Finding North with Nancy Girres

Nancy Girres
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Entrepreneurship

Finding North is a podcast for high-achievers who feel lost, stuck, or unfulfilled despite success. Hosted by Nancy Girres, each episode explores the truth about burnout, identity, purpose, and what it really takes to realign your life. Through powerful conversations and personal insights, you’ll learn how to find clarity, rebuild direction, and create a life that actually feels right. If you’ve ever thought “I did everything right… so why does this feel wrong?” — this is for you. New episodes every week. #selfdiscovery #burnout #personalgrowth #findingpurpose

  1. 4d ago

    She Walked Away From Expectations To Build A Life That Was Truly Hers | Jenifer Prichard | Ep. 17

    What happens when the life you're expected to live isn't the life that feels true to you? In this episode of Finding North, Nancy Girres sits down with Jenifer Prichard, Vice President of Events at Vistage, where she has spent 18 years creating powerful experiences for leaders around the world. Jenifer's story begins with an extraordinary childhood. After surviving spinal meningitis as an infant, she became known as her father's "miracle child" and spent years traveling with him to prisons and nursing homes, sharing her story and discovering the power of human connection. From joining Up with People at 21 and traveling through 11 countries, to spending eight years working for Tony Robbins and traveling 297 days in a single year, Jenifer built a life around people, experiences, connection, and possibility. But her journey wasn't just about career success. Jenifer shares how she learned to challenge traditional expectations around relationships, family, faith, and what a successful life is supposed to look like. She also reveals the lessons Tony Robbins taught her about finding a way, why she believes there is always a "yes, and," and how the smallest conversations at an event can create life-changing connections. This conversation explores: • Surviving spinal meningitis and becoming a "miracle child" • The life-changing impact of her father's faith and example • Finding her passion through Up with People • Traveling 11 countries with 98 host families • Eight years working with Tony Robbins • What traveling 297 days a year taught her about life • Breaking away from traditional expectations • Choosing appreciation over expectation in relationships • Why there is always a way forward • The power of creating space for meaningful conversations • Becoming a connector and building bridges between people • Why we never know the impact we have on someone • Creating experiences that leave people with goosebumps, laughter, and tears • Finding your own North instead of following someone else's 📸 Follow behind the scenes: https://www.instagram.com/coachgirres/ 🌐 Nancy’s Website: https://nancygirres.com/ 💼 Connect with Nancy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancygirres Connect With Jennifer Prichard: 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-prichard-77991b4/ Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, identity, healing, burnout, and personal transformation. #podcast #motivation #womenempowerment #mindset #success

    She Walked Away From Expectations To Build A Life That Was Truly Hers | Jenifer Prichard | Ep. 17

  2. Sep 29

    The Opportunity Won’t Wait For You To Feel Ready | Nancy Girres | Ep. 16

    What if the opportunity you've been waiting for has a shelf life? In this episode of Finding North, Nancy Girres explores the lie we tell ourselves about timing, the cost of waiting until we feel ready, and why she has stopped apologizing for her ambition. Nancy shares how saying yes to one opportunity with Vistage opened a series of doors she couldn't have predicted, from joining the faculty that trains new chairs, to training chairs in Argentina, leading workshops at Chair World, working virtually with chairs in China and Australia, and eventually receiving an invitation to teach in Shanghai. But the bigger lesson isn't about any one opportunity. It's about recognizing that you don't get to see the whole hallway. You only get to see the door in front of you. Nancy also shares a powerful exercise she used with her CEO groups at a retreat outside Aspen, where participants physically confronted the limited number of healthy years they may have ahead of them. This conversation explores: • Why opportunities have a shelf life • The danger of waiting until you feel ready • Why “later” is not a plan • How one yes can lead to doors you never expected • Letting go of guilt around ambition • Why every yes comes with a no • The difference between ambition and abandonment • How to think about the limited time we have • Why you should stop apologizing for wanting more • Finding the courage to walk through the door while it's open Nancy also reflects on turning 60, the “Nancy Olympics” her daughter created for her family, and what she learned from the people closest to her about the difference between being busy and being absent. The people who love you most may not want you to do less. They may simply want you. 📸 Follow behind the scenes: https://www.instagram.com/coachgirres/ 🌐 Nancy’s Website: https://nancygirres.com/ 💼 Connect with Nancy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancygirres Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, identity, healing, burnout, and personal transformation. #personalgrowth #motivation #ambition #mindset #leadership

