BFD with Leslie Jespersen

Leslie Jespersen
  • 5.0 (15)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Series

BFD is a live, unscripted talk show filmed in Atlantic City, hosted by Leslie Jespersen — former celebrity publicist, live event producer, and the woman who's spent 20 years inside the rooms that shape who gets recognized and why. She sits down with the founders, operators, and industry names who are BFDs and ready to talk about it without a filter.

Season 1

  1. Episode 1

    The 24-Year Fight to Be Heard: Callie Greenberg

    Callie Greenberg made up her mind to work with me in less than 24 minutes. That's the kind of woman she is. She moves on energy, she moves fast, and she does not wait for permission, which is exactly why her story hits the way it does. For 24 years Callie told doctors she was in pain and got handed birth control and a shrug. By the time someone finally listened, her endometriosis was stage four going on five, and the window to have biological children had already closed. She had a total hysterectomy at 39. Two years after a diagnosis nobody would give her for two decades. But this episode isn't a sad story, and Callie isn't a victim. She took the rage of being dismissed and built something with it. She's the host of the Endo Warriors podcast, a fierce medical advocate who teaches women how to walk into a doctor's office prepared, recorded, and impossible to ignore (record every appointment, get the "nothing's wrong" in writing, advocate like your life depends on it, because it does). And she's a certified keynote speaker through my Speaker School who, in rehearsal, picked up the microphone, heard her own voice for the first time, and broke down. Because her whole life she'd been told she was too loud. Too much. Bring it down. She wasn't screaming. She was captivating. This is what happens when someone who's spent a lifetime being silenced finally gets a stage built for her. Welcome to the premiere of The BFD Show. Famous is a frequency™. Tune in. 🎙️ Callie Greenberg — Endo Warriors podcast, now The Girls Room After Dark | @callie_greenberg📺 Watch the network: www.watchbfdtv.com📩 contact@watchbfdtv.com Learn More: CallieGreenberg.comLeslie Jespersen Speaker School

  2. Episode 2

    The Dynamics of Energy: How to Become a Big F*cking Deal with Holly Starr Allen

    Holly Starr Allen is the woman I call when my human is doing the absolute most in the green room. I'll text her like, "Holly, I hope your phone is on you because I am having a MOMENT," and she'll tell me exactly what's happening in my timeline. That's the kind of energy worker she is, and honestly "energy worker" doesn't even cover it, which is why she had to trademark her own modality (TruSolHeart™ healing) because people kept saying, "wait, what was THAT?" In this one we get into the architecture of becoming a BFD, and I mean that literally. Holly's whole thing is the foundation. You want to build the Empire State Building? Then you cannot pour a foundation the size of a dime and wonder why you keep hitting a vibrational ceiling. So we talk about why you say you want the stages and the billboards and the magazine covers, and then the invitation actually shows up and suddenly you're like, "not yet, I don't know," and you sabotage the whole thing without understanding why. We also get into the difference between being seen and being witnessed (those are not the same, and once Holly explains it you can't unsee it), why vulnerability and boundaries live together instead of canceling each other out, and the thing that wrecked me a little: we are human beings, not human doings, and most of us cannot sit still for 15 seconds before we go chasing the next high. New launch, new goal, new relationship, anything to avoid just BEING. And yes, we get personal. My second rock bottom during the pandemic, the puddle-on-the-floor months, and why it took my dog dying to finally let me process all of it. Holly explains that one in a way that I'm still thinking about. This is the woman who helped me build the Everyday Celebrity brand. Power versus force. The process you cannot skip. Welcome to episode two. Famous is a frequency™. Tune in. 📺 Watch the network: www.watchbfdtv.com📩 contact@watchbfdtv.comWork with Holly: www.hollystarrallen.com

  3. Episode 3

    Self-Love, Sisterhood & Surviving Toxic Independence with Anita Sparks

    Anita Sparks is a clinical therapist and the founder of the Beautiful Life Institute, and she built it to answer a question her clients kept asking after the deep trauma work was done: okay, but where do I actually make a friend? In this episode we get into why grown women are starved for real connection, how friendships shift as you grow (and how to gently guide the wrong ones off the boat), the toxic independence so many high-achieving women are quietly drowning in, and Anita's disarmingly simple roadmap back to self-love that starts with food, water, sleep, and yes, a houseplant. In this episode: Why the craft is never the craft, and how the wreath/vision board/dream catcher is really just the excuse to build sisterhoodThe friend breakups nobody warns you about when your career and visibility growToxic independence: why "I can do it all myself" looks like success and feels like burnoutWhy you can't step off the ladder without everyone assuming you're having a breakdownSelf-love as a real health practice (mental, physical, spiritual), not a branding aestheticThe houseplant story that teaches burnt-out women how to take care of themselvesBuilding a morning routine that fits YOU instead of the one everyone online is selling Connect with Anita Sparks: 🌿 Beautiful Life Institute — beautifullifeinstitute.net (workshops in South Jersey, plus virtual & in-person VIP days) Connect with The BFD Show: 🎓 Apply to be a guest / find your stage: 📩 contact@watchbfdtv.com 📺 Watch the network: watchbfdtv.com 📩 contact@watchbfdtv.com Famous is a frequency™.

  4. Episode 4

    From the Shadows to the Stage with Carly Melchert

    Carly Melchert is the founder of The Restored Soul, a certified keynote speaker, and one of the original BFDs. She and Leslie connected online during the pandemic, back when Carly was running a nonprofit and hiding every gift she had out of fear it would cost the organization donations. In this episode Carly traces her arc from hidden to headliner: trusting her intuition at every fork, leaving a stable job to bet on herself, and learning the hard way that finding your voice on stage is never a straight line. In this episode: The "accidental" Instagram poll vote that started Carly's whole transformationGoing from yoga to tarot to Reiki and sound healing, and learning to talk about her gifts out loudWhy she left a good, rewarding, stable job, and how she helped the people around her feel safe about itThe keynote that fell apart because the trauma wasn't as healed as she thoughtHer husband's gut-check: "if you're selling something, I'm not buying it, you don't seem safe"Doing the deep work in a safe container BEFORE the stage, not on itOwning what you share and what stays yours when life keeps happening mid-journeyThe open question of where her voice goes next: podcast, stage, sound baths, group ReikiThe eagle in her yard, and the unapologetically real version of herself she shows online Connect with Carly Melchert: 🔮 The Restored Soul Connect with The BFD Show: 🎓 Apply to be a guest / find your stage: bfdshow.com 📺 Watch the network: watchbfdtv.com 📩 contact@watchbfdtv.com Famous is a frequency™.

  5. Episode 5

    Behind the Glam: Lessons from JWOWW's Makeup Chair with Kathryn Butler

    Kathryn Butler is a professional makeup artist who spent years behind the scenes glamming celebrities, traveling with JWOWW, and working award shows and TV before reinventing herself as a mom of two, a business owner, and the founder of the Paradise lip gloss line. Leslie pulls her out from behind the chair and into the talent seat to talk about what she's learned on set, the professionalism that separates a real BFD from a D-lister, and her years-long journey growing up inside Leslie's ecosystem. In this episode: Why the talent who's truly a BFD never leads with ego, and how the ones who do give themselves away The unfiltered do's and don'ts of being on set (including what NOT to do while the cameras are rolling) Years in JWOWW's makeup chair: friendship vs. professionalism, and knowing the difference Kathryn's reinvention from celebrity MUA to doula to grounded mom who's allowed to love both makeup and motherhood Leaving the all-or-nothing extremes (and the crunchy-mom rabbit hole) for nuance and autonomy How motherhood checked her ego and made her better at the work Her arc through Leslie's world: the first event, Brunch with Babes, Summer's Point, Nashville, Headliners Week Building the Paradise lip gloss line, and why "Bombshell" is the bestseller that works on every skin tone Connect with Kathryn Butler:💄 GlambyKathrynXO (Instagram) — best way to book or buy is a DM🏖️ Paradise — @welcometoparadisexo on Instagram Connect with The BFD Show: 📺 Watch the network: watchbfdtv.com 📩 contact@watchbfdtv.com

  6. Episode 6

    Strength Training and Menopause: What Women 35+ Need to Know ft. Laura Smestad

    What happens when the workouts that worked for you at 25 suddenly stop working? Leslie sits down with Laura Smestad, personal trainer, women’s fitness coach, and founder of Strong Sisters Slay, for a deeper conversation about strength training, perimenopause, longevity, and why women may need to completely rethink the way they approach fitness as they get older. Laura has been coaching women for 25 years and now focuses much of her work on women 35+, particularly through perimenopause and beyond. She shares why endless cardio, cutting calories, and pushing harder aren’t always the answer, and why strength training, recovery, mobility, and sustainable habits are becoming increasingly important. And no, you do not need to suddenly become a person who lives at the gym. Laura’s philosophy is simple: forget “all or nothing.” What if you went all or something? In this episode, Leslie and Laura talk about: Why workouts that worked in your 20s may stop giving you the same results in your 30s, 40s, and beyondThe role strength training can play during perimenopause and menopauseWhy Laura calls strength training the “fountain of youth”Building strength for longevity, independence, bone health, and everyday lifeStarting with 15-minute workouts instead of trying to overhaul your entire life overnightWhy recovery and mobility deserve more attention as we ageThe physical, hormonal, emotional, and lifestyle pressures women are juggling during this stage of lifeLaura’s “all or something” approach to creating sustainable habitsHer 14-day challenge for busy women and the power of stacking tiny habitsWhy prioritizing five minutes for yourself can be more powerful than it soundsLaura’s current dissertation studying the effects of weight training on women in perimenopause and beyondWhy she’s especially interested in studying vitality, not only strength or body compositionHow the conversation around menopause and hormone therapy has changed over the last two decadesThe importance of women advocating for themselves and asking better questions about their healthWhy trying something you’re terrible at can still be ridiculously fun, including Laura’s ongoing mission to become a surfer Laura also shares why fitness at this stage of life has become less about looking good in a bikini and much more about having the energy, strength, mobility, and independence to keep doing the things you love for decades to come. Connect with LauraFollow @StrongSistersSlay on Instagram for strength training, fitness, perimenopause education, and Laura’s latest programs and challenges. About BFDBFD is where big personalities, bold ideas, interesting humans, and conversations worth having get the microphone. Hosted by Leslie Jespersen

  7. Episode 7

    Astrology, Identity & Reinvention with Danielle Rosado

    What if your birth chart gave you permission to become more of who you already know you are? Leslie sits down with intuitive astrologer Danielle Rosado for a conversation about astrology, identity, visibility, grief, business, and what happens when life pulls you into a season where you barely recognize yourself. Danielle shares how understanding her own chart, including her Leo Rising, helped her stop dimming herself and embrace the fact that she was meant to take up space. But that confidence was tested when a major breakup, changing friendships, and multiple personal transitions sent her into what she describes as a years-long grief portal. At the same time, her business was growing. Which creates a pretty complicated situation when your work requires you to be visible online and personally you would very much like to crawl into a cave and become a civilian. In this episode, Leslie and Danielle talk about: How astrology can help you better understand your identityDanielle’s experience moving through heartbreak, grief, and an “ego death”What happens when your personal life and business growth are moving in completely different directionsGiving yourself permission to slow down during major transitionsWhy difficult seasons aren’t necessarily signs that something has gone wrongUsing your birth chart to understand the bigger picture of what’s happening in your lifeHow astrology can support business decisions, launches, goals, and planningWhy collective astrology advice doesn’t apply to everyone in the same wayThe problem with relying on AI to interpret something as nuanced as your birth chartWhy two people experiencing the exact same astrological transit may have completely different experiencesLetting go of the pressure to constantly create momentumReconnecting with yourself after a season where you’ve felt disconnected, hidden, or unsure of who you areBuilding a healthier relationship with astrology without fear-mongering every time a planet goes retrograde Danielle’s approach to astrology is deeply personal. Instead of using it to predict doom or tell people what they should be doing, she helps clients understand their own chart, current season, and unique life path so they can make more intentional decisions. Because maybe you aren’t behind. Maybe you’re in a transition. And maybe the thing you keep trying to force needs a minute. Connect with DanielleLearn more about Danielle, book a birth chart reading, or explore her seasonal and quarterly astrology readings at daniellerosado.com. You can also find her on Instagram at alignedwithdanielle

  8. Episode 8

    Does Your Website Have a Personality? ft. Rachel Seid

    Your business evolved. Your offers changed. You changed. And meanwhile your website is still over there representing a version of you from two years ago like nobody told it there was a rebrand. Leslie sits down with Rachel Seid, founder of Brightseid Design, to talk about websites, branding, copy, SEO, digital presence, and why your online brand should actually feel like the person people are about to hire. Rachel and her team take a holistic approach to digital marketing, combining website design, branding, copywriting, and SEO strategy instead of treating each piece like it exists in its own little internet universe. Because a beautiful website cannot save confusing positioning. And great copy can only do so much if the rest of your digital presence doesn’t match. In this episode, Leslie and Rachel talk about: Why your website needs personalityHow your website should reflect what it actually feels like to work with youWhy branding, copy, website design, and strategy need to work togetherWhat happens when your business grows faster than your websiteRachel’s concept of “duct tape web design”How often business owners may need to revisit their websites and brandingWhy your digital footprint matters before a producer, journalist, client, or collaborator ever contacts youMaking sure your online presence matches how you’re positioning yourself in real lifeWhether swearing belongs on your websiteWhy authenticity matters more than trying to make your brand look “professional”How Rachel built her business after struggling to find the right jobThe networking strategy that helped launch her companyWhat happened when she emailed 500 people she had met and generated 25 leadsWhy entrepreneurs cannot build a business while being terrified of hearing “no”Staying visible enough that people remember you when they finally need what you offerRachel’s vision for growing Brightseid Design into a larger agency Rachel also shares one of the biggest things business owners underestimate about their websites: It should be memorable. Your website is one of the few pieces of your digital presence that you fully own. It is working for you when you’re asleep, speaking on a stage, meeting someone at an event, or sitting nowhere near your laptop. So if someone lands there after Googling you, it should immediately make sense who you are, what you do, and why they should keep paying attention. Connect with RachelLearn more about Rachel and Brightseid Design at brightseiddesign.com. You can also find her on Instagram at @MrsBrightseid and on LinkedIn under Rachel Seid.

  9. Episode 9

    I Tried to Warn You: Pay-to-Play Speaking, Conference Red Flags & Buying the Stage

    The business conference world has created its own rules for speaking, sponsorships, event production, ticket sales and “collaboration,” and somehow convinced everyone those rules are normal. Leslie has notes. In this special solo episode of BFD, Leslie is breaking down what she has watched happen inside the business conference and coaching-event world, from speakers being expected to sell tickets to sponsored stages being presented like earned speaking opportunities to massive attendance numbers that don’t necessarily tell you who is actually in the room. And to be very clear: this is not an anti-profit, anti-conference or even anti-pay-to-play episode. Paying for the right stage can be a legitimate marketing strategy. Selling from the stage is a legitimate business model. Sponsors should get ROI. Event producers should make money. The problem is when nobody calls the relationship what it actually is. Leslie shares her perspective as an event producer, professional performer, speaker, talent developer and someone who has worked behind the scenes of major live productions, while also owning the mistakes she has made producing her own events. In this episode: Why “pay-to-play” speaking is not automatically bad, but lack of transparency isThe difference between a keynote speaker, sponsored speaker, presenter, affiliate and sponsor with stage timeWhy speakers are not responsible for solving an event producer’s ticket-sales problemHow the word “collaboration” can become a sales quotaWhy massive attendance numbers don't necessarily equal impact or ROIWhat good event production actually requires behind the scenesWhy flashy activations, celebrity speakers and expensive production can’t replace substanceThe difference between creating an emotional experience and creating actual transformationWhy great performers don’t need spectacle to hold a roomWhat speakers, sponsors and attendees should ask before saying yes to an event Because a beautiful stage does not automatically mean a well-produced event, a packed room does not automatically mean the right audience, and being “selected to speak” means something very different if there is an invoice attached. It might be time to stop outsourcing your discernment to follower counts, revenue screenshots, celebrity proximity and giant stages. Sometimes the chandelier is gorgeous. You should probably still check the foundation. Learn more: www.theeverydaycelebrity.com Follow Leslie: instagram.com/lesliejespersen

  10. Episode 9

    From High-Ticket Sales to Vintage Reselling: How Shay Schindler Replaced Her Income

    Episode TitleFrom High-Ticket Sales to Vintage Reselling: How Shay Schindler Replaced Her Income Show NotesWhat if the stuff other people overlook, donate or leave behind could replace your entire income? Shay Schindler grew up around antique booths, flea markets and estate sales, but like plenty of kids raised around the family business, she wanted absolutely nothing to do with it for a while. Then she found her way back. After building a career in sales and online business, Shay started thrifting and reselling on the side. What began as an escape from a sales job she hated eventually became a growing vintage and antique business that replaced her sales income. And some of the things people will pay serious money for are... unexpected. Vintage science fiction books. First-edition Stephen King. Old collectibles. Unopened packages of vintage men's underwear selling for hundreds of dollars. Yes. We also needed a moment after that one. In this episode of BFD, Leslie and Shay talk about how she learned to spot valuable finds, why older products are becoming more desirable, how her sales experience helped her become a better reseller and why the things you naturally obsess over might be pointing you toward your next business. Shay also shares how she and her husband are growing the business together and creating content around the strange, overlooked and surprisingly valuable things they find. In this episode:How Shay replaced her sales income through vintage resellingGrowing up around antiques and eventually finding her way back to themHow to learn what vintage items and collectibles are actually worthWhy research is such a huge part of successful resellingThe weird things people are willing to pay hundreds of dollars forFirst-edition books, estate-sale finds and hidden valueHow high-ticket sales skills translate into a completely different businessBringing her husband into the businessBuilding content around “weird things that sell online”Turning your obsessions and so-called bad habits into something profitable Shay says her lifelong mission is basically to take her “bad habits,” lean into them and figure out how to make money from them. Honestly? There are worse business plans. Connect with ShayFollow The Smarter Reseller on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Facebook.

  11. Jun 14

    Welcome to BFD!

    Welcome to BFD with Leslie Jespersen - Unscripted stories from the boldest founders, creators, and visionaries in the game. Hosted on BFDTV and podcast, BFDTV is a streaming network built on a simple idea: the people doing remarkable work deserve a remarkable stage. We put the boldest founders, creators, and visionaries on camera — unscripted, unfiltered, and in their full power. Their stories, the way they actually happened. This is where you watch them. Apply to be on the show: contact@watchbfdtv.com Subscribe at www.watchbfdtv.com Connect at instagram.com/watchbfdtv

  • 11 Episodes

5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

BFD is a live, unscripted talk show filmed in Atlantic City, hosted by Leslie Jespersen — former celebrity publicist, live event producer, and the woman who's spent 20 years inside the rooms that shape who gets recognized and why. She sits down with the founders, operators, and industry names who are BFDs and ready to talk about it without a filter.

Information

  • Creator
    Leslie Jespersen
  • Episodes
    11
  • Seasons
    1
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Leslie Jespersen
  • Show Website
    BFD with Leslie Jespersen