Alicia Lee didn’t leave ministry. She left Wall Street.

After nearly two decades at Goldman Sachs, Alicia was managing a massive trading floor and rubbing shoulders with IPO titans. She loved the fast pace. She was good at it.

And then God pulled the plug. A missed promotion became a divine pivot - and what followed was not a sabbatical, but a startup.

In this episode, we dive deep into Alicia’s unlikely journey from investment banking to launching Faithly, a digital ecosystem for ministry leaders - built not to replace community, but to amplify it.

She opens up about her hustle, her heartbreak, and her unshakeable sense of calling.

If you’ve ever wrestled with identity in a transition, if you’ve ever been tempted to white-knuckle your way to the next thing, or if you’re still unsure what ministry looks like outside the walls of the church - this conversation will hit home.

Alicia’s story isn’t just about leaving a job. It’s about finding your voice when your title disappears.

• God uses closed doors as clear signs to redirect us into new assignments.
• Your calling may not change - but your context can. You might already be “in ministry” and not even know it.
• Faithly is filling a gap for pastors and ministry leaders left out of traditional professional networks like LinkedIn.
• Slow growth is still real growth. There’s value in patient building and prioritizing soul care over speed.
• Transitions can tempt us to over-identify with productivity, but our identity is not in what we do - it’s in whose we are.

• 00:00 – From Wall Street to the ministry: Alicia’s surprising career shift
• 03:30 – The promotion that didn’t come - and what God did instead
• 06:45 – The vision behind Faithly: Why ministry leaders need their own platform
• 09:50 – Why LinkedIn doesn’t work for ministry - and what makes Faithly different
• 14:40 – Bringing Wall Street hustle into the startup world
• 17:00 – Juggling a tech startup and raising three kids
• 21:00 – Redefining identity after leaving a high-powered career
• 24:45 – Building slowly: Why Faithly is growing at the speed of trust
• 30:00 – What’s next for Faithly and how ministry leaders can get involved

If you’re a ministry leader in transition, don’t navigate it alone. Visit ministrytransitions.com for guidance, coaching, and care to help you land well.

And if you're ready to connect with others who get it - people who are walking the same road - join the growing network at faithly.co. It’s not just a platform. It’s your new ministry ecosystem.

What do you do when ministry success comes at the cost of your soul?

In this episode, we sit down with Jon Talbert - pastor, coach, and co-founder of Forte - to talk about the quiet unraveling that often happens behind the scenes in leadership.

Jon has led at the highest levels of church and nonprofit work, but somewhere along the way, he realized he was losing himself in the process. What followed wasn’t a dramatic exit - but a deliberate shift. A reckoning. A redefinition of calling.

If you’ve ever questioned your role, your rhythm, or even your relevance in ministry, this conversation will hit close to home.

Jon gets honest about burnout, identity, and why courage sometimes looks like letting go.

This isn’t just about recovering from ministry. It’s about discovering what’s next - with less fear and more freedom.

• What most leaders miss about the difference between calling and identity
• Why burnout isn’t always loud - and how to recognize it early
• The real cost of avoiding your own growth
• How to lead with clarity when the crowd is gone
• What “editing your life” looks like in a post-ministry season

00:00 – Jon’s early ministry story 06:12 – From platform to pressure: the silent drift 14:45 – Burnout and the addiction to being needed 21:08 – Risk, honesty, and what it really means to lead well 29:17 – How Forte walks with leaders in transition 36:30 – Wrestling with faith after leaving ministry 41:40 – Final thoughts: courage over comfort

If you’re facing a leadership shift, you don’t have to do it alone. Start a conversation at ministrytransitions.com.

Follow Jon Talbert on LinkedIn

Learn more about his work at getforte.com

And explore their support for faith leaders at getforte.com/faith

Bill Simmons thought he was in control - until a child soldier in the Congo held him at gunpoint. In that moment, as the AK-47 clicked into place, Bill realized the terrifying truth: control was an illusion.

Years later, as the CEO of a global nonprofit, he faced a different kind of pressure - leading an organization, carrying the weight of a mission, and pushing through exhaustion.

But this time, the gun wasn’t in someone else’s hands. It was the slow, creeping pressure of burnout, and it was just as dangerous.

In this episode, Bill shares how he went from being a leader on the brink to discovering the power of interruption.

He unpacks why so many pastors and ministry leaders are running on empty, why stepping away feels impossible, and how his sabbatical at a silent monastery changed everything.

Burnout isn’t a badge of honor - it’s a warning sign. If you feel the weight of ministry pressing down on you, this conversation is your lifeline.

• Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a slow fade, and most leaders don’t see it coming until they’re in crisis.
• Control is an illusion. Whether it’s holding onto leadership or refusing to step away, the tighter your grip, the heavier the burden.
• Interruption is a choice - disruption is a consequence. If you don’t make space for rest, your body, mind, or ministry will force the issue.
• A sabbatical isn’t selfish - it’s survival. Leaders who take time to step away don’t weaken their ministries - they strengthen them.
• The church must do better. If you're a board member or elder, don’t wait for your pastor to break - give them space to breathe.

• [00:10] - Welcome & Bill Simmons’ Story: From Missionary Kid to CEO
• [03:14] - Held at Gunpoint - What a Child Soldier Taught Me About Control
• [06:25] - The Burnout Epidemic: Why 8.5/10 Leaders Are Near Collapse
• [09:55] - The Moment Everything Broke - And Why Bill Took a Sabbatical
• [14:44] - Shabbat, Ceasing, & The Myth of Rest
• [19:09] - The Power of Pause, Psalm, and Prayer
• [24:59] - Leaders Don’t Have to Manufacture Spiritual Life - Just Make Space
• [28:41] - Interruption vs. Disruption: What Happens When You Ignore the Signs
• [32:11] - How to Sabbath Without Making It Just Another Task
• [36:46] - The Way of Interruption - Bill’s Book & Why It Matters

The weight of leadership isn’t yours to carry alone.

• Read Bill Simmons’ book, The Way of Interruption, and learn how to embrace spiritual pause before burnout takes over. Order your copy now: Get the book here
• Need help navigating a transition? Whether you're stepping away from ministry or trying to find a healthier rhythm, Pastoral Transitions can help. Visit pastoraltransitions.com to start the conversation.