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In this moving and insightful episode, Angela and Sami speak with Jody LaVoie, founder of Widows in the Workplace and The Grief Company. Following the traumatic loss of her husband, Jody assumed leadership of his company, all while raising three daughters and facing unimaginable grief.

Now a grief expert and coach, Jody shares how that experience shaped her purpose—and how she now equips both individuals and organizations to better navigate grief. This conversation offers both professional insight and personal reflection, with practical guidance for anyone experiencing or supporting others through loss.

💡 What We Talk About:

• Jody’s story of sudden loss and becoming a leader overnight
• How grief shows up in unexpected places (including the office)
• Why “just let me know if you need anything” isn’t that helpful
• Ways to show up for grieving friends or coworkers
  
  

📘 Key Takeaways:

• Grief does not follow a timeline—and that’s normal
• Thoughtful action is more impactful than asking “how can I help?”
• Managers have a vital role in creating supportive workplace environments
• Small gestures, like checking in or offering practical help, go a long way
• Healing often involves rebuilding on your own terms—both emotionally and physically

💬 Thank you for being a valued part of the Be Freaking Awesome community. If this episode resonates with you, consider sharing it with someone who may benefit.

🔗 Resources
Connect with Jody on LinkedIn: Jody LaVoie

Widows in the Workplace: www.widowsintheworkplace.com

The Grief Company: www.thegriefcompany.com

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Let us know what questions you want to be answered and discussed by emailing us at podcast@bfreakingawesome.com.

Send us a text

🔧 What if communication isn’t just a tool—but the tool?

In this thought-provoking and hilariously vulnerable conversation, Sami shares the messy middle of writing a book about communication—and Angela digs deep into what it means to clarify not just our words, but our hearts.

From exploring the emotional roots of poor communication to dissecting how our inner world struggles to translate into language, this episode is both a sneak peek at Sami’s evolving book and a powerful guide to more meaningful conversations.

Whether you're navigating conflict with a spouse, talking to a friend, or leading a team, the insights here will make you rethink how you show up in conversation—and in life.

🎧 Press play to laugh, learn, and feel a little more seen.

📘 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ Why communication is more than just saying the right thing—it’s about being understood
✅ How to identify what you actually want before entering a conversation
✅ What “bad communication” really means—and why it’s often a symptom, not the root problem
✅ The difference between heart language and spoken language
✅ How cultural or emotional context changes the way we interpret words
✅ Why some conversations should start with “What do I want from this?”

Order Traveling Light wherever you get your books!

Sign up at bfreakingawesome.com to get the latest news, insights, and episodes straight to your inbox.

Follow Be Freaking Awesome on Facebook, LinkedIn, Youtube, and Instagram.

Let us know what questions you want to be answered and discussed by emailing us at podcast@bfreakingawesome.com.

Send us a text

Struggling to lead with confidence? You’re not alone. Whether it shows up as micromanaging, burnout, or saying yes to too much, a lack of confidence can quietly undermine even the most capable leaders.

In this episode, Angela and Sami sit down with leadership strategist and speaker Therese Gopaul-Robinson for a powerful conversation about what confidence really is—and why it’s way more than just a personal mindset issue. From micromanaging and burnout to team culture and career growth, Therese unpacks how low confidence shows up in our leadership—and what to do when it’s holding you (and your team) back.

Whether you’re leading a company, a team, or your own life, this conversation will challenge how you think about confidence—and give you practical steps to build more of it.

💡 What We Talk About:

• What low confidence really looks like in leaders (hint: it’s not what you think)
• Why female leaders often feel overwhelmed—and how to stop over-working
• What micromanaging says about your own insecurities
• Confidence as a muscle: why it’s built through trying, not knowing
• How to delegate with trust instead of fear

📘 What You’ll Learn:

• Therese’s 3-step “security stacking” framework to build real confidence
• Why leadership success starts with inner work, not outer authority
• How to break the cycle of proving your worth through overwork
• Ways to model confidence for your team—and your kids
• Why everything you need, you already have

🎧 Listen now and start building real, resilient confidence—from the inside out.

🔗 Resources & Links:

• Connect with Therese on LinkedIn: Therese Gopaul-Robinson
• Visit her website & join her community: www.theresegr.com

Order Traveling Light wherever you get your books!

Sign up at bfreakingawesome.com to get the latest news, insights, and episodes straight to your inbox.

Follow Be Freaking Awesome on Facebook, LinkedIn, Youtube, and Instagram.

Let us know what questions you want to be answered and discussed by emailing us at podcast@bfreakingawesome.com.