You're not alone. Many of us leave corporate environments that don't fit our neurodivergent, introverted, or strategically-wired brains, only to recreate the same extractive patterns in our own businesses. But what if there was another way?

In this episode, I sit down with Maggie Patterson, creator of BS-Free Business and author of "Staying Solo," to explore why so much business advice isn't designed for businesses like yours. We dive into Maggie's "real-life rule" — if it doesn't work for your real life (with all your caregiving responsibilities, mental health considerations, and actual capacity constraints), it doesn't work in your business.

Discover why being strategically wired can be a detriment as an employee but an asset as a solo business owner, learn how to build around your actual capacity instead of your maximum capacity, and find out why the best work you'll do might just be the work that feels easy.

Episode Highlights:

• Why so much small business advice recreates the same toxic patterns we tried to leave behind in corporate life
• How manipulative marketing tactics—like income claims and pain-point selling—harm solo business owners
• Why neurodivergent and introverted people often thrive as entrepreneurs after struggling in traditional workplaces
• The “real-life rule”: building your business around actual capacity, not fantasy capacity
• How being strategically wired can feel like a liability in corporate life but becomes a superpower in solo business
• Why the most sustainable businesses are often the simplest—lean, drama-free, and built to last

Key Concepts Explored:

• The "real-life rule": building business around actual capacity and constraints rather than fantasy versions of ourselves
• The neurodivergent advantage in solo business: creating accommodations for yourself that corporate environments can't provide
• Strategic brain blindness: how strategically-wired people undervalue their most marketable assets
• The employee detriment of strategic thinking: why strategic minds struggle in corporate but thrive as entrepreneurs
• The paradox of easy work: why the highest-value, most enjoyable work should feel effortless when you're truly skilled
• Income claim marketing and pain point manipulation vs. empathetic connection in business communication
• Lesser of evils decision-making: sustainable business choices for people with anxiety, ADHD, and mental health challenges
• Simplicity as competitive advantage: lean operations, minimal services, and building incrementally rather than perfectly
• Right-sizing dreams and expectations to prevent business-induced breakdown during caregiving and life challenges
• Neurodivergent entrepreneurship as affirmation: self-employment as refuge for those who don't fit traditional work culture

Common Questions Answered:

• How can I build a business that works with my ADHD/anxiety/neurodivergence?
• Why do I struggle with traditional business advice?
• Is self-employment viable for introverts and strategic thinkers?
• How do I build for my real capacity instead of my maximum capacity?
• Why does my strategic thinking feel undervalued in corporate environments?

Notable Quotes:

"So much of online business is built on this fantasy version of yourself—someone with endless time, endless energy, endless capacity. And it just doesn’t exist." – Maggie Patterson [00:05:00]

"We left corporate because it didn’t fit—but then we build businesses that are just as extractive, just as harmful, just as unsustainable." – Maggie Patterson [00:07:00]

"If it doesn’t work in your real life—with your caregiving, your...

Charles Spinosa spent decades as both a Shakespeare professor and management consultant, giving him a unique lens on what separates true leadership from good management. His approach isn't about influence or operational excellence—it's about moral artistry. It’s about the courage to ask "what always goes wrong?" and then take the risks necessary to create something beautiful instead.

Episode Highlights:

• The two questions that define “masterpiece leadership:” What always goes wrong in your industry, and what would you love to do instead?
• How to distinguish between dissenters (who sharpen your vision) and betrayers (who undermine it).
• Why naysayers are often a sign that you’re taking the right kinds of risks.
• The neurodivergent advantage: spotting injustices and anomalies others overlook.
• Practical strategies for pushing through despair when moral risks don’t pay off right away.
• Justice sensitivity as a leadership strength—and how it positions you to create businesses worth falling in love with.

Key Concepts Explored:

• Passion as a defining force that fuels resilience and long-term transformation
• The Two-Question Framework that separates masterpiece creators from managers
• Moral risk-taking: why changing norms will always feel “wrong” at first
• Betrayers vs. dissenters—and why dissent is essential for progress
• Truth-seeking platforms that go beyond psychological safety to real intellectual conflict
• Post-truth business culture and the limits of data without human truth
• Justice sensitivity as a leadership advantage for transformational change
• The neurodivergent edge in spotting anomalies and injustices others miss
• Moral artistry: making solutions not just right, but beautiful
• Fighting through despair and returning to core beliefs during setbacks
• Awe and wonder as signals you’re on the right path
• A systemic change strategy for moving from easy wins to bold transformations

Common Questions Answered:

• How can you take moral risks without putting your career in jeopardy?
• What separates managers from masterpiece creators?
• How should leaders handle team resistance to moral change?

