Catalyst Conversations

hello9p4
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Catalyst Conversations is a podcast for leaders, creators, and visionaries who know they’re here for more—but refuse to burn themselves out getting there. Hosted by Desi Bolin, founder of The Catalyst Collective™, this show explores what it really takes to build a business, career, and life that works with you, not against you. Each episode features honest, grounded conversations with entrepreneurs, speakers, change-makers, and behind-the-scenes leaders who are redefining success through clarity, structure, and soul-aligned growth. This is not hustle culture. This is not performative leadership. This is not surface-level motivation. Inside Catalyst Conversations, you’ll hear real stories, practical insights, and perspective-shifting dialogues around: Soul-aligned leadership and decision-making Building sustainable businesses without burnout Clarity, structure, and systems that actually support your life Identity shifts required for the next level of growth Navigating visibility, expansion, and impact with integrity Leading from alignment—not pressure, chaos, or obligation Whether you’re scaling a business, stepping into greater visibility, or recalibrating how you lead, Catalyst Conversations invites you into deeper conversations that spark transformation—not just inspiration. Because growth shouldn’t cost you your nervous system. And success should feel as good as it looks.

  1. 2d ago ·  Video

    Stop Reacting. Start Creating. with Josselyne Herman-Saccio

    Stop Reacting. Start Creating. | Josselyne Herman-Saccio What if the very thing that made you successful is also the thing keeping you trapped? Many entrepreneurs, founders, and high performers have become incredibly good at reacting. We solve problems. Put out fires. Handle the unexpected. Carry responsibility. Make things work. And because we’re producing results, we rarely stop to ask whether the way we’re producing those results is actually working for us. In this episode of Catalyst Conversations, I sit down with Josselyne Herman-Saccio, creator of the Unmessable With Method and a master coach whose work over four decades has impacted more than 200,000 people. Josselyne challenges the idea that being “unmessable with” means becoming tougher, suppressing emotions, or controlling everything around you. Instead, it’s about developing the ability to stand firmly in what you’re creating without allowing circumstances, expectations, thoughts, feelings, or other people’s demands to continually pull you off course. And this conversation gets incredibly practical. We explore what happens when competence hides misalignment, why successful people can become some of the most accomplished reactors, and how constantly “making it work” can quietly become a prison. Josselyne also shares how she went from working approximately 70 hours a week to 15 while dramatically increasing her revenue—and why creating more space can sometimes produce better results than simply doing more. We talk about auditing your time, designing your calendar around your life instead of everyone else’s priorities, creating boundaries, delegating what doesn’t require you, and intentionally making room for joy, relationships, wellbeing, creativity, and the dreams you keep promising yourself you’ll pursue “someday.” Because someday isn’t actually on the calendar. Perhaps the question isn’t: Can I handle everything coming at me? Perhaps it’s: What am I actually here to create? This conversation is an invitation to stop measuring your leadership by how much you can withstand and start intentionally creating a life, business, and definition of success that actually works for you. Connect with Josselyne: https://beunmessablewith.com Connect with Desi: https://talkwithdesi.com

  2. 4d ago ·  Video

    Confidence Is an Inside Job: Leadership, Service, and Following the Prompt with Jeanette Deatherage

    What if confidence isn’t something you’re born with—or something you have to wait until you “feel ready” to experience? In this episode of Catalyst Conversations, Desi sits down with Jeanette Deatherage for a deeply human conversation about confidence, connection, consistency, and learning to trust the quiet prompts that move us forward. Jeanette’s story spans more than four decades in Mary Kay, service in the U.S. Air Force, 13 moves, countless new beginnings, and a lifetime of intentionally connecting people. Through it all, she’s discovered that real confidence doesn’t come from titles, appearances, or having everything figured out. It grows from the inside—and sometimes it begins with one very small decision to show up differently. Together, Desi and Jeanette explore what it means to rebuild confidence when life changes, how discipline can become an anchor through uncertainty, and why the people who believe in us before we believe in ourselves can change the trajectory of our lives. Jeanette shares openly about seasons when moving left her feeling disconnected and struggling to find herself again. She also shares the simple practices that helped her begin rebuilding: getting ready for the day, writing affirmations by hand, reaching out to others, finding mentors, and remembering that it really is okay not to be okay. Pasted text They also explore the heart of meaningful leadership. Sometimes leadership looks like believing in someone before they can see their own potential. Sometimes it’s making an introduction that changes two people’s lives. And sometimes it’s simply listening closely enough to hear the whisper telling you what to do next. Jeanette beautifully reminds us that confidence doesn’t have to be loud. It grows through service, showing up, connection, consistency, and the willingness to follow the prompt—even before you know exactly where it’s leading. Pasted text If you’ve been questioning yourself, comparing your path to someone else’s, or waiting to feel completely ready before taking your next step, this conversation is an invitation to trust yourself a little more. Listen in and remember: confidence really is an inside job. Connect with Jeanette: Jeanette’s Mary Kay website Connect with Desi: talkwithdesi.com

  3. 6d ago ·  Video

    Resilience Isn't Built in Comfort: Breaking the Beliefs That Keep You Small with Ian Bowen

    Sometimes the belief keeping you small doesn’t feel like a belief at all. It feels like a fact. In this episode of Catalyst Conversations, Desi Bolin sits down with Ian Bowen to explore resilience, identity, limiting beliefs, and what happens when life dramatically changes the path you thought you were walking. After surgery left Ian paralyzed from the chest down, he was told he would likely need assistive devices to walk and that running again wasn’t realistic. His internal response? Watch me. That moment became part of a much bigger journey into understanding what resilience actually requires. In this conversation, we explore: Why resilience is built rather than simply inherited Ian’s journey from paralysis to completing marathons The danger of allowing someone else’s perception to become your reality What it means to become a “sidelined achiever” Ian’s RINSE framework for moving through adversity Why small wins matter more than we realize How limiting beliefs disguise themselves as facts The relationship between identity, choice, and resilience Why getting uncomfortable can prepare you for challenges you haven’t encountered yet This episode is for the person who’s been knocked off course and is wondering what comes next. You don’t have to move mountains today. You need to identify the next step forward—and choose to take it. Subscribe for more conversations about clarity, alignment, leadership, growth, and becoming more fully who you’re here to be. And tell us in the comments: What’s one thing you’ve already overcome that reminds you how resilient you really are? Connect with Ian: Watch Me Mindset | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok Connect with Desi: Talk With Desi #CatalystConversations #Resilience #Mindset #LimitingBeliefs #PersonalGrowth #Leadership #WatchMeMindset

  4. Sep 30 ·  Video

    You're Not Stuck - You're In Transition with Deb Woolridge

    What if the season you’ve been calling “stuck” isn’t actually stuck at all? What if you’re in transition? In this episode of Catalyst Conversations, Desi sits down with Deb Woolridge for a deeply human conversation about change, identity, leadership, reinvention, and the uncomfortable space between who you’ve been and who you’re becoming. Deb works at the intersection of people, leadership, and meaningful change. As a fractional HR executive, she supports nonprofits and small businesses in building stronger systems, healthier cultures, and more effective leadership. She also works with professionals—particularly women navigating midlife and career transitions—who know something needs to change, even when they can’t yet see what comes next. Together, Desi and Deb explore why transition can feel so much like being stuck. When the old way no longer fits and the new way hasn’t fully emerged, it’s easy to assume something has gone wrong. And sometimes, that uncomfortable middle is exactly where growth is happening. They talk about the role awareness plays in transformation, why we bring our entire humanity into the workplace, how leadership challenges often sit underneath organizational problems, and why creating safe spaces for change doesn’t mean eliminating discomfort. Deb also shares her Magic Maverick Mindset and the journey from assessment and exploration through courage, commitment, action, and ultimately becoming the next iteration of yourself. One of the most important threads running through this conversation is choice. You may not know exactly what comes next. You may not have the entire path mapped out. And you can begin by noticing what no longer fits, getting curious about what you want, and remembering that you’ve navigated change before. Because clarity doesn’t always arrive as a perfectly mapped path. Sometimes clarity begins with one simple truth: This isn’t working for me anymore. And that may be enough to begin. Connect with Deb: LinkedIn Connect with Desi: talkwithdesi.com Listen to this episode and consider: What if you’re not stuck? What if you’re becoming?

  5. Sep 28 ·  Video

    When High Performance Hits a Wall: What Your Brain May Be Asking You to Change with Sandra Lee

    What happens when the strategies that made you successful stop working? You’re still showing up. Still making decisions. Still carrying the vision. And somewhere along the way, focus gets harder. Your mental energy disappears faster. You reread the same thing three times. You become more reactive than usual. Your brain simply doesn’t feel like your brain. Our instinct as high performers is often to push harder. In this episode of Catalyst Conversations, Desi sits down with Sandra Lee for a conversation about what might change if, instead, we started listening. Sandra brings more than 30 years of experience in healing work and an integrative perspective on brain health, cognitive function, and the relationship between our physical, mental, emotional, and energetic experiences. Together, Sandra and Desi explore what happens when we stop treating ourselves like machines with isolated parts and begin paying attention to the whole human being doing the leading. They talk about why high performers are so quick to interpret cognitive difficulty as something to overpower, how constantly suppressing what we feel can contribute to overload, and why symptoms and changes in capacity can sometimes be valuable signals asking us to pay attention. They also explore the role of sleep, breaks, hydration, nourishment, sunlight, support, and structure—and the importance of seeking appropriate professional evaluation when cognitive changes are persistent or concerning. And perhaps most importantly, they challenge a belief deeply embedded in entrepreneurship and leadership: That you should be able to keep doing more. Sometimes the next level of leadership isn’t about increasing your capacity. It’s about getting honest about the capacity you actually have today—and building structures that protect it. Because your inability to focus is information. Your exhaustion is information. Your irritability is information. And you do not have to wait until your capacity completely collapses before you listen. If you’ve quietly been thinking, My brain just doesn’t feel like me lately, this conversation is an invitation to stop judging what you’re experiencing and start getting curious about it. Maybe the wall isn’t asking you to push harder. Maybe it’s asking you to change something. Connect with Sandra Lee: Miracle Inspirations: https://miracleinspirations.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-lee-701662250/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SandraLeeInspiration/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sandralee1miracleinspirations Connect with Desi: https://talkwithdesi.com

  6. Sep 26 ·  Video

    Technology Without the Overwhelm: Using Technology to Simplify Life Instead of Creating More Complexity with John Bilicki

    Technology was supposed to make life easier. Yet somewhere between software updates, forgotten passwords, endless notifications, new platforms, and the constant pressure to keep up with AI, many of us started spending more time managing our technology than benefiting from it. In this episode of Catalyst Conversations, Desi welcomes back web developer John Bilicki for a candid, practical, and often humorous conversation about what technology is actually supposed to do: serve people. John approaches technology differently. Rather than chasing every new platform or adopting something simply because everyone is talking about it, he looks for substance. Does it solve a real problem? Does it remove friction? Does it make the experience better for the person using it? And perhaps most importantly, does it give you something meaningful back? That perspective leads to a much bigger conversation about intentionality. John shares the story of helping a friend who had accumulated 80,000 emails and felt completely overwhelmed by the idea of ever getting control of her inbox. Instead of adding another complicated system, he created a simple way to identify the biggest sources of clutter. Within minutes, thousands of unnecessary emails were gone—and something even more important appeared: hope. That story captures one of the central ideas of this conversation. Technology without clarity can multiply confusion. The right technology, used intentionally, can create breathing room. Desi and John also explore AI, automation, software updates, customer experience, leadership, and why we need people around us who are willing to disagree with us. John challenges leaders to experience their own systems from the customer's perspective and become comfortable discovering where something isn't working. Because knowing there's a problem gives you the opportunity to fix it. If you've been feeling pressure to adopt every new tool, keep up with every technology trend, or automate everything simply because you can, this conversation offers another path. You don't need more technology. You need technology that supports your clarity, your people, and the work that matters. Listen in for a refreshing reminder that the goal isn't complexity. It's creating systems that give you back your time, focus, and peace. Connect with John: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbilicki/ Website: https://www.johnbilicki.com/ Connect with Desi: https://talkwithdesi.com

  7. Sep 23 ·  Video

    From Reactor to Creator: Rewriting the Story You Tell Yourself with Ly Smith

    Whose voice are you listening to when you talk to yourself? In this episode of Catalyst Conversations, Desi Bolin sits down with self-leadership strategist Ly Smith to explore the internal conversations shaping our confidence, decisions, leadership, and lives. Ly shares her journey from losing herself inside the roles she carried to rediscovering her joy, purpose, and voice—and why she believes becoming a creator begins with seeing yourself differently. In this conversation, you’ll hear about: The childhood mirror experience that shaped Ly’s understanding of self-talk What happened when Ly realized she had lost herself inside her roles The difference between living as a reactor and a creator Why imposter syndrome can show up when you’re stretching beyond the status quo Ly’s CANDY Method: Clarity, Affirmation, Necessity, Discipline, and You How small language shifts can change the way you experience your circumstances Why acknowledging progress matters more than constantly measuring what remains undone A simple mirror practice for reconnecting with yourself How intentional self-talk becomes an act of self-leadership This episode is for entrepreneurs, executives, leaders, creators, and anyone who’s ever wondered whether the critical voice inside their head is actually their own. Connect with Ly: www.upcyclecoaching.com https://linkedin.com/in/g3mastermind https://facebook.com/g3mastermind https://instagram.com/g3mastermind https://talks.co/ly Connect with Desi: https://talkwithdesi.com Subscribe to Catalyst Conversations for more thoughtful conversations about the clarity, structure, and soul behind meaningful leadership and growth. And leave a comment: Whose voice have you been listening to—and what would your own voice say instead? #CatalystConversations #SelfLeadership #SelfTalk #PersonalGrowth #Leadership #ImposterSyndrome #IntentionalLiving

  8. Sep 21 ·  Video

    See Your Windows, See Your Life: Healing the Stories That Shape Us with Vera Thomas

    What if you’re not seeing yourself as you truly are—but through a window shaped by old experiences, other people’s words, and beliefs you’ve carried for years? In this episode of Catalyst Conversations, Vera Thomas joins me for a thoughtful conversation about childhood messages, self-worth, emotional responsibility, parenting, boundaries, forgiveness, and the inner work required to stop allowing the past to define the future. Vera shares the personal experiences behind her mission and introduces her powerful “See Your Windows, See Your Life” metaphor as an invitation to examine how we see ourselves—and how we want to see ourselves moving forward. In this conversation, we explore: How childhood words and experiences can follow us into adulthood Why awareness precedes meaningful change The connection between self-talk and self-worth How affirmations helped Vera change her internal narrative Why taking responsibility can help us reclaim our personal power The importance of modeling accountability for our children Emotional regulation and choosing how we respond Boundaries, forgiveness, and distancing ourselves from unhealthy patterns Why inner work is an ongoing practice rather than a one-time event How pain can become connected to purpose This episode is for you if you’ve ever questioned your worth, recognized an old pattern you’re ready to change, wondered how childhood experiences still influence you, or wanted to become more intentional about what you model for the people around you. Subscribe to Catalyst Conversations for more thoughtful conversations about clarity, leadership, purpose, growth, and becoming more intentional about how we live and lead. And I’d love to hear from you in the comments: What’s one old story about yourself you’re ready to examine differently? Connect with Vera: bit.ly/VeraThomas Connect with Desi: https://talkwithdesi.com #CatalystConversations #PersonalGrowth #SelfAwareness #EmotionalIntelligence #IntentionalLiving #Parenting #Leadership

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About

Catalyst Conversations is a podcast for leaders, creators, and visionaries who know they’re here for more—but refuse to burn themselves out getting there. Hosted by Desi Bolin, founder of The Catalyst Collective™, this show explores what it really takes to build a business, career, and life that works with you, not against you. Each episode features honest, grounded conversations with entrepreneurs, speakers, change-makers, and behind-the-scenes leaders who are redefining success through clarity, structure, and soul-aligned growth. This is not hustle culture. This is not performative leadership. This is not surface-level motivation. Inside Catalyst Conversations, you’ll hear real stories, practical insights, and perspective-shifting dialogues around: Soul-aligned leadership and decision-making Building sustainable businesses without burnout Clarity, structure, and systems that actually support your life Identity shifts required for the next level of growth Navigating visibility, expansion, and impact with integrity Leading from alignment—not pressure, chaos, or obligation Whether you’re scaling a business, stepping into greater visibility, or recalibrating how you lead, Catalyst Conversations invites you into deeper conversations that spark transformation—not just inspiration. Because growth shouldn’t cost you your nervous system. And success should feel as good as it looks.

Information

  • Creator
    hello9p4
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Catalyst Conversations