The Blow Your Mind Podcast

Erika Sinner
  • 5.0 (56)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Weekly

Who are you becoming? And do you actually trust yourself to get there? Erika Sinner grew up on food stamps, rewrote every story she was handed, and went on to build a multi-eight-figure company as a CEO, bestselling author, and philanthropist. This is where real conversations happen about identity, self-trust, and the decisions that separate who you've been from who you're deciding to be. Every episode brings a real story, a mind blown moment, and a challenge to prove something to yourself. If you're in the middle of figuring it out, you're exactly who this is for.

  1. 3d ago

    What If Your Biggest Setback Is Actually Your Superpower? with Nikki Burdine

    What happens when the career you've spent nearly two decades building suddenly comes to an end? Former Good Morning Nashville anchor Nikki Burdine joins Erika to share the unexpected story behind getting fired, why losing her dream job became the beginning of something better, and how she's redefining success on her own terms. From building her own media brand and letting go of other people's opinions to navigating motherhood, finding confidence, and embracing her journey with Tourette syndrome, Nikki reminds us that our biggest challenges can become our greatest strengths. This conversation is about trusting yourself, owning your story, and finding the courage to turn life's unexpected setbacks into opportunities for something more. Follow Nikki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkiburdine/  Nikki’s Website: https://www.nikkiburdine.com/  Live Like Grunt (Nikki’s Children’s book) Shop DIME Beauty Perfumes Follow Erika on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erika_sinner/ Check out her website: https://erikasinner.org/ Buy her book, Pets Are Family: https://erikasinner.org/book Check out TinySuperheroes: https://tinysuperheroes.com/ 00:02:00 – Meet Nikki Burdine: From Good Morning Nashville to building her own brand 00:05:50 – The Instagram story that led to Nikki getting fired 00:10:21 – Why losing her dream job felt like a weight lifted 00:14:47 – Learning to stop caring what other people think 00:19:35 – Finding freedom in telling her own story 00:27:27 – Why vulnerability is a powerful leadership skill 00:29:29 – Practical ways to build confidence and find your voice 00:33:05 – How motherhood changed Nikki's definition of success 00:40:43 – Growing up with Tourette syndrome and turning differences into superpowers

  2. Oct 22

    Learning to Receive the Life You’ve Worked For

    What if the things you work hardest for are the very things you struggle to let yourself receive? In this episode, Erika opens up about her discomfort with compliments, celebrating success, and allowing herself to rest without feeling lazy or unproductive. She shares how she’s learning to stop minimizing her wins, practice receiving praise, change the way she talks to herself, and give her body the recovery it needs. Because learning to trust yourself isn’t only about following through and pushing forward. It’s also about proving to yourself that you’ll slow down, take care of yourself, and make space to actually receive the success, love, and recognition you’ve worked so hard for. Mentioned in this episode: Listen to the episode with Courtney Spritzer Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins Follow Erika on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erika_sinner/ Check out her website: https://erikasinner.org/ Buy her book, Pets Are Family: https://erikasinner.org/book Check out TinySuperheroes: https://tinysuperheroes.com/ 00:00 – Why receiving a compliment can feel so uncomfortable 02:00 – Being called out for downplaying a big win 03:50 – Practicing how to actually receive praise 05:45 – Why we discount compliments instead of owning them 07:20 – Why Erica struggles to allow herself to rest 09:00 – Giving yourself the same compassion you give others 10:15 – What your inner self-talk really sounds like 12:20 – How self-worth shapes what you allow yourself to receive 14:00 – Why even big wins require recovery 16:40 – Building enough trust with your body to truly rest

  3. Oct 15

    If You Think It’s Cool, It’s Cool

    What happens when the thing you’re wildly excited about gets… a slightly less enthusiastic reaction from the person you love? In this episode, Erika sits down with Chris to talk about what it really means to be someone’s cheerleader—even when you don’t share the same interests. From a Channel 5 news crew coming to their house to chess, sumo wrestling, magic tricks, and Chris’s longtime gaming crew, they unpack how curiosity and genuine interest can make the people in your life feel seen and supported. The mind-blown moment: if you think something is cool, it’s cool. Own what lights you up, let your freak flag fly, and be the person who makes space for someone else’s excitement, too. Follow Erika on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erika_sinner/ Check out her website: https://erikasinner.org/ Buy her book, Pets Are Family: https://erikasinner.org/book Check out TinySuperheroes: https://tinysuperheroes.com/ 00:00 – When Channel 5 News came to the house—and Chris’s reaction 03:30 – Learning how to give each other the reaction you need 04:30 – Becoming a cheerleader for your partner’s interests 05:40 – Chris’s chess obsession and celebrating his rating milestone 07:20 – How sumo wrestling became a household event 08:40 – Magic tricks, art, and going deep on unexpected hobbies 10:40 – Why showing curiosity about someone’s interests matters 12:00 – Gaming, “the boys,” and Erin becoming Mrs. Sinner 34 15:40 – The unforgettable work-from-home gaming interruption 16:50 – Why you shouldn’t steal someone else’s excitement 18:40 – Who actually gets to decide what’s cool? 19:50 – The challenge: own what you love and get curious about what others love