    The Opportunity Won’t Wait For You To Feel Ready | Nancy Girres | Ep. 16

  3. Sep 22

    He Lost Himself Trying To Please Everyone | Brandon Wells | Ep. 15

    What happens when the life you've built no longer feels like it's serving you? In this episode of Finding North, Nancy Girres sits down with Brandon Wells, President and CEO of The Group Inc., to explore the moments that forced him to look inward, change direction, and become more comfortable with who he really is. Brandon shares how leaving Albuquerque, changing his career path, and stepping away from an old peer group set the next chapter of his life in motion. He opens up about divorce, people-pleasing, leadership pressure, and the five-year recalibration that helped him reconnect with the person underneath the armor. The conversation also explores his approach to leadership, mentorship, parenting, gratitude, physical movement, and why taking responsibility for what you can control can fundamentally change the way you experience life. This conversation explores: • Knowing when your environment is no longer serving you • Outgrowing your peer group and changing direction • People-pleasing and learning to accept that not everyone will like you • Divorce, identity, and personal recalibration • Becoming comfortable with who you really are • Being a player instead of a victim • Taking responsibility for what you can control • The power of mentors who challenge and believe in you • Gratitude, movement, and building an ownership mindset • Leadership, vulnerability, and making difficult decisions • Living fully instead of looking back with "I could have" and "I should have" • Finding your North through curiosity, growth, and new experiences Whose north have you been following, and what would change if you trusted your own compass? 📸 Follow behind the scenes: https://www.instagram.com/coachgirres/ 🌐 Nancy’s Website: https://nancygirres.com/ 💼 Connect with Nancy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancygirres Connect With Brandon Wells: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/brandonwells1/ 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonwells1/ 🌐 https://thegroupinc.com/ Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, identity, healing, burnout, and personal transformation. #entrepreneur #personalgrowth #mindset #motivation #podcast

    He Lost Himself Trying To Please Everyone | Brandon Wells | Ep. 15

  4. Aug 25

    She Became A CEO At 26 Without Ever Planning To | Amy Pezzani | Ep. 14

    What happens when your career chooses you before you ever choose it? In this episode of Finding North, Nancy Girres sits down with Amy Pezzani, CEO of the Food Bank for Larimer County, for a deeply personal conversation about leadership, purpose, unexpected opportunities, friendship, regret, and finding your direction later in life. Amy never planned to become a CEO. After graduating from college with a degree in sociology, she became a VISTA volunteer at Ozarks Food Harvest, where she created programs that would eventually change the trajectory of her career. At just 26 years old, Amy was encouraged to apply for the executive director role by a mentor who believed in her before she believed in herself. But her story isn't only about leadership. Amy opens up about a life-changing friendship with Stacy, the loss that forced her to confront regret, the lessons she learned about saying what matters before it's too late, and how those experiences shaped the leader and person she became. This conversation explores: • Becoming a CEO at 26 without planning for it • The power of someone believing in you before you believe in yourself • Finding leadership through unexpected opportunities • Learning from the leaders you don't want to become • The difference between being successful and staying hungry • Friendship, loss, grief, and regret • Why you shouldn't wait to tell people they matter • Building a leadership style intentionally • Staying passionate after 22 years in the same mission • Knowing when it's time to recalibrate your life • What it means to find your North when your career chose you 📸 Follow behind the scenes: https://www.instagram.com/coachgirres/ 🌐 Nancy’s Website: https://nancygirres.com/ 💼 Connect with Nancy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancygirres Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, identity, healing, burnout, and personal transformation. #podcast #purpose #personalgrowth #ceo #womenempowerment

    She Became A CEO At 26 Without Ever Planning To | Amy Pezzani | Ep. 14

  5. Aug 18

    She Chose Love Even When It Cost Her Family | Mackenzie Rutherford | Ep. 13

    What happens when being true to yourself means risking the approval of the people you love most? In this deeply personal episode of Finding North, Nancy Girres sits down with Mackenzie Rutherford, her daughter, executive assistant, social worker, wife, and mother of two. For the first time, mother and daughter trade places and interview each other about the choices, challenges, and experiences that shaped their lives. Mackenzie shares the story of falling in love with her wife Allison, coming out to her family, choosing authenticity despite the possibility of rejection, and building a life grounded in love rather than other people's expectations. But this conversation goes far beyond one love story. Nancy and Mackenzie explore forgiveness, unconditional love, motherhood, family, resilience, authenticity, judgment, and what it means to stop waiting for other people to approve of the life you're choosing. This conversation explores: • Choosing authenticity when it comes with a cost • Falling in love and refusing to live for other people's approval • The courage to choose yourself • Unconditional love and forgiveness • Navigating family expectations and rejection • How perspective can change the way we experience hardship • The power of truly seeing other people • Mother-daughter relationships and generational growth • Learning from difficult seasons instead of being defined by them • Raising children to be confident in who they are • Letting go of what other people believe about you • Finding North by staying true to yourself Mackenzie opens up about the hardest choices of her life, the people who helped her feel seen, the love she built with Allison, and why forgiveness can be one of the strongest choices we make. Nancy and Mackenzie also reflect on their own relationship, the mistakes they made, the grace they gave each other, and how choosing to keep communicating transformed their relationship over time. Whose approval are you still waiting for, and what would happen if you stopped waiting? 📸 Follow behind the scenes: https://www.instagram.com/coachgirres/ 🌐 Nancy’s Website: https://nancygirres.com/ 💼 Connect with Nancy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancygirres Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, identity, healing, burnout, and personal transformation. #podcast #selflove #personalgrowth #womenempowerment #motherdaughter

    She Chose Love Even When It Cost Her Family | Mackenzie Rutherford | Ep. 13

  6. Aug 11

    The 3 Words Roger Federer Says Make A Great Coach | Emma Doyle | Ep. 12

    What if the key to unlocking someone's potential isn't telling them what to do, but learning how to truly listen? In this episode of Finding North, Nancy Girres sits down with Emma Doyle, internationally recognized high-performance tennis coach, corporate energy coach, TEDx speaker, bestselling author of What Makes a Great Coach, and founder of the Coaching Leadership Academy. Emma has spent her career helping people unlock the potential already inside them. From coaching elite athletes to working with executives, she has discovered that the principles that create great athletes can also create great leaders. But this conversation goes far beyond coaching. Emma shares how her natural curiosity was suppressed when she entered a male-dominated profession, how mentors encouraged her to use her voice, and why curiosity became one of the most important tools in her leadership philosophy. She also reveals the lesson Roger Federer gave her about great coaching, why presence may be one of the greatest gifts we can give another person, and how leaders can create environments where people feel safe enough to tell the truth, grow, and perform at their best. This conversation explores: • Why curiosity can unlock human potential • The difference between teaching someone and helping them learn • What tennis teaches us about resilience and recovering from failure • Why great coaches listen more than they talk • The connection between confidence, time, and experience • How to identify and build your personal strengths • Why leaders need to create environments where people can flourish • The power of presence, deep listening, and asking better questions • How to stretch your comfort zone one layer at a time • Finding your authentic energy and following your own North Emma also introduces practical coaching tools including the Onion Principle, the "Who I am is the possibility of..." exercise, and a powerful question about what you would notice if you woke up tomorrow and everything was exactly as you wanted it to be. 📸 Follow behind the scenes: https://www.instagram.com/coachgirres/ 🌐 Nancy’s Website: https://nancygirres.com/ 💼 Connect with Nancy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancygirres Connect with Emma: 🌐 www.coachem.cc 🎙️ The Coaching Podcast 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-doyle-41150215 Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, identity, healing, burnout, and personal transformation. #coaching #personalgrowth #mindset #motivation #findingnorthpodcast

    The 3 Words Roger Federer Says Make A Great Coach | Emma Doyle | Ep. 12

  7. Aug 4

    He Was Rejected Then Built Hats for Presidents & Yellowstone Stars | Trent Johnson | Ep. 11

    What if the greatest opportunity of your life started with hearing "No"? In Episode 11 of Finding North, Nancy Girres sits down with Trent Johnson, owner and Creative Vision Officer of Greeley Hat Works, whose custom hats have been worn by presidents, Yellowstone stars, NFL quarterbacks, country music legends, and thousands of everyday people searching for confidence. From being rejected by business school to buying one of America's oldest hat shops, Trent shares how resilience, craftsmanship, and relationships shaped his extraordinary journey. This conversation explores: • How rejection became the foundation of success • Why courage matters more than credentials • The story behind building hats for Yellowstone and President George W. Bush • What true craftsmanship teaches about leadership • Why great businesses create experiences, not just products • The difference between "real friends" and "deal friends" • Finding purpose through creativity and service • Why your North rarely changes, but the path does Whether you're an entrepreneur, leader, creator, or someone navigating a major life transition, this conversation is a reminder that your greatest opportunities often begin when you're willing to simply show up. 📸 Follow behind the scenes: https://www.instagram.com/coachgirres/ 🌐 Nancy’s Website: https://nancygirres.com/ 💼 Connect with Nancy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancygirres Connect with Trent Johnson: 🤠 Learn More About Trent & Greeley Hat Works: https://greeleyhatworks.com/ 📸 Follow Greeley Hat Works: https://www.instagram.com/greeleyhatworks/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreeleyHatWorks Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, identity, healing, burnout, and personal transformation. #entrepreneur #leadership #yellowstone #successmindset #podcast

    He Was Rejected Then Built Hats for Presidents & Yellowstone Stars | Trent Johnson | Ep. 11

  8. Jul 28

    I Lost Myself Twice Before I Found My North | Nancy Girres | Ep. 10

    To be honest with you, I've been searching for that moment my whole life. What I found instead was moments. For the first time on Finding North, Nancy Girres steps out from behind the interview chair to share her own story. From growing up on an Iowa farm with no roadmap beyond marriage, to becoming the president of a multimillion-dollar company, to navigating two painful divorces, rebuilding her life, and eventually creating a career completely on her own terms. This is the journey that inspired Finding North. This isn't a story about getting everything right. It's about getting lost... and finding your way back. In this episode, Nancy shares: • Growing up on an Iowa farm with no vision beyond the family path • The decision that changed her life forever at just 18 years old • Building a 30-year executive career from the ground up • How success affected two marriages • Losing herself and learning how to come back • The courage to leave a successful career and start over • Why recalibration is not failure • Three lessons that changed everything about leadership and life If you've ever questioned your direction, wondered whether you're living someone else's life, or felt the pull toward something bigger, this conversation is for you. 📸 Follow behind the scenes: https://www.instagram.com/coachgirres/ 🌐 Nancy’s Website: https://nancygirres.com/ 💼 Connect with Nancy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancygirres Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, identity, healing, burnout, and personal transformation. #findingnorth #leadership #personalgrowth #womenempowerment #purpose

    I Lost Myself Twice Before I Found My North | Nancy Girres | Ep. 10
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5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Finding North is a podcast for high-achievers who feel lost, stuck, or unfulfilled despite success. Hosted by Nancy Girres, each episode explores the truth about burnout, identity, purpose, and what it really takes to realign your life. Through powerful conversations and personal insights, you’ll learn how to find clarity, rebuild direction, and create a life that actually feels right. If you’ve ever thought “I did everything right… so why does this feel wrong?” — this is for you. New episodes every week. #selfdiscovery #burnout #personalgrowth #findingpurpose

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