Her Becoming with Dara Koenig

Dara Koenig
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Biweekly

Dara Koenig is an executive coach, writer, and leadership voice focused on identity, integrity, and influence. Through interviews, reflections, and conversations with women building their lives and leadership in real time, Dara explores what it means to grow with courage, faith, and disciplined movement. Her Becoming is a conversation series highlighting women who are still building — not just the stories from the finish line. Because becoming doesn’t happen all at once. It happens one step at a time. Pardon our dust.

Episodes

  1. 6d ago

    Still Becoming at 70 | God Isn't Finished With You

    What if becoming doesn't have an expiration date? At 70, Cindy Wilson is still learning, serving, mentoring, trying new things, and asking God what He has for her next. In this episode of Her Becoming, Dara sits down with Cindy for a conversation about purpose at every age, worth beyond productivity, faith when life looks different than you expected, and the courage to keep becoming. Cindy shares what it was like to spend much of her life believing she had to work hard to have worth, how widowhood forced her to navigate a future she had not planned, and what she learned about doing the possible while trusting God with the impossible. She also tells the story of standing among a much younger mission team and thinking she was too old for what was ahead. The question she felt God ask became one she has carried ever since: "Did I tell you I was finished with you?" From mentoring college-aged women to learning new skills and continuing to say yes at 70, Cindy's life is a reminder that age does not get to decide when your becoming is over. If you've wondered whether it's too late to begin again, learn something new, serve differently, or step into what God may still have for you, this conversation is for you. Connect with Dara: Website: https://darakoenig.com Instagram: @darakoenig LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darakoenig/

    Still Becoming at 70 | God Isn't Finished With You

  2. Sep 16

    Showing Up for the Hard Thing | What If You Succeed?

    There is still a voice in Dara's head that tells her to cancel. It shows up before the big things. The public things. The things outside her comfort zone. It's quieter than it used to be, but it hasn't disappeared. In this solo episode of Her Becoming, Dara talks openly about fear, self-sabotage, and what she's learned about showing up for the hard thing—even when part of her still wants to run. While procrastinating on writing a keynote she's been carrying for years, Dara recognized something uncomfortable: eventually, procrastinating because you're afraid can create the very outcome you feared. Don't prepare long enough and eventually you aren't prepared. But what if failure isn't the only thing we're afraid of? What if the better question is: What is on the other side if I succeed? Dara explores the difference between a wise no and fear disguised as a reasonable excuse, why success can require more courage than we expect, and how her faith, wisdom, and past experience have changed the way she responds when fear appears. Because becoming stronger hasn't meant becoming fearless. It's meant learning that fear doesn't get to determine what you're capable of. If you're procrastinating, considering backing out, or finding perfectly reasonable explanations for why now isn't the right time, this conversation is an invitation to ask which voice is actually talking, and then show up for the hard thing.

    Showing Up for the Hard Thing | What If You Succeed?

  3. Sep 1

    Become Her Friend

    What if the woman you're becoming isn't someone you need to fix, chase, or earn your way toward? What if you simply need to become her friend? In this episode of Her Becoming, Dara sits down with entrepreneur, mentor, and Chief Illumination Officer Alison Rank for a conversation about alignment, uncertainty, peace, and learning to live as the woman you're becoming before your circumstances confirm you've become her. Alison shares what happened when she realized the work she was doing was no longer aligned with who she was becoming, and why walking away without having the entire plan ultimately led to a peace she hadn't experienced in more than a decade. Together, Dara and Alison explore the difference between something being hard and something being out of alignment, why having all the answers isn't a prerequisite for moving forward, and how small 1% shifts can begin changing the direction of your life. They also talk about creating physical and emotional space for what matters, letting non-negotiables change as you grow, recognizing what makes you come alive, and making decisions from the perspective of the woman you want to become. And then Alison offers a beautifully simple invitation: Become her friend. Less solving. More sitting. Let her speak,and trust what she says. If you've been trying to figure out your next chapter before allowing yourself to live it, this conversation may give you permission to approach becoming differently. Connect with Alison: https://linktr.ee/MyCIOalison Connect with Dara: Website: https://darakoenig.com Instagram: @darakoenig LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darakoenig/

    Become Her Friend

  4. Jul 30

    Letting Go of the Need to Be Liked

    For years, Molly Kristick believed she had something to prove. Like so many women in leadership, she wrestled with imposter syndrome, questioned her voice, and measured herself against everyone else in the room. But through unexpected career changes, difficult transitions, and a season of personal reflection, she discovered something far more valuable than confidence—she learned to trust herself. In this episode of Her Becoming, Molly shares what it means to lead without chasing approval, embrace authenticity instead of performance, and find the courage to speak up even when you're the newest person at the table. Together, we talk about: Overcoming imposter syndrome in leadershipWhy respect matters more than being likedAuthenticity in both work and lifeNavigating career transitions and unexpected changeBuilding confidence by trusting your experienceRedefining success around what feels right instead of what looks impressive Whether you're stepping into a new leadership role, questioning your next career move, or simply learning to believe in your own voice, this conversation is a reminder that becoming isn't about having all the answers. It's about trusting the woman you're growing into. Connect with Molly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-kristick-61597247/ Connect with Dara: Website: https://darakoenig.com Instagram: @darakoenig LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darakoenig/ If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a woman who needs the reminder that her voice matters.

    Letting Go of the Need to Be Liked

  5. Jul 8

    Becoming Safe Enough to Be Seen

    One conversation can stay with you long after it ends. After my conversation with Kendra Spohn (episode 5), I found myself reflecting on something she shared about learning to leave the house without always feeling the need to be perfectly put together. What began as a conversation about appearance uncovered something much deeper. Why do so many women feel safer performing than simply being seen? In this solo episode, I reflect on the messages many of us learned growing up, the pressure to appear capable at all times, and how performance often becomes a form of protection. From childhood expectations to leadership, relationships, and faith, we'll explore what happens when we stop managing our image and begin embracing authenticity. Because maybe becoming isn't about learning to perform better. Maybe becoming is learning you are finally safe enough to be fully seen. If this conversation resonates with you, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Share this episode with someone who may need the reminder that their worth has never been dependent on how perfectly they present themselves.

    Becoming Safe Enough to Be Seen

  6. Jun 21

    The House That Rebuilt Her

    Kendra Spohn on Home, Exhaustion & Becoming What happens when the life you’re building feels just as unfinished as the house you’re living in? In this episode of Her Becoming, Dara sits down with realtor and entrepreneur Kendra Spohn, owner of The Mayor’s House Bed & Breakfast in Benton Harbor, Michigan, for a conversation about ambition, exhaustion, identity, and learning to create beauty in the middle of chaos. What began as a renovation project quickly became something much deeper. Kendra shares the reality of living through construction, financial uncertainty, burnout, motherhood, and the pressure women often carry to hold everything together while still appearing polished in the process. Together, Dara and Kendra talk about: Building a business before feeling fully readyFinding confidence beyond appearance and productivityLearning to rest after years of survival modeRedefining “home” as seasons of life changeFaith, resilience, and trusting the next step before seeing the full path This episode is for the woman who feels unfinished, overwhelmed, or uncertain… yet keeps showing up anyway. Because sometimes becoming looks less like having it all figured out and more like putting flowers on the table before the floor is finished beneath it. Connect with Kendra & The Mayor’s House. Connect with Dara / Her Becoming.

    The House That Rebuilt Her

  7. Jun 9

    The Pressure to Have It All Figured Out

    Why do so many women feel pressure to already have all the answers? In this solo episode of Her Becoming, Dara Koenig explores the emotional exhaustion of trying to perform certainty while still navigating growth, transition, leadership, motherhood, faith, burnout, identity shifts, and becoming. This conversation is for the woman who feels caught between who she has been and who she is becoming. Through honest reflections on personal growth, women in leadership, faith, healing, burnout prevention, and self-worth, Dara unpacks the pressure women carry to appear polished, confident, and “already there” — even when life feels unfinished behind the scenes. Because maybe uncertainty does not mean you are failing. Maybe you are becoming. If you are navigating a life transition, rebuilding your confidence, questioning your purpose, struggling with burnout, or learning to trust God in uncertain seasons, this episode is for you. The question is not: “Do you know?” The question is: “Do you have peace?” #HerBecomingPodcast #WomenInLeadership #PersonalGrowth #ChristianWomen #BurnoutPrevention

    The Pressure to Have It All Figured Out

  8. May 20

    The Woman She Had Never Met

    In this deeply honest episode of Her Becoming, Dara sits down with Kim MacDonald for a conversation about sobriety, healing, identity, and what it looks like to rebuild your life after years spent surviving in chaos. After more than two decades in the automotive industry, Kim appeared successful on the outside while privately battling addiction, trauma, perfectionism, and emotional exhaustion. Now over eight months sober, she shares what it has been like to meet a version of herself she had never truly known before. Together, Dara and Kim discuss: navigating life and relationships through sobrietylearning boundaries and accountabilityhealing from trauma and survival moderedefining self-worth and emotional safetythe challenge of giving yourself compassionand discovering peace after years of internal chaos This episode is not about perfection or having everything figured out. It is about courage, honesty, and the ongoing process of becoming. If you have ever found yourself performing strength while quietly struggling underneath the surface, this conversation will resonate deeply. Please pardon our dust… this is only the beginning of Her Becoming.

    The Woman She Had Never Met

  9. Apr 20

    Identity, Belief, and the Confidence You Didn’t Realize You Had

    Some conversations don’t end when the recording stops. This was one of them. In this episode of Her Becoming, I sit down with Meshell Baker, Chief Confidence Igniter, for a conversation that moves far beyond the surface of confidence and into the deeper work of identity, belief, and becoming. Meshell shares her journey from early identity struggles and seasons of shame to building a life rooted in intentional growth, and challenges the way we often think about confidence. Not as something you either have or don’t have, but as something you are already using every single day. Because the truth is, you are already confident in something. The question is what you are confident in, and whether that belief is working for you or against you. We talk about the difference between chasing goals and defining vision, how identity shapes leadership, and what it looks like to build a life that is aligned with who you are becoming, not just what you are accomplishing. This conversation is honest, grounded, and deeply practical. It speaks to the woman who knows she is meant for more, but feels stuck in the space between where she is and where she wants to be. In This Episode, We Cover: What confidence really is, and why it’s often misunderstoodHow identity is formed and why it matters more than you thinkThe difference between goals and vision, and why one leaves you emptyWhat leadership looks like when it’s rooted in identitySimple, daily practices that support long-term becoming If that’s you, this episode will meet you there. Links & Resources Read the full Her Becoming article: https://darakoenig.com/post/her-becoming-meshell-baker Connect with Meshell Baker: meshellrbaker.com 📥 MASTER Your Mornings https://resources.meshellbaker.com/masteryourmornings 🎶 2-Minute Tibetan Bowls https://youtu.be/Ih-rtou1PTc?si=dc9530OiXW3oYZVk 🌬️ 2-Minute Box Breathing Guided https://youtu.be/J8WFgoeKStI?si=G-8KO92Ep2RsZ5xu

    Identity, Belief, and the Confidence You Didn’t Realize You Had

  10. Mar 25

    Courage in Your 20s

    Welcome to the very first episode of Her Becoming with Dara. Most leadership stories are told from the finish line. The promotion. The milestone. The company built. But the most meaningful part of the journey often happens before that. The uncertainty. The courage to take the next step. The decisions that shape who we are becoming. Her Becoming is a conversation series where executive coach and leadership writer Dara Koenig sits down with women who are building their lives and leadership in real time. In this inaugural episode, I speak with Carlee Bean, a young woman stepping into her future with courage and clarity.In this conversation, we explore: Finding courage in your twentiesStepping forward even when you feel uncomfortableChoosing growth before you feel fully readyThe desire to build a life that serves others Carlee shares her journey toward law school, her experiences serving families in need through community work, and the mindset that has helped her take meaningful steps forward even when the path feels uncertain.These are not stories from the finish line.They are conversations from the middle of becoming. Subscribe to the channel so you don’t miss future conversations.​

    Courage in Your 20s
  • 10 Episodes

About

Dara Koenig is an executive coach, writer, and leadership voice focused on identity, integrity, and influence. Through interviews, reflections, and conversations with women building their lives and leadership in real time, Dara explores what it means to grow with courage, faith, and disciplined movement. Her Becoming is a conversation series highlighting women who are still building — not just the stories from the finish line. Because becoming doesn’t happen all at once. It happens one step at a time. Pardon our dust.

Information

You Might Also Like