Have you ever felt like you had to shrink yourself just to “fit” into the room?

Like the louder, bolder, more buttoned-up version of you is the only one allowed to succeed in certain spaces?

You’re not alone, and my guest today proves that the exact opposite is true.

Episode Summary

In this episode of the Cycle Advantage Podcast, I sit down with Emily Apollonio, founder of Interstellar Performance Labs and the architect of the STAR Program. Emily’s real breakthrough didn’t come from another credential, certification, or degree. It came from choosing to fully embody her authentic self (yes, fringe sleeves, glitter, and all).

If you’ve ever wrestled with self-doubt, hustling for validation, or wondering if you’re “too much” in your work or business, this conversation will light a fire under you.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

➡️ The surprising truth about female leadership in aerospace and what it’s really like for women in male-dominated industries.
➡️ Why self-awareness is more powerful than stacking credentials (and how it shapes your influence as a leader).
➡️ Emily’s journey from aircraft accident investigator to spaceflight analog missions (yes, training like astronauts on Earth!).
➡️ How embracing her cycle and feminine leadership traits helped Emily ditch burnout and lead with confidence.

Key Takeaways

✅ Authenticity is magnetic. When you show up as your true self, you actually gain credibility, not lose it.
✅ Self-awareness beats another degree. Real leadership starts with knowing yourself, not just collecting titles.
✅ Your femininity is an asset, not a liability. Traits like communication, connection, and intuition are desperately needed in high-stakes industries.
✅ Burnout isn’t required. Cycle syncing and feminine rhythms can help you thrive even in high-pressure environments.
✅ Confidence is built like muscle. Strength in one area of life ripples into every other part of who you are.

Why It Matters

If you’re tired of hustling for worthiness, working harder, chasing validation, or wondering when you’ll finally feel like enough, this episode is your reminder: you don’t have to prove yourself through exhaustion.

Authentic, feminine leadership isn’t just “allowed” in male-dominated spaces… it’s the revolution we’ve been waiting for. Emily’s story proves that you can be playful and powerful, feminine and fierce, glitter-loving and grounded and still command the respect of your industry.

This Episode Is for You If…

➡️ You’re a woman in a male-dominated field (or online space) who’s tired of proving herself.
➡️ You’re craving permission to show up fully as YOU without the mask, without the hustle.
➡️ You’ve ever thought “Do I need another certification just to be taken seriously?”
➡️ You’re curious about how cycle syncing can create more ease, productivity, and confidence.
➡️ You’re ready to stop dimming your light and start leading with your full brilliance.

If you’re a coach, healer, or feminine leader scaling to $10K–$20K months and tired of hustle-based strategies, here’s your next step:

Apply for Your Cycle Advantage:
A 6-week business planning program that teaches female entrepreneurs how to create a cycle-synced business strategy, build consistent $10K months, and grow without burnout.

Join the Flow Collective Mastermind:
A high-level mastermind for women entrepreneurs scaling to $20K+ months using cycle syncing, feminine business strategy, wealth energetics, and embodied leadership.
Grab Your Free Cycle Sync Your Business Book:
A guide to planning your coaching business around your menstrual cycle. Designed for women ready to stop hustling and start syncing for more impact, income, and ease.

Your business and your body will thank you.

If I’m being honest… there’s no part of me that thrives on pretending I have it all together.

There’s no finish line when it comes to growth.

We spend so much time trying to “get there,” whatever there means. But real growth isn’t about arriving, it’s about learning how to hold curiosity and compassion for yourself while you’re in the middle of it.

You can change your mind.
You can get it wrong.
You can evolve while still loving who you already are.

And that’s exactly why this week’s conversation with Renae Saager is so freaking good.

We sat down and had a real conversation about addiction, recovery, navigating judgment (especially from yourself), and learning to embrace growth even when it’s messy, uncomfortable, and makes zero sense in the moment.

Because here’s what we both know:

Self-acceptance doesn’t show up when life’s picture-perfect. It shows up when you decide you’re allowed to evolve, even while things feel unfinished.

• Why honest to goodness real self awareness is the first step toward any real growth

• How to handle judgment both from others and from yourself

• What personal evolution really looks like (spoiler: it’s not a straight line)

• The tension between intuition and logic especially in big life decisions

• Why embracing discomfort is a sign you’re on the right path

• How slowing down feels hard but might be exactly what you need

• Why “enoughness” isn’t something you find—it’s something you choose

• The balance between worthiness, fun, and personal responsibility
  
  

If You’ve Ever Felt Stuck Between Self-Acceptance and Wanting More...

This episode is for you if:

✨ You’re craving more growth, but don’t want to lose yourself chasing it
✨ You’ve struggled with slowing down and trusting your own timing
✨ You want permission to pursue life with more curiosity, fun, and enoughness
✨ You know there’s more ahead, but you’re learning how to love right where you are

This is your reminder that you’re already doing enough, even while you grow.

If you’re a coach, healer, or feminine leader scaling to $10K–$20K months and tired of hustle-based strategies, here’s your next step:

• Apply for Your Cycle Advantage:

A 6-week business planning program that teaches female entrepreneurs how to create a cycle-synced business strategy, build consistent $10K months, and grow without burnout.

For the woman ready for aligned business planning, feminine CEO leadership, and sustainable income growth.

• Join the Flow Collective Mastermind:

A high-level mastermind for women entrepreneurs scaling to $20K+ months using cycle syncing, feminine business strategy, wealth energetics, and embodied leadership.

For established feminine CEOs ready to expand capacity, attract soulmate clients, and scale sustainably.

• Grab Your Free Cycle Sync Your Business Book:

A guide to planning your coaching business around your menstrual cycle. Designed for women ready to stop hustling and start syncing for more impact, income, and ease.

Learn cycle-aligned business planning, hormonal productivity strategies, and how to build a flow-based workweek.

Your business and your body will thank you.

You’ve probably heard it a hundred times:

“Just be consistent.”

Show up every day. Push through resistance. Stay in momentum.

But what if your “lack of consistency” isn’t the problem?

What if the real issue is trying to force a rhythm that was never meant for your body, your energy, or your season?

Let’s stop pretending business growth is a straight line. It’s not.

It’s layered. Emotional. Cyclical.
It mirrors you.

If you’ve ever felt like you're evolving faster than your brand, or craving space in a world shouting “more, faster, now”... you’re not alone.

Julie Chandler and I sat down for the kind of conversation that entrepreneurs need but rarely hear.

This one’s for the woman who’s done building a business that drains her and ready to create one that reflects her.

• How your intuition is a business strategy (and why it’s often more accurate than analytics)

• The behind-the-scenes of navigating personal growth while scaling a business

• Why integrity in marketing is a non-negotiable and how to spot when it’s missing

• How to blend heart and structure without burning out or selling out

• The psychology behind why people buy and what they actually want from you

• The underestimated power of brand trust + emotional resonance

• How to lead with transparency in your sales without diluting your value
  The real shift happening in consumer behavior and how to adapt with grace

• How to honor your energy, cycles, and intuition without sacrificing momentum

🌀 Stop chasing strategy and start trusting your seasons
💭 Reclaim your voice in how you sell and serve
🔥 Align your offers with integrity and emotional resonance
🌗 Build momentum without sacrificing your wellbeing
💡 Create success that feels sustainable, soulful, and real

Meet Julie

Julie sees the unseen... from dead people to energy blocks and leaks in your business! With over 20 years of working with energy she brings a down-to-earth approach to traditional spiritual wisdom with zero fluff, she helps purpose-driven coaches + healers in business clear their biggest blocks and create the impact that can change their lives with ease. Practical strategy meets powerful energetic work, helping you breakthrough to your next level faster (without the dreaded hustle!)

If you’re a coach, healer, or feminine leader scaling to $10K–$20K months and tired of hustle-based strategies, here’s your next step:

• Apply for Your Cycle Advantage:
  A 6-week business planning program that teaches female entrepreneurs how to create a cycle-synced business strategy, build consistent $10K months, and grow without burnout.
  For the woman ready for aligned business planning, feminine CEO leadership, and sustainable income growth.

• Join the Flow Collective Mastermind:
  A high-level mastermind for women entrepreneurs scaling to $20K+ months using cycle syncing, feminine business strategy, wealth energetics, and embodied leadership.
  For established feminine CEOs ready to expand capacity, attract soulmate clients, and scale sustainably.

• Grab Your Free Cycle Sync Your Business Book:
  A guide to planning your coaching business around your menstrual cycle. Designed for women ready to stop hustling and start syncing for more impact, income, and ease.
  Learn cycle-aligned business planning, hormonal productivity strategies, and how to build a flow-based workweek.

Your business and your body will thank you.

How often do you check in with how you’re feeling while running your business?

If you’re anything like I used to be, it’s easy to get caught up in the strategy, the numbers, the next thing on your to-do list… and completely forget about actually feeling good while doing it.

I grew up believing pleasure was selfish. Indulgent. Distracting. Especially as a woman and especially as someone raised in a conservative Christian household.

But here’s what I’ve learned and what I break down in this week’s episode of the Cycle Advantage Podcast:

Feeling good isn’t just a bonus. It’s essential.
For your energy.
For your magnetism.
For your business success.

• Why I believe in building a Pleasure First Business™ and how that connects to cycle syncing and feminine leadership

• How feeling good directly impacts sales, client attraction, and business growth

• Why so many women feel guilty about pleasure and how to rewrite that story

• The science behind pleasure: dopamine, creativity, and energetic magnetism

• What embodiment and presence really mean

• How to balance masculine business strategy with feminine flow

Instead of chasing the next strategy or viral post, what if you started with one question:

How do I want to feel today?

That’s where it begins.
Not just in business but in life

When you focus on feeling good first, everything else follows.
Better ideas. More clarity. Stronger client connections. True success.

This Episode Is For You If You’ve Ever:

✨ Felt burnt out from trying to “do all the things” in your business
✨ Wondered how to balance structure and flow as a woman entrepreneur
✨ Struggled to own your desires or felt guilty for wanting more
✨ Needed permission to slow down and reconnect with what actually lights you up

You don’t have to sacrifice pleasure for productivity.
In fact when you prioritize pleasure, that’s where real productivity starts.

If you’re a coach, healer, or feminine leader scaling to $10K–$20K months and tired of hustle-based strategies, here’s your next step:

• Apply for Your Cycle Advantage:

A 6-week business planning program that teaches female entrepreneurs how to create a cycle-synced business strategy, build consistent $10K months, and grow without burnout.

For the woman ready for aligned business planning, feminine CEO leadership, and sustainable income growth.

• Join the Flow Collective Mastermind:

A high-level mastermind for women entrepreneurs scaling to $20K+ months using cycle syncing, feminine business strategy, wealth energetics, and embodied leadership.

For established feminine CEOs ready to expand capacity, attract soulmate clients, and scale sustainably.

• Grab Your Free Cycle Sync Your Business Book:

A guide to planning your coaching business around your menstrual cycle. Designed for women ready to stop hustling and start syncing for more impact, income, and ease.

Learn cycle-aligned business planning, hormonal productivity strategies, and how to build a flow-based workweek.

Your business and your body will thank you.