In this episode Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Michele Kehrer, author and founder of Shift to Success, for a thoughtful conversation about overcoming adversity and the personal challenges we all face.

Drawing from her book Brave Shift, Michele explores how mindset shapes the way our days unfold, how the thoughts we start with can either fuel overwhelm or create space for calm. Together, they talk about the importance of beginning each morning by identifying the one thing that truly matters that day.

With never-ending to-do lists pulling at our attention, this conversation is a reminder that we have to learn when to set the list aside and choose to take action for ourselves.

ABOUT MICHELE KEHRER:
LinkedIn: Michele Kehrer
Website: Michele Kehrer
BOOK: Brave Shift:30 Mindset Changes to Transfer Your Life
Available January 27, 2026

FREE: Shift to Success Starter Kit

ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS:
Website - Sweet but Fearless
LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless

In this episode with Cooper Alexander and Mary Sullivan, co-founders of Sweet but Fearless, celebrate the start of a new year and creating a Rebuild Plan for the new year, one you can build in just 15 minutes and actually stick to.

Cooper and Mary will take you through planning your January the RX3 way: Reflect → Research → Rebuild. No "new year, new me" pressure. No trying to change everything at once. Just a calmer, clearer way to move forward.

Because most January plans don't fail from lack of motivation, they fail from overload. Too many goals. Too much change. Not enough structure.

Instead, you'll focus on one powerful question: What's the ONE thing that, if strengthened, would make everything else easier?

That's your catalyst goal. One steady anchor. One place to start.

Grab your coffee, open your notebook, and rebuild January with clarity, not chaos!

ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS:
Website - Sweet but Fearless
LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless

In this episode, Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Julie Kay Roberts, President of JK Roberts and Founder of Emergency Management Association, about risk, self-advocacy, and knowing your worth.

Julie shares the risks she took along the way and what it really looks like to stand up for yourself, ask for what you want, and speak with clarity even when it feels uncomfortable. The conversation also explores how leaders should think about AI in today's workforce: not as a crutch, but as a tool, one that supports your work without replacing your voice or judgment.

Drawing on her deep expertise, Julie offers a clear, accessible overview of how emergency communication works, why collaboration matters in high-stakes moments, and how effective leaders show up to solve problems together. At the heart of it all is a powerful reminder: leadership isn't about having all the answers, it's about using your voice, trusting your value, and working side-by-side to find the solution.

Julie is the President of JK Roberts, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in crisis communication, strategic planning, emergency management, media relations, and continuity planning.

ABOUT JULIE KAY ROBERTS:
Website: JK Roberts, LLC
LinkedIn: Julie Kay Roberts

ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS:
Website - Sweet but Fearless
LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless

As the year comes to a close, Cooper Alexander and Mary Sullivan, co-founders of Sweet but Fearless, invite you to pause and reflect on what this past year really asked of you.

What one pattern repeated itself and quietly ran the year. The one that drained your energy levels, delayed decisions, or kept things heavier than they needed to be. You're not to judge yourself or the pattern but just recognize and understand it. Patterns form to protect us, but once we recognize them, we don't have to keep living inside them.

Mary and Cooper talk through patterns many women leaders see again and again - over-responsibility, minimizing your own needs, taking care of everyone else first, delaying decisions out of fear, hiding ambition, or working hard without visibility - and how one of these often becomes the core lesson of the year.

You're encouraged to think about that pattern, what it taught you, and whether you want to carry it into the new year - or finally let it go.

From there, the questions get simple and honest: What needs to shift? What are you refusing to repeat? And what might next year look like if this pattern stopped running the show?

This podcasts goal is to help you name what shaped you this year - so you can choose what comes with you into the next one. Here's to a focused and succesful 2026!

ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS:
Website - Sweet but Fearless
LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless

In this podcast, Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with pioneering OB-GYN, Dr. Marcia Harris, Medical Director of Wellness Restoration Center, who shares her journey through healthcare as the first Black woman to train in obstetrics and gynecology at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York. She reflects on pursuing many interests with a "try it and see" mindset, honoring how far she's come, and following her passion.

They also discuss burnout, her shift toward wellness and restoration, and why self-care is survival, not selfishness. This conversation underscores the urgent need to prioritize women's health, personalized care, and putting women back at the center of their own lives.

Dr. Marcia A Harris MD trained at the prestigious Weill-Cornell Medical Center, The New York Hospital, after completing medical school at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

MORE ABOUT DR. MARCIA HARRIS:
Website: The Wellness Restoration Center
LinkedIn: Marcia A Harris

ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS:
Website - Sweet but Fearless
LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless

In this podcast, Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Jennifer Kaplan, Owner, Evolve Public Relations and Marketing, to explore what it really takes to follow your passion and why the journey often requires a few calculated risks along the way. Jennifer shares her unapologetic philosophy that fear is the real "F-word," the one that keeps too many of us from stepping into what we truly love.

Together, Mary and Jennifer dive into protecting your most expensive commodity, your time, and embracing the power of saying no without guilt. This episode is a reminder that the world doesn't need a more polished version of you… it needs the real you.

Jennifer Kaplan founded Evolve Public Relations and Marketing in 2010, driven by the goal of connecting with her clients to understand and meet their needs. She brings years of start-up experience, dating back to 2005, when she co-founded PRIME 3, LLC.

MORE ABOUT JENNIFER KAPLAN:

Website: Evolve Public Relations & Marketing
LinkedIn: Jennifer Kaplan

ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS:
Website - Sweet but Fearless
LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless

In this important conversation, Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Diane Strand, CEO of JDS Studios, who has built her career on the belief that opportunities aren't found, they're created. Diane discusses her signature DREAM framework (Direction, Realization, Evaluation, Action, Momentum) and explains how clarity, consistency, and courage fuel lasting success. She encourages leaders to present themselves as the person they aspire to be, to show up even when it feels uncomfortable, and to fully embrace being seen and heard. A powerful conversation for anyone ready to make an impact.

Diane is the CEO of JDS Studios, a multi–award-winning video production company, the Executive Producer of Spirit of Innovation, the Festival Director of DigiFest Temecula, and a bestselling author. While she firmly believes there's no such thing as overnight success, Diane has spent more than 30 years creating, developing, and boldly carving out her place as a producer, educator, and visionary in the visual, performing, digital arts, and entertainment industries.

MORE ABOUT DIANE STRAND:
Website: JDS Studios
LinkedIn: Diane Strand
DigiFest Temecula
TedTalk Temecula
Book: Show Business: Breaking into the Industry as an Actor

ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS:
Website - Sweet but Fearless
LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless

In this important conversation, Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Lisa Levy, Founder & Disruption and Innovation Catalyst, Lcubed Consulting, about the challenges we all face throughout our careers — the speed bumps, pivots, and unexpected twists that shape who we become as leaders. Together, they explore how growth happens when we commit to reading, continual learning, and doing the things that make us uncomfortable. It's all about stretching ourselves so we can step into the leaders we're meant to be.

Lisa Levy is the Founder and CEO of Lcubed Consulting, a business that helps enterprise to medium level organizations elevate through strategic goal achievement. A frequent guest expert on multiple media outlets including NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX, Lisa is also a frequent speaker at business executive conferences.

MORE ABOUT LISA LEVY:
Website: Lcubed Consulting
LinkedIn: Lisa Levy
Book: Future Proofing Cubed: The Definitive Guide to Improving Productivity, Refining Processes, and Bolstering Profitability

ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS:
Website - Sweet but Fearless
LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless