Her Story Unscripted

Heather Nelson
  • 4.8 (23)
  • Personal Journals
  • Updated Weekly

Her Story Unscripted is a podcast where women share honest, unscripted conversations about life, growth, and the experiences that shape us — because the most powerful stories are the ones we stop trying to perfect. Hosted by Heather Nelson, this is a space for real conversations. Not rehearsed. Not polished into tidy narratives with clean endings. Just women showing up, telling their truth, and finding out they are far less alone than they thought. Each episode creates space for stories to unfold naturally — covering identity and personal growth, life transitions, relationships, resilience, and the beautiful complexity of everyday life. Whether you're in the middle of something hard, on the other side of it, or just trying to make sense of where you are right now, there is something here for you. Her Story Unscripted was born out of five years of authentic conversations — formerly known as Life Conversations with a Twist — and has evolved into a podcast with a clearer name and a deeper purpose: to make women feel seen, understood, and a little less alone in their own story. Hosted by Heather Nelson — connector, business strategist, community builder, and someone who genuinely believes that connection starts with being real. New episodes available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms. Authentic stories. No script needed. Guest inquiries and collaborations: heather@theconnectionhive.co Website: theconnectionhive.co/podcast

  1. She Spent 20 Years Climbing the Ladder — Then Found Her Voice, with Dr. Shola Sulaimon

    2d ago

    She Spent 20 Years Climbing the Ladder — Then Found Her Voice, with Dr. Shola Sulaimon

    "Growth happens when you're uncomfortable, because you push yourself into things you wouldn't normally do." — Dr. Shola Sulaimon There's a kind of tiredness that comes from being everything to everyone — and never quite getting around to asking what fills your own cup. For Dr. Shola Sulaimon, that question sat quietly for almost 20 years before she finally let herself answer it. In this episode, Dr. Shola shares what it was like being the first Black woman PhD student in her program, the quiet weight of representing more than herself in corporate America, and the slow internal pull that eventually led her to step away from nearly two decades of corporate leadership. We talk about the difference between being nice and being kind, what it means to leave something on your own terms, and why finding an outlet outside of work and family might be the thing that saves you. If you've ever wondered whether it's safe to want something different than what you built, this one's for you. New episodes every Thursday on all major podcast platforms. Connect with Heather:  Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn YouTube Highlights 00:00 Cold open — Dr. Shola on finding an outlet outside work and family  0:54 Heather welcomes listeners to Her Story Unscripted  1:20 Heather introduces Dr. Shola and the story of how they met  4:23 The phases of a woman's life — and what it feels like to hit “stuck”  9:24 Heather opens up about feeling stuck in her own routine  11:19 Leaving things on your own terms, and knowing who your tribe is  12:36 Kindness vs. niceness — and learning not to be a pushover  16:07 Where her boldness came from — her mother's influence  19:00 Being a woman of color in corporate, and the pressure of representation  23:05 What's within your influence vs. what's out of your control  25:57 The slow build toward finally leaving corporate after almost 20 years  31:50 Advice for moms re-entering the workforce after raising kids  37:39 Advice for women who feel stuck but are afraid to leave  47:15 What she's building now — ShoTune Medical Consulting Group and Voice to Value  51:28 Closing reflection — “you are not alone”  53:48 Outro About Dr. Shola Sulaimon Dr. Shola Sulaimon was born and raised in Nigeria, trained and practiced as a veterinarian, then moved to the United States to pursue her PhD at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign — where she became the first Black woman to do so in her program. She spent close to 20 years in corporate leadership in clinical, regulatory, and quality roles before founding ShoTune Medical Consulting Group, where she advises medical device companies on regulatory, clinical quality, and commercialization risk. She's now building Voice to Value, a Sonoma County community and coaching space for professional women centered on leadership, mentorship, and helping women find the confidence to speak up in rooms where they once stayed quiet. Website LinkedIn Support the show

    54 min
  2. From Single Mom to Top 2% — Darcey Elizabeth Unscripted Journey of Reinvention

