influence Donna's decisions Why she believes everyone "shines somewhere" How trauma can cause people to abandon their dreams The mindset shift from "the other shoe is going to drop" to "the gifts are coming" Key Episode Moments / Chapters These are based on the actual recording timestamps and can be adjusted slightly once the final edit is exported. 00:00 — Introduction Kristin introduces Donna Hartley and Hartley Resources. 01:30 — From bartender to corporate leadership Donna's unconventional career path begins with a degree in English, a job at Chili's, and a surprising reason she started using the name DJ. 04:00 — Finding her way through corporate and nonprofit leadership Donna shares her experiences with healthcare, chambers of commerce, Meals on Wheels, marketing, and financial services. 08:00 — The leadership lesson of letting people work differently Donna explains why leaders should focus on outcomes rather than forcing talented people into rigid schedules. 11:00 — Learning to leave when something no longer aligns Donna talks about walking away from organizations when the culture, leadership, or values no longer fit. 15:00 — Faith, intuition & trusting the next step Donna explains how faith and gut instinct influence her decisions. 18:00 — The story behind Hartley Resources Donna explains why she created a business designed to help small businesses access practical consulting and AI support. 24:00 — AI as the assistant small businesses couldn't afford How AI can help with marketing, SEO, planning, lead generation, content, operations, and more. 29:00 — What people get wrong about AI Donna challenges some of the common objections and explains why she sees AI as a practical tool. 34:00 — Neurodivergence, identity & learning to stop masking Donna talks about spending much of her life trying to fit in and what changed when she began allowing herself to be more fully herself. 39:00 — Caregiving, Jeffrey & unconditional love Donna shares the deeply personal story of raising her son and how motherhood changed her understanding of boundaries, priorities, and purpose. 47:00 — Stop waiting for the other shoe to drop Donna explains how trauma shaped her expectations—and the mindset shift that helped her move toward faith, abundance, and possibility. 52:00 — What Donna wants for this next chapter Why she wants to spend the rest of her life helping people, accepting people, and creating a business surrounded by smart, kind, diverse people. 54:00 — Where to find Donna Connect with Donna (DJ) Hartley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna-j-hartley-5861bb9/ 🌐 https://hartleyresources.com/ https://www.instagram.com/hartleyresources/ https://www.facebook.com/people/Hartley-Resources/61575416078079/ CONNECT WITH KRISTIN Kristin Gallatin Creator of the True North Navigation Method | True North Strategist | Host of The Savvy Leader Podcast 🌐 Savvy Living Network: https://savvylivingnetwork.com 🎯 Work With Kristin: https://savvylivingnetwork.com/work-with-me 💌 Savvy Leaders Lounge: https://savvyleaderslounge.substack.com 🎙️ Savvy Leader Podcast: / @savvyleaderpodcast https://linkedin.com/in/kristingallatin1 https://instagram.com/kristingallatin https://www.facebook.com/groups/743925124329795