  4. Oct 8

    Who Are You When Nobody’s Watching?

    What happens to the people you love when the thing you are building starts requiring almost everything you have? In this episode, Erika is joined by her husband, Chris, for a conversation about protecting your relationships while chasing big dreams. They talk about the seasons when work requires more of you, why they treat those seasons as something they decided to take on together, and the small rituals that have helped them stay connected, from dinners at the table and traveling together to the Post-it notes Erika used to hide around the house before work trips. Chris shares why supporting Erika’s ambition has never meant needing a perfect separation between business and marriage, and Erika explains why having someone who genuinely listens to the details of her work gives her a place to decompress, get perspective, and move forward. Follow Erika on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erika_sinner/ Check out her website: https://erikasinner.org/ Buy her book, Pets Are Family: https://erikasinner.org/book Check out TinySuperheroes: https://tinysuperheroes.com/ 01:00 – When ambition starts taking over your life 02:16 – Building big dreams without losing your relationships 04:20 – The seasons when work requires more from both of you 06:23 – Remembering you are a human while building something big 07:22 – Why they treat the hard seasons as a decision they made together 08:23 – Creating small rituals that keep them connected 11:30 – Why Chris started traveling with Erika more 13:55 – The Post-it notes that kept them connected while Erika traveled 17:22 – Why sharing the details of work can strengthen a relationship 22:03 – The challenge: show someone you love that you still see them

  5. Oct 1

    Just Show Up: Laura Hettiger on Rejection, Belonging & Chasing What You Want

    Emmy-winning journalist and Great Day St. Louis anchor Laura Hettiger knows what it means to show up—literally. After a devastating knee injury ended the identity she had built around being an athlete, Laura found journalism. And when sending resumes across the country led nowhere, she got in her car, walked into 30 television stations in one week, and asked for a job. In this episode, Laura shares the mindset behind chasing what you want, why being told “no” isn’t actually scary, and the reminder that if you’ve been given the opportunity, you already belong in the room. She also takes us behind the scenes of a career in television, opens up about navigating a public life, shares why she finally decided to be fully herself on air, and explains how she uses her “megaphone” to advocate for kids across St. Louis. Plus, Laura shares the moment she turned the disappointment of being passed over for a promotion into the beginning of Laura’s Run for Kids and challenges all of us to stop waiting and simply show up. Follow Laura on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lkhettiger/ Follow Laura on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-hettiger-79489997 Follow Erika on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erika_sinner/ Check out her website: https://erikasinner.org/ Buy her book, Pets Are Family: https://erikasinner.org/book Check out TinySuperheroes: https://tinysuperheroes.com/ 00:00 – Meet Laura Hettiger 04:30 – The injury that changed the direction of Laura’s life 09:30 – Finding opportunity when life doesn’t go as plannedp 11:30 – Showing up at 30 TV stations to chase her dream 14:00 – Why being told “no” isn’t actually scary 21:10 – How technology and AI are changing journalism 24:40 – Growing up in public and navigating criticism 29:20 – If you’re in the room, you already belong 34:10 – Gratitude, perspective, and enjoying the life you have now 41:00 – Turning rejection into Laura’s Run for Kids

  6. Sep 24

    How to Protect Your Relationships in Your Busiest Seasons

    What happens to the people you love when the thing you are building starts requiring almost everything you have? In this episode, Erika is joined by her husband, Chris, for a conversation about protecting your relationships while chasing big dreams. They talk about the seasons when work requires more of you, why they treat those seasons as something they decided to take on together, and the small rituals that have helped them stay connected, from dinners at the table and traveling together to the Post-it notes Erika used to hide around the house before work trips. Chris shares why supporting Erika’s ambition has never meant needing a perfect separation between business and marriage, and Erika explains why having someone who genuinely listens to the details of her work gives her a place to decompress, get perspective, and move forward.  Follow Erika on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erika_sinner/ Check out her website: https://erikasinner.org/ Buy her book, Pets Are Family: https://erikasinner.org/book Check out TinySuperheroes: https://tinysuperheroes.com/ 01:00 – When ambition starts taking over your life 02:16 – Building big dreams without losing your relationships 04:20 – The seasons when work requires more from both of you 06:23 – Remembering you are a human while building something big 07:22 – Why they treat the hard seasons as a decision they made together 08:23 – Creating small rituals that keep them connected 11:30 – Why Chris started traveling with Erika more 13:55 – The Post-it notes that kept them connected while Erika traveled 17:22 – Why sharing the details of work can strengthen a relationship 22:03 – The challenge: show someone you love that you still see them

