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What happens when the life you worked tirelessly to build no longer fits?

In this special bonus episode, Melissa sits down with Gena Chieco—former White House attorney turned soulful leadership coach—for a conversation that travels from burnout and breakdown to bold reinvention. Together, they trace Gena’s journey from prestigious public service and clean tech leadership to walking away from it all, taking a one-way flight to Paris, and rebuilding her life from the inside out.

They talk about the moment when “success” stopped feeling like enough, the sacred discomfort of not knowing who you are anymore, and the transformation that comes when you finally stop chasing external approval and start following your own resonance.

This episode is a love letter to anyone who feels like they’re circling around a next chapter but can’t quite leap. It’s about trust, truth, nervous system healing, and the unexpected freedom that lives on the other side of letting go.

✨ If this conversation speaks to you, doors for ORBIT are open until July 19th. Learn more and apply at thenovaglobal.com/nova-orbit

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What if you didn’t have to choose between ambition and softness? Between motherhood and creative identity? In this rich and honest conversation, mindset coach and former Rockette Sam Harvey shares what it took to walk away from a picture-perfect marriage, grieve the life she thought she wanted, and begin again—on her own terms. We talk about the hidden layers of reinvention, the courage it takes to follow your truth before it makes sense, and the chosen grief that often precedes expansion.

Now pregnant, newly relocated, and building a completely new chapter from the ground up, Sam reflects on community, motherhood, and what it means to hold vision in the face of uncertainty. This episode is a powerful reminder that honoring your desire might just be the most radical thing you ever do.

Topics:

• Redefining motherhood and creative identity
• Pregnancy, visibility, and reinvention
• Community and emotional scaffolding
• Leaving old timelines behind
• Building a life from vision, not fear
• Being seen while still in process
• The courage to choose something different
• Joy, softness, and aligned ambition

Support the show

If you loved today’s episode, please leave a review and share your favorite takeaways by screenshotting this episode and tagging us on Instagram! We also have a free monthly community call on the first Wednesday of every month, join here!

CONNECT WITH INNER REBEL

Follow Inner Rebel Podcast: @innerrebelpodcast
Follow Melissa: @melissa-bauknight
Follow Jessica: @bydesignwithjess
Visit the Inner Rebel website
Check out The Nova Community and become a member https://thenovaglobal.com/

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What if the Universe isn’t punishing you—it just wants to spoil you? In this vibrant, high-frequency conversation, manifestation coach and quantum embodiment guide Christine Michelle Hayes shares the bold, joy-filled practices that transformed her relationship with money, time, and possibility. She shares her signature “Aligned Soul” process for collapsing timelines, embodying your future self, and attracting abundance from a place of love—not lack. From shimmying your way into overflow to singing your affirmations out loud, Christine reminds us that playfulness is power—and life wants to blow your mind, if you let it.

Exclusive Offer for Inner Rebel Listeners!

Our guest Christine is offering a special discount on her signature course, the Rapid Alignment Method — a powerful tool to help you quantum shift your energy, clear blocks, and create change from the inside out.

🎧 Just for our listeners:
Get it for $97 (regularly $333)
Explore the Rapid Alignment Method →

Topics:

• Manifestation without pressure
• Energetic alignment and play
• Money stories and financial expansion
• The “Aligned Soul” method
• Collapsing timelines through joy
• Shifting out of hustle
• Affirmations as song + somatic anchoring
• Radical self-permission and creativity

Support the show

If you loved today’s episode, please leave a review and share your favorite takeaways by screenshotting this episode and tagging us on Instagram! We also have a free monthly community call on the first Wednesday of every month, join here!

CONNECT WITH INNER REBEL

Follow Inner Rebel Podcast: @innerrebelpodcast
Follow Melissa: @melissa-bauknight
Follow Jessica: @bydesignwithjess
Visit the Inner Rebel website
Check out The Nova Community and become a member https://thenovaglobal.com/

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We’re back!

In this intimate season opener, Jess and Melissa reunite to reflect on what the past twelve months demanded of them—personally, professionally, and spiritually. What began as a short break after Season 1 turned into a deep reckoning: with ambition, burnout, the myth of “readiness,” and the humbling reality of what it takes to live your dream.

Melissa shares the unfiltered journey of launching The Nova, a soul-centered community for women, and the hard-earned lessons of leadership that no business book prepares you for. Jess opens up about surrender, stillness, and the surprising love story that arrived on the other side of letting go.

Together, they reflect on the growth that comes through challenge, the illusion of being “ready,” and how being a “bummer dreamer” (yes, that’s a thing) can still lead to magic—and how everything aligned with your truth eventually finds its way to you.

This episode is a raw and hopeful reminder that even when it looks like things are falling apart, life may be quietly rearranging itself in your favor.

Topics:

• Burnout and rebuilding
• Starting (and restarting) a soul business
• The myth of “readiness”
• Surrender and the creative void
• Falling in love later in life
• Trusting uncertain timing
• Nervous system capacity and growth
• Life not going as planned—and still unfolding beautifully

Support the show

If you loved today’s episode, please leave a review and share your favorite takeaways by screenshotting this episode and tagging us on Instagram! We also have a free monthly community call on the first Wednesday of every month, join here!

CONNECT WITH INNER REBEL

Follow Inner Rebel Podcast: @innerrebelpodcast
Follow Melissa: @melissa-bauknight
Follow Jessica: @bydesignwithjess
Visit the Inner Rebel website
Check out The Nova Community and become a member https://thenovaglobal.com/

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Season 1 is a wrap! And we are so excited to celebrate with the launch of Melissa’s soul baby, The Nova — an innovative membership community designed for conscious corporate women, visionary entrepreneurs, and budding change-makers. As we reflect on this season and key takeaways from our guests, we also dive deep into the nitty-gritty, behind-the-scenes of Melissa’s journey of finally bringing her vision to life. We talk through navigating fear, surrendering control, the courage it takes to speak our dreams out loud, and navigating the tricky terrain of personal growth with (or without) our partners. Jessica also shares her newest realizations about what she’s been hiding from the world, why she no longer has a five-year plan, and why life takes us through seismic initiations en route to our dreams…

Life is unpredictable, and sometimes our dreams don't seamlessly unfold like we imagined. But with unwavering belief in ourselves, support from this community, and the courage to stretch beyond our comfort zones, we believe anything is possible. Our gratitude extends to you, our loyal listeners, for joining us on this incredible ride. We couldn't have done it without your support and enthusiasm.

And if you're looking to be a founding member of The Nova Community and continue your journey of self-discovery, you can learn more and join The Nova Community membership at www.thenovalution.com.

Support the show

If you loved today’s episode, please leave a review and share your favorite takeaways by screenshotting this episode and tagging us on Instagram! We also have a free monthly community call on the first Wednesday of every month, join here!

CONNECT WITH INNER REBEL

Follow Inner Rebel Podcast: @innerrebelpodcast
Follow Melissa: @melissa-bauknight
Follow Jessica: @bydesignwithjess
Visit the Inner Rebel website
Check out The Nova Community and become a member https://thenovaglobal.com/

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"If your body is rejecting this world, if your body is rejecting the way society is treating the earth, that's a compliment. It's a compliment to be a canary. It's a compliment to be sensitive. It's a compliment to be sick in a toxic world."

In our last interview of the season (whaa) we sit down with one of Jessica's dearest friends and biggest inspirations, Kaeley Pruitt-Hamm of KPH & The Canary Collective. From the heart of D.C., nonprofit activism to shaking up systems from the confines of bed, Kaeley’s journey of rebellion is unlike any other story we've shared. Battling debilitating illness for five years, Kaeley comes to the mic to teach us about what it means to be a “canary” — and how to let our vulnerability out of the cage.

This conversation is a call to acknowledge the many inconvenient truths we tend to ignore—from systemic gaslighting in healthcare to the undeniable connection between our bodies and this earth. We explore how to have compassion for all parts of ourselves, stepping out of the "chill girlfriend" archetype, challenging our definitions of power, and so, so much more. This episode encourages introspection, self-trust, and a profound appreciation for the interconnectedness of existence, serving as a reminder to listen deeply—to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us.

Songs in this episode by KPH & The Canary Collective:
No is not enough
Believe Her
Disobey

Topics in this episode:

• The concept of "quiet power"
• Trusting one's intuition in a gaslighting world
• Acknowledging inconvenient truths
• The interconnectedness of all beings
• The importance of listening to the voices of "canaries" and marginalized communities.
• Embracing our multifaceted selves
• Lyme Disease, Endometriosis, Gall Bladder Disease
• What orcas are teaching us
• Navigating the complexities of following one's inner truth within obstructive systems.
• Sensitivity as strength
• Healing oneself and the world in tandem
• The power of artistry
• Advocating for a better world through self-trust and holistic thinking

Connect with KPH & The Canary Collective:

Website: http://www.canarycollective.org/
Social: https://www.inst

Support the show

If you loved today’s episode, please leave a review and share your favorite takeaways by screenshotting this episode and tagging us on Instagram! We also have a free monthly community call on the first Wednesday of every month, join here!

CONNECT WITH INNER REBEL

Follow Inner Rebel Podcast: @innerrebelpodcast
Follow Melissa: @melissa-bauknight
Follow Jessica: @bydesignwithjess
Visit the Inner Rebel website
Check out The Nova Community and become a member https://thenovaglobal.com/

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What if hitting rock bottom was the best thing that ever happened to you? What would you do if you lost everything that supposedly 'defined' you?

Today we're chatting with the ever-inspiring Shazia Imam: Award-Winning Speaker, ICF Certified Professional Coach, and host of the Top 12 Podcast - Feminine & Fulfilled. After facing devastating personal losses, Shazia shares how she learned to surrender to the divine push leading her to live her REAL life. She provides a riveting account of the pressure to maintain the "perfect-on-paper" persona, the hidden power of letting go, and the magic of embodying your true essence.

This episode is a masterclass on self-worth, feminine power, and how to pivot when life falls apart. We explore actionable strategies for aligning your actions with your authentic self, how to create abundance and self-worth, and the importance of taking small steps toward big dreams -- even before we feel "ready". This raw conversation takes us to the edge of despair and then lifts us up, teaching us how to surrender, recalibrate, and emerge stronger than ever.

Shazia's Dream Template: https://www.thelifeengineer.com/dreams.html

Topics Discussed:

• The role of external validation in shaping our lives
• Overcoming the tragedy of losing a child and a marriage
• The transformative power of hitting rock bottom
• Embracing authenticity and dismantling societal norms
• The journey from self-doubt to self-worth
• The role of surrender in personal transformation
• The dangers of "toxic positivity"
• Actionable steps towards reclaiming your life
• Feminine perspectives on wealth and success
• The impact of aligning with your deepest desires and needs.

Connect with Shazia:
Website: https://www.thelifeengineer.com/
Social: https://www.instagram.com/thelifeengineer/

Support the show

If you loved today’s episode, please leave a review and share your favorite takeaways by screenshotting this episode and tagging us on Instagram! We also have a free monthly community call on the first Wednesday of every month, join here!

CONNECT WITH INNER REBEL

Follow Inner Rebel Podcast: @innerrebelpodcast
Follow Melissa: @melissa-bauknight
Follow Jessica: @bydesignwithjess
Visit the Inner Rebel website
Check out The Nova Community and become a member https://thenovaglobal.com/

Send us a text

In a world where conformity reigns supreme, how can we harness our inner rebel to make lasting change? We sit down with the dynamic Fabienne Jacquet, a scientist, innovator, and author, with a flair for challenging the status quo. As the founder of Founder and CEO of Innoveve, and author of Venus Genius: The Feminine Prescription for Innovation, Fabienne provides us with a new paradigm for redefining innovation by harmonizing both feminine and masculine energies to achieve groundbreaking results (wait... is she innovating innvovation?!)

This episode is a deep dive into the intersection of rebellion and innovation and the transformative power of feminine energy. We explore how to foster environments that allow us rebels to thrive, uncover our untapped potential, and be empowered to make a difference. Fabienne emphasizes the significance of qualities like empathy, nurturing, and collaboration in the innovation process, and how giving these traits the patience to develop can transform the world around us. We also talk about how to embrace our authentic self in a world saturated with algorithms, fostering self-respect, and why we need to listen to our bodies.

Whether you are looking to spark more joy and creativity in your work or personal life, this episode is packed with valuable wisdom. Through her captivating stories and thought-provoking ideas, Fabienne illustrates that true innovation is not just about breaking the mold but doing so authentically, intuitively, and with purpose. This episode is an essential listen for anyone yearning to break free from the status quo and make a lasting impact on the world.

Topics in this episode:

• How Innovation Thrives on Disobedience
• Harmonizing Masculine and Feminine Energies in the Creative Process
• The Untold Power of Feminine Wisdom in Innovation
• Why Empathy and Nurturing are Game-Changers
• Creating Spaces Where Unconventionality Flourishes
• How Authenticity Smashes the Status Quo
• Finding Authenticity in a Digital World
• Building Self-Respect While Shaking Up the System
• Why Listening to Our Bodies is a Revolutionary Act
• Joy as Fuel: Igniting the Creative Spark for World-Changing Ideas

Support the show

If you loved today’s episode, please leave a review and share your favorite takeaways by screenshotting this episode and tagging us on Instagram! We also have a free monthly community call on the first Wednesday of every month, join here!

CONNECT WITH INNER REBEL

Follow Inner Rebel Podcast: @innerrebelpodcast
Follow Melissa: @melissa-bauknight
Follow Jessica: @bydesignwithjess
Visit the Inner Rebel website
Check out The Nova Community and become a member https://thenovaglobal.com/