    Jun 25

    From Single Mom to Top 2% — Darcey Elizabeth Unscripted Journey of Reinvention

    "You get back up and build better — it is going to be 10x more than you can believe." — Darcey Elizabeth  Four years ago, Darcey sat in what she now calls one of the darkest seasons of her life — a newly single mom who had just moved four hours from home, left corporate, and was trying to build something from scratch. She had no guarantee any of it would work. She just kept going. In this episode of Her Story Unscripted, Darcey is back to share the honest, unscripted version of what those four years actually held. She talks about the grief of losing her mom, the ego hit of going back to corporate in 2024, building a team of 33 women, and the night she missed a major business goal by $2,000 and had to decide who she wanted to be on the other side of it. It's a real conversation about personal growth, resilience, and what it looks like when belief finally catches up with your effort. If you're a woman in the middle of something hard — or on the other side of it trying to make sense of how you got there — this one is for you. New episodes every Thursday on all major podcast platforms. Connect with Heather:  Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Youtube Highlights 0:00 Introduction — Heather welcomes Darcey back, four years later 1:57  Where Darcey was when they first met — single mom, new city, uncertain chapter 4:35 The decision to go back to corporate and why it felt like failure 7:29 Jumping into Arbonne, pairing it with personal training, and growing fast 20:28 Missing the rank by $2,000 — the setback, the tears, and the comeback 24:14 Walking across the stage and watching her team do the same 27:22 Both shows rebranding — the conversation about what's next About Darcey Elizabeth  Darcey Elizabeth Burke is a Regional Vice President with Arbonne, certified personal trainer, nutrition coach, corporate finance professional, boy mom, and host of The Undeniable Expansion Podcast. She built her business to the Top 2% of Arbonne within just 13 months by focusing on authentic relationships, community, and helping women create real results in their health and lives. Through wellness, leadership, and entrepreneurship, Darcey is passionate about empowering women to expand beyond their current circumstances, build confidence, and create a life they truly love. Website YouTube Facebook Instagram Podcast Support the show

    36 min
  3. What It Really Took to Build The SoCo Markets — and the Personal Story Mercedes Wasn't Ready to Tell

    Jun 18

    What It Really Took to Build The SoCo Markets — and the Personal Story Mercedes Wasn't Ready to Tell

    "I woke up one day and I started to feel. And what I felt, it wasn't pretty. I was like, I'm not happy. And that was the very first time I put myself first." — Mercedes Hernandez Mercedes Hernandez built The SoCo Markets from scratch — 11 vendors on a closed-off side street, a vision, and no guarantee it would work. Six years later, it's one of Sonoma County's most beloved community events, drawing vendors from across the Bay Area and bringing thousands of people together every year. But this episode isn't really a business story. It's a story about what happens when you finally stop building for everyone else and start building for yourself. In this episode of Her Story Unscripted, Mercedes shares her full journey — from a 15-year-old retail worker discovering a passion, to opening her first brick-and-mortar at 20, to creating experiences like Fork'n Good Food Festival and Roast & Rhythm. Then she gets real about the personal chapter she's been walking through: ending a 15-year relationship, living completely alone for the first time in her life, sitting with the loneliness instead of running from it, and slowly coming back to herself through counseling and a whole lot of self-honesty. This is an authentic storytelling conversation about identity, codependency, personal growth for women, and what freedom actually feels like when you finally choose it. If you've ever lost yourself in a role — a relationship, a business, a version of who you thought you were supposed to be — this conversation will meet you right where you are. New episodes every Thursday on all major podcast platforms. Connect with Heather:  Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Youtube Highlights 0:00 Opening quote — Mercedes on identity 0:39 Heather's intro + welcome to Her Story Unscripted 1:05 Welcome, Mercedes — how Heather found her 3:31 How Mercedes started in retail and discovered her passion 4:21 Opening Bow & Arrow Clothing at 20, the JC entrepreneurship program 6:07 SoCo Markets is born — from 11 vendors to 90 8:53 Growing the market calendar: Fork'n Good, Roast & Rhythm, Closet Clean Outs 10:50 What it really takes to run a successful community market 18:30 The personal pivot — ending her marriage and stepping into the unknown 21:40 Codependency, people-pleasing, and going numb 27:48 Living alone for the first time — and what she found there 32:39 Identity, worth, and what she'd leave listeners with About Mercedes Hernandez Mercedes Hernandez is a serial entrepreneur and community builder based in Sonoma County, California. She opened her first retail store, Bow & Arrow Clothing, at 20 years old, and went on to build SoCo Markets — a thriving platform for small businesses and local vendors that now hosts events across the Bay Area. From the Fork'n Good Food Festival to Roast & Rhythm to monthly Closet Clean Out pop-ups, Mercedes has become one of the most creative event minds in Northern California. She's passionate about giving small businesses a platform, and about building the kinds of experiences that bring communities together in real, meaningful ways. Website Facebook Instagram Email Support the show

    35 min
  4. When Life Changes in a Weekend — A Real Conversation About Love, Loss, and the Invisible Clock with Christina Alonzo

    Jun 11

    When Life Changes in a Weekend — A Real Conversation About Love, Loss, and the Invisible Clock with Christina Alonzo

    "We only get one life, and we don't know when that invisible clock is gonna run out. So you have to make time for people and for things that are important to you." — Christina Alonzo It started as a normal weekend. By Tuesday, Christina Alonzo was sitting in an ER telling the doctor everything she had been quietly noticing for days. By Wednesday, the diagnosis was in: glioblastoma — an aggressive, inoperable brain cancer. Her husband Kurtis was 44 years old and had never even had a cold. From the date of diagnosis to the date of his death was four months. In this episode of Her Story Unscripted, Christina Alonzo returns to the podcast three years after her first appearance to share the story of the year that changed everything. She opens up about becoming Kurtis's full-time caregiver while raising a toddler, navigating impossible medical decisions, and the termination email from his employer that arrived the very night he died. She also shares the story of her 200-pound weight loss journey — and how losing the weight became something far more significant than she ever expected when Kurtis got sick. This is an honest conversation about grief, love, and what it actually looks like to keep living when someone you love is gone. For any woman who has ever taken time for granted, avoided a hard conversation, or wondered how anyone survives something this big — this episode is an unscripted reminder that life is shorter and more sacred than we let ourselves believe. New episodes every Thursday on all major podcast platforms. Connect with Heather:  Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Youtube Highlights: 00:00 Cold open — Christina on the invisible clock 00:49 Heather introduces Her Story Unscripted 01:15 Welcoming Christina back — three years and a lot of life later 02:21 The normal weekend that wasn't — Curtis gets sick 5:28 The ER visit and the diagnosis — glioblastoma 7:15 Choosing chemo and radiation — a hail mary for a 44-year-old in perfect health 12:18 How quickly he declined, and what caregiving looked like at home 14:18 Curtis's death in March 2025 — four months after diagnosis 18:55 What helped Christina survive this season 22:13 The termination email the night he died 27:22 200 pounds lost — and how the GLP-1 journey intersected with Curtis's care 25:10 How to actually show up for someone in grief 36:10 Life now — Addie, memory-keeping, and saying yes 38:03 Christina's one takeaway for the listener  About Christina Alonzo Christina Alonzo is a mother, content creator, and Sonoma County local who has walked through more grief in the last few years than most people face in a lifetime. From losing babies to navigating a sudden and devastating brain cancer diagnosis in her husband Curtis, she has shown up with remarkable honesty and grace at every turn. In the past year and a half, she has also completed a transformative 200-pound weight loss journey that changed not just her body, but the way she moves through the world. She is raising her daughter Addie with Curtis's love still at the center of their home Instagram Support the show

    40 min
  5. The Story Behind the Her Story Unscripted Rebrand

    Jun 4

    The Story Behind the Her Story Unscripted Rebrand

    "We all have a story to tell. We all have journeys, we've all been through things — and some of us are worse than others. But we all have a story to tell." — Heather Nelson There's something that happens when a woman decides to stop performing and just say it the way it actually is. No script. No polish. No waiting for permission. For Heather Nelson, that decision didn't arrive all at once — it built slowly over five years of sitting across from women who had the courage to share the messy, real, unfiltered truth of their lives. In this very first episode of Her Story Unscripted, Heather pulls back the curtain on the rebrand — and everything that led to this moment. She shares the honest, unscripted story of why she podcasted for five years under a name she never fully loved, what finally pushed her to start fresh, and the mission that has been quietly driving her since the very beginning — creating a space where women can show up as they are and say what they actually mean. If you've ever felt like you were performing a version of yourself instead of living as the real one — this is the conversation you didn't know you needed. Heather isn't here to give advice or hand you a roadmap. She's here to sit with you, ask the questions nobody else thinks to ask, and remind you that your story matters exactly as it is. In this episode, you will learn: The lunch conversation five years ago that made me realize women needed a space to tell their real storiesWhy I never fully loved the name Life Conversations with a Twist — and what finally made me let it goThe months-long rebrand process that pushed me to get clear on my mission, my values, and who I'm really doing this forHow the name Her Story Unscripted came together — and the quiet, powerful reason the word "unscripted" felt so rightWhere I'm headed with this podcast, what you can expect going forward, and why I believe women sharing their true stories is one of the most powerful things we can do Episode Highlights • 0:00 – The moment that started it all — women and their unscripted stories • 0:28 – Welcome to Her Story Unscripted — the new brand intro • 0:55 – Heather kicks off the launch episode • 1:19 – Introducing the rebrand from Life Conversations with a Twist • 1:56 – Five years in hospitality and the conversations that wouldn't leave her • 3:55 – Why women's stories needed a space — the heart behind the podcast • 5:06 – How Life Conversations with a Twist was born • 5:36 – 200+ episodes, 160 women, and what kept Heather going • 7:14 – The Connection Hive, Set & Strike, and finding what truly fuels her soul • 10:02 – The decision to rip the band-aid and start fresh • 11:21 – Naming a podcast — why it had to be perfect • 12:03 – The moment Her Story Unscripted clicked • 13:09 – Why "unscripted" matters — women, silence, and permission to be real • 15:01 – What's coming — new look, new energy, big goals • 17:17 – Thank you, and what you can do to help this podcast grow • 19:20 – Solo episodes, Heather's personal story, and what's ahead • 22:09 – Final thoughts — see you next Thursday Meet Your Host:  Heather Nelson is the host of Her Story Unscripted and founder of The Connection Hive, a business strategy and community brand rooted in the belief that real connection changes everything. A connector by nature and a storyteller at heart, Heather has spent over 25 years in the hospitality industry — and more than five years creating a space for women to share honest, unscripted conversations about life, growth, and the experiences that have shaped who they are. She lives in Sonoma County, California, where she's raising a blended, biracial family, running two businesses, and podcasting with her whole heart. Connect with Heather:  Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Youtube Support the show

    23 min
  6. Wrapping Up 2025!

    Mar 5

    Wrapping Up 2025!

    “I really think sitting down and understanding where you want to go, and the things that make you happy and bring you joy, those are the things that you need to put more energy into. The things that are not benefiting you, you have the power to control that, to take that narrative and change it.” —Heather Nelson We reach a point where pushing harder stops working. The weight builds quietly through responsibility, ambition, and expectations until clarity becomes the only way forward. This conversation sits in that moment of reckoning and choice. In this episode, Heather reflects on a year that forced slower decisions, harder boundaries, and more honesty about what fuels our work and our lives. From podcasting and business shifts to mental health and surrogacy, the year reshaped how focus and care show up. Press play for a real-time reflection and step into what comes next, including: End-of-year reflection and clarity in 2025Rebranding the podcast and future visionLetting go of hustle cultureChoosing focus over doing everythingMental health, anxiety, and burnoutNavigating leadership while carrying family responsibilitySurrogacy journey updates and setbacksRedefining success heading into 2026 Connect with Heather:  Website LinkedIn Instagram Facebook  YouTube Episode Highlights: 06:32 Announcement! Podcast Rebranding– Why Now and What’s Next 10:55 Vision for the Future – Podcasting, Aspirations, & New Goals 14:08 Personal Growth, Self-Care & Mental Health Insights from 2025 17:40 Surrogacy Journey: Triumphs, Challenges, and Honest Updates 27:05 Professional Projects: Connection Hive, Coaching, and Set & Strike Goals 31:30 Building Community: Retreats, Masterminds, and Empowerment Events 33:52 Manifesting Success: Vision Boards, Intentional Living & 2026 Goals Resources: 💲Discount CLEARSTEM Get a 15% discount when you shop at: clearstem.com  Use Heather’s Code: SFVXPHXB 🔗Link: https://clearstem.com/SFVXPHXB  Support the show

    36 min
  7. Scalp Health Care That Goes Deeper Than “Good Hair Days” with Anne Marie

    Feb 26

    Scalp Health Care That Goes Deeper Than “Good Hair Days” with Anne Marie

    “Our scalp, hair, all these are meant to protect our most vital organ, which is our brain. The reason you get itchy, you can feel when you get oily, is because it's that sensitive to protect it. So we need to learn not to ignore those signs.” —Anne Marie We know that “successful” careers can quietly drain our bodies and energy. Many of us push through pain, burnout, and misalignment because it looks stable from the outside, while our health and purpose pay the price. This conversation sits at the intersection of career change, service, and the often-ignored world of scalp health and hair loss. Our guest, Anne Marie, is a stylist, head spa specialist, and head of community events at Dolce Vita Salon. Her path runs from nonprofit work and case management through chronic back pain, grief, and a move to Hawaii, to finally owning her gift with hair and healing-centered scalp care. Hit play to explore how aligned work and intentional beauty rituals can support real healing, not just surface-level change. How Annie went from nonprofit case manager to head spa specialistThe role of service, grief, and chronic pain in reshaping her purposeWhat a Japanese head spa actually is and how it supports scalp healthHow hormones, stress, and DHT drive hair loss in womenWhy scalp microbiome health matters more than trendy productsHow Dolce Vita Salon approaches education, community, and giving back Connect with Heather: Website LinkedIn Instagram Facebook YouTube Episode Highlights: 01:17 Meet Anne Marie 04:30 Chronic Back Pain, COVID, Burnout & Losing Her Dad – Hitting Rock Bottom 08:07 What’s Your One Gift? 10:05 Finding Purpose Young vs. Midlife: 15:49 Conditioner Mistakes, Scalp Microbiome & Why You Need a Scalp Serum 20:14 Postpartum Hair Loss, Hormones, Stress & How Scalp Treatments Help 26:58 Creating a Sacred, Grounded Space for Scalp Healing & Nervous System Calm 28:56 Intensive Training: Associate Program, Ongoing Education & Mastering Hair 32:01 Why Scalp Care Matters More Than You Think (Ages Faster Than Your Face) Resources: 💲Discount CLEARSTEM Get a 15% discount when you shop at: clearstem.com Use Heather’s Code: SFVXPHXB 🔗Link: https://clearstem.com/SFVXPHXB Connect with Anne:  Anne Marie is a scalp and hair health specialist at Dolce Vita Salon in Santa Rosa, California, where she combines advanced Japanese-inspired head spa techniques with a deeply client-centered approach. With a degree in psychology and a background in nonprofit work and direct service, she brings a unique blend of technical expertise and emotional intelligence to her practice. After discovering her innate talent and passion for hair at a young age, she pursued advanced training at Dolce Vita. She now specializes in scalp spa treatments that reset the scalp’s microbiome, support healthy hair growth, and provide a restorative, meditative experience for her clients. Instagram Connect with Dolce Vita Salon Website Instagram Facebook Support the show

    36 min
  8. Weight Loss Drug Reality Check: Not the “Easy Way Out” with Aja Beckett

    Feb 19

    Weight Loss Drug Reality Check: Not the “Easy Way Out” with Aja Beckett

    “That's the thing that's maybe getting lost in some of the fear mongering around it is that, it's not the easy way out. It doesn't mean that you don't have to do the work. It means that when you do the work, the work actually makes the difference.” —Aja Beckett Food noise can sit in the back of the mind all day, from planning the next meal at breakfast to carrying quiet shame after every snack. In a culture that moralizes weight and labels bodies as failures, real medical treatment for obesity often gets buried under hot takes about shortcuts and cheating. This conversation brings the lived reality of GLP-1 medication into the light, with honesty about both relief and responsibility. Aja Beckett shares decades of struggling with obesity, endless diets, and that constant mental hum around food, then walks through how starting a GLP-1 weight loss drug shifted cravings, energy, and hope. Her experience led to building Shotsy, a companion app that tracks doses, side effects, and progress for people on GLP-1 medications. Press play to hear how this new class of medications is reshaping daily life, mindset, and digital tools around obesity care, including: What GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy actually do in the bodyThe difference between “food noise” and genuine hungerWhy weight loss drugs are not a lazy shortcut or moral failureHow mental health, cravings, and compulsive behaviors often change on GLP-1sThe cost, access, and safety concerns around weight loss injections and pillsHow a GLP-1 tracking app grew from one person’s spreadsheet into a fast-growing productWhat long-term obesity treatment and maintenance can realistically look like Connect with Heather: Website LinkedIn Instagram Facebook YouTube Episode Highlights: 01:11 Meet Aja Beckett: Founder of Shotsy & GLP‑1 Success Story 04:43 Discovering Ozempic & a Difficult Doctor’s Visit 07:35 Beyond Weight Loss: GLP‑1, Mental Health & Addictive Behaviors 10:43 Losing 90 Pounds: From Obesity to Healthy BMI 13:30 Do You Still Have to Eat Healthy & Work Out on GLP‑1? 16:21 When the Food Noise Stops: First Days on GLP‑1 19:37 Super Bowl Snacks, Portion Control & Balanced Indulgence 22:12 Body Dysmorphia in Bigger & Smaller Bodies 26:00 Safety vs Affordability: Regulation, Shortages & DIY Risks 32:09 Introducing Shotsy: The GLP‑1 Companion App Idea 39:50 Why Tools Like Shotsy Matter for Accountability & Tracking 42:21 GLP‑1 Isn’t the “Easy Way Out”: Doing the Work & Seeing Results Resources: 💲Discount CLEARSTEM Get a 15% discount when you shop at: clearstem.com Use Heather’s Code: SFVXPHXB 🔗Link: https://clearstem.com/SFVXPHXB Connect with Aja:   Aja is an iOS engineer and GLP-1 user turned founder, combining personal experience with top-tier tech expertise. She has worked with major organizations like Apple, CNN, TED, and The Athletic / The New York Times. She previously built Civil, a platform recognized by WIRED, The Guardian, and TechCrunch. Today, she leads Shotsy, using community-driven design and data insights to help people manage their GLP-1 treatment journey.  Website Shotsy App Support the show

    46 min
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4.8
out of 5
23 Ratings

About

Her Story Unscripted is a podcast where women share honest, unscripted conversations about life, growth, and the experiences that shape us — because the most powerful stories are the ones we stop trying to perfect. Hosted by Heather Nelson, this is a space for real conversations. Not rehearsed. Not polished into tidy narratives with clean endings. Just women showing up, telling their truth, and finding out they are far less alone than they thought. Each episode creates space for stories to unfold naturally — covering identity and personal growth, life transitions, relationships, resilience, and the beautiful complexity of everyday life. Whether you're in the middle of something hard, on the other side of it, or just trying to make sense of where you are right now, there is something here for you. Her Story Unscripted was born out of five years of authentic conversations — formerly known as Life Conversations with a Twist — and has evolved into a podcast with a clearer name and a deeper purpose: to make women feel seen, understood, and a little less alone in their own story. Hosted by Heather Nelson — connector, business strategist, community builder, and someone who genuinely believes that connection starts with being real. New episodes available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms. Authentic stories. No script needed. Guest inquiries and collaborations: heather@theconnectionhive.co Website: theconnectionhive.co/podcast

Information

  • Creator
    Heather Nelson
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    204
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Her Story Unscripted
  • Show Website
    Her Story Unscripted

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