  7. Sep 17

    Why the Right Relationships Can Change Your Career with Courtney Spritzer

    What if the biggest thing standing between you and the life you want isn’t a lack of opportunity, but believing you’re stuck with the choices you’ve already made? In this episode of The Blow Your Mind Podcast, Erika sits down with Courtney Spritzer, serial entrepreneur, angel investor, author, and co-founder of Entreprenista, to talk about what it actually takes to bet on yourself and build a life bigger than the one that feels safe. Courtney shares why entrepreneurs do not have to build alone, how relationships become even more valuable in a world increasingly shaped by AI, and why preparation has been the foundation behind some of the biggest risks she has taken, including quitting a stable corporate job while carrying more than $100,000 in student debt. They talk about the loneliness and sacrifice behind entrepreneurship, getting better at celebrating the wins, putting yourself in rooms that expand what you believe is possible, and the evidence Courtney has built that she can survive even the worst-case scenario. She closes with a simple challenge to audit how and with whom you are spending your life, decide whether those choices align with where you want to go, and change one thing in the next seven days. Follow Courtney on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneyspritzer/ Check out Entreprenista: https://www.entreprenista.com/ Follow Erika on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erika_sinner/ Check out her website: https://erikasinner.org/ Buy her book, Pets Are Family: https://erikasinner.org/book Check out TinySuperheroes: https://tinysuperheroes.com/ 01:00 – Meet Courtney Spritzer and the power of betting on yourself 02:30 – Why no entrepreneur has to build alone 05:38 – Building relationships that open doors you cannot see yet 07:35 – The human connection AI cannot replace 10:38 – Preparation, confidence, and taking big risks 14:48 – Finding the why that keeps you going when it gets hard 17:17 – Choosing positivity without ignoring reality 22:17 – Courtney’s why and giving herself permission to play big 25:42 – The loneliness, sacrifice, and reality behind entrepreneurship 35:42 – The challenge: audit your life and change one thing

  8. Sep 10

    What Bravery Actually Means

    Bravery doesn’t mean you aren’t scared. It means believing you can get through what’s in front of you. In this solo episode, Erika shares the work she is doing with TinySuperheroes and what meeting hundreds of children navigating serious medical journeys has taught her about what bravery actually means. She explains how a simple cape and a collection of patches can transform MRIs, chemo, surgeries, and other difficult experiences into superhero missions, giving kids a new language for talking about the things they have been through. She also opens up about the Angel Squad, the families who have changed her perspective on grief and making memories, and one tiny superhero who responded to a potentially embarrassing moment by simply saying, “That’s where I get my superpowers.” It is a story about the power of identity, play, and belonging, and how reminding someone that they are strong and brave can change the story they tell themselves about what they have survived.Follow Erika on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erika_sinner/Check out her website: https://erikasinner.org/Buy her book, Pets Are Family: https://erikasinner.org/bookCheck out TinySuperheroes: https://tinysuperheroes.com/01:00 – What do you say to a child facing a difficult medical journey?02:18 – The moment a child becomes a TinySuperhero05:08 – How Erika first discovered TinySuperheroes06:07 – Capes, patches, monthly missions, and sidekicks07:18 – The Angel Squad and the hardest part of the mission08:18 – Bringing TinySuperheroes into hospitals10:38 – What Angel Squad families taught Erika about grief and making memories14:17 – How superhero culture changes difficult conversations16:56 – “That’s where I get my superpowers”21:50 – What bravery actually means

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5
out of 5
56 Ratings

About

Who are you becoming? And do you actually trust yourself to get there? Erika Sinner grew up on food stamps, rewrote every story she was handed, and went on to build a multi-eight-figure company as a CEO, bestselling author, and philanthropist. This is where real conversations happen about identity, self-trust, and the decisions that separate who you've been from who you're deciding to be. Every episode brings a real story, a mind blown moment, and a challenge to prove something to yourself. If you're in the middle of figuring it out, you're exactly who this is for.

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