Notable Quotes:

"What do people say leadership is these days? They say leadership is influence. I'm saying no. Leadership is taking moral risks to establish morally distinctive masterpieces. So I'm overturning a lot of norms. Of course there are gonna people who hate that." – Charles Spinosa [00:34:19]

"So if I'm not hearing from naysayers, I might not be taking as much risk as I think I am, or as much risk as I could in pursuing a defining passion. That hearing from critics and naysayers says you're doing something different enough for people to have naysaying to do about it." – Sara Lobkovich [00:33:18]

"Always be sensitive to what's going wrong in your organization. And don't forget to ask what you would love instead. And try to make the solutions you offer beautiful." – Charles Spinosa [00:32:57]

"So if you're a leader,...

Today's guest, Zephyr (Zeph) Williams (they/them), is an anti-hustle business strategist who helps radical entrepreneurs build "breathe-easy businesses." When Zeph and I connected over our mutual loathing of SMART goals on social media, I knew we had to have this conversation.

In this episode, we're diving deep into why traditional goal-setting methods fail so many of us—especially neurodivergent folks and anyone who doesn't fit the conventional mold. Zeph introduces their revolutionary SLIC method (Sustainable, Long-term, Iterative, Consistent) and shares why self-care isn't optional—it's strategic. But the real magic happens when we land on a beautiful reframe that might just change how you think about achievement forever.

Want to see how No-BS OKRs fit into a coherent Connected Strategic Stack?

This No-BS Connected Strategy Guide shows you what “good” looks like. Download examples of finished Connected Strategic Stacks — including best practice No-BS OKRs — and get instant clarity on your next strategic step. Includes a quick self-assessment to pinpoint your organization’s biggest OKR opportunities.

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Episode Highlights:

• Why SMART goals create a restrictive binary that crushes creativity and exploration
• The semantic problems with SMART goal terminology that create confusion and ambiguity
• How "specific" goals create tunnel vision that blocks curiosity and the learning journey
• The SLIC Method: Sustainable, Long-term, Iterative, and Consistent goal-setting
• Why self-care isn't selfish—it's a strategic foundation for sustainable success
• How to reconnect with your body through micro-practices and energy tracking
• The role of grace and compassion when breaking free from binary thinking
• What "queering" business practices means and why it's for everyone
• The beautiful reframe from "goal setting" to "becoming"—asking "What am I becoming?"
• Why consistency means showing up as your needs allow, not the same way every day
• How traditional goal-setting often leads to self-abandonment and disconnection from the body

Key Concepts Explored:

• The binary nature of SMART goals and why they create a restrictive pass/fail mentality
• The SLIC Method as an alternative: Sustainable, Long-term, Iterative, and Consistent goal-setting
• Self-care as a radical act of rebellion against systems that devalue your worth
• "Queering" business practices to move beyond traditional binary frameworks
• The shift from "goal setting" to "becoming" as a more expansive approach to growth
• Body-based awareness and reconnecting with somatic needs during goal pursuit
• Why consistency means showing up according to your capacity, not rigid daily habits

Common Questions Answered:

• Why do SMART goals feel so restrictive and overwhelming?
• What makes the SLIC method different from traditional goal-setting?
• How do you start reconnecting with your body if you feel disconnected?
• What does "queering" goal setting actually mean?
• How do you define consistency without burning out?
• Why is self-care considered strategic rather than selfish?

Notable Quotes:

"SMART goals are very binary. You either succeed or you fail. And I'm not somebody who does the binary very well." - Zeph Williams [00:03:00]

"When I hear 'specific,' it feels like a narrowing down... You don't get to enjoy the journey and enjoying the...

But this conversation with Chauna Bryant shifted everything. Chauna is a trauma-informed breathwork professional, and founder of Breath Liberation Society. She also describes herself as “probably the least chill meditation teacher you’ll ever meet.”

Together, they explore how breathwork can offer a more accessible entry point for overthinkers and busy brains. Instead of forcing stillness, breathwork gives the mind something active to focus on — what Chauna compares to “giving your brain an iPad” to occupy it — while the body does its own work.

They also talk about how breathwork differs from traditional meditation, why it’s particularly helpful for people with trauma histories, and how starting small (even just two breaths or two minutes) can be helpful.

If mindfulness has ever felt like it wasn’t made for your kind of mind, this episode is for you.

Episode Highlights:

• Why breathwork succeeds where traditional meditation fails for many people
• The difference between activating and calming breathwork techniques
• How to start a somatic practice when you're resistant to body-based work
• Trauma-informed approaches to breathwork and nervous system regulation
• The power of "titration" - starting with just 2 minutes instead of diving in
• Why consent and agency are crucial in breathwork practice
• Understanding breathwork as "nervous system pushups" for stress resilience

Key Concepts Explored:

• Conscious connected breathing and three-part breath techniques
• The origins and cultural lineages of breathwork practices
• How breathwork allows nonverbal processing of emotions and trauma
• The importance of finding trauma-informed, skilled practitioners
• Why patience becomes "your first form of body connection"

Common Questions Answered:

• What exactly is breathwork and how is it different from meditation?
• How can I start if I'm resistant to body-based practices?
• Is breathwork safe for people with trauma history?
• What should I expect from my first breathwork experience?

Notable Quotes:

“Breathwork gives the brain something to do. It’s just weird enough that it helps the body start to process what we’ve shelved or ignored.” — Chauna Bryant [00:04:00]

“Whatever you’re doing, try like a minute. Try two minutes. Give it two minutes and then get out. That’s the way to start to build that body connection.” — Chauna Bryant [00:14:00]

“For a lot of us with busy brains, patience is going to be our first form of body connection.” — Chauna Bryant [00:16:00]

“Just let the experience exist without having to slap words on it.” — Chauna Bryant [00:31:00]

“In breathwork, you get to choose as much or as little as you do—and whatever you choose, you’ll be cheered on fiercely.” — Chauna Bryant [00:34:00]

Chapters:

[00:00:00] Introduction: Welcome to Thinkydoers and Meet Chauna Bryant

[00:02:00] What is Breathwork? Active Meditation for Busy Brains

[00:05:00] Origins and Cultural Lineages of Breathwork Practices

[00:06:00] From Brain-Centered to Body-Aware: Sara and Chauna's Common Ground

[00:08:00] Chauna's Journey: From Gymnast to "Least Chill Meditation Teacher"

[00:11:00] The Meditation Failure and Discovering Breathwork

[00:12:00] Getting Started: Overcoming Resistance to Somatic Practices

[00:15:00] Perfectionism and All-or-Nothing Thinking in Body

From leaders trying to weaponize OKRs as surveillance tools to the popular (but problematic) advice to limit teams to just one strategic priority, this conversation will challenge norms you might not be able to imagine actually exist out there.

You'll discover why monthly check-ins might mean you're tracking instead of managing, how geography is shaping OKR strategy differently across continents, and why Excel is making a surprising comeback in the enterprise. Plus, Sara drops a financial metrics hot take that might make your CFO squirm.

This isn't your typical goal-setting advice. It's three veteran practitioners sharing what they're really seeing in the field, complete with the controversies, contradictions, and hard-won insights that only come from years in the trenches.

Episode Highlights:

• Quarterly vs. Trimesterly Planning: why the Q4 “drop-off” is real—and how cadence choices impact OKR adoption across teams
• Biweekly Reinforcement Loops: how one leadership team’s consistent review rhythm is accelerating organization-wide buy-in
• Tool Sprawl & Excel Resurgence: why many orgs are ditching premium OKR platforms for scrappier, process-first setups
• When Tools Hurt More Than Help: the danger of letting project management tools define your key results
• Hot Takes on OKRs: financial metrics don’t belong in key results (and one-size-fits-all “just one OKR” advice? Hard pass)
• Big Brother OKRs?: pushing back when leadership wants to use OKRs for surveillance instead of strategy
• Q3 Preview: a deep dive on execution, achievement—and how to actually decide what OKR tooling makes sense for your org

Key Concepts Explored:

• Hybrid Localization Approaches
• Leadership sets objectives, teams shape Key Results
• Themes as bridges when objectives don't translate locally
• KRs and Sub-KRs for fast-moving Scrum teams
• Moving away from rigid objective cascading
• Timing Model Evolution
• Biweekly check-ins integrated with Scrum cycles
• The discipline of at least twice-weekly KR management
• Quarterly vs. trimester cycle trade-offs
• Event-triggered OKR adjustments for volatile environments
• Tool Integration Strategies
• Process-first, tool-second implementation approach
• Excel resurgence due to cost considerations
• Avoiding dueling OKR and project management platforms
• Recognition that L1 and L2 math doesn't require specialty software
• Controversial Practices and Hot Takes
• OKRs as surveillance tools (problematic)
• Arbitrary "one OKR only" mandates (counterproductive)
• Financial metrics as KPIs vs. Key Results (contentious)
• Project deliverables masquerading as OKRs (misleading)

Notable Quotes:

"If you have a KR that you only manage monthly, you are not managing it, you're tracking it. Because you essentially have two data points, and then the quarter is over." — Maria Rowcliffe [00:06:00]

"Once we learn the words and leadership is modeling the words and meanings, then the rigidity can come out of the framework." — Sara Lobkovich [00:04:00]

"Financial metrics belong in mandatories and budgets. They're KPIs, they aren't key results." — Sara Lobkovich [00:15:00]

"Bad news only gets worse with time. So the earlier they can

In this first part of our quarterly update, we dive deep into the generative AI revolution (spoiler: it's not as revolutionary as everyone claims), the evolving art of OKR localization across complex organizations, and why your retrospectives might be the most important OKR practice you might be doing wrong. Whether you're an OKR skeptic, a seasoned practitioner, or somewhere in between, this conversation will give you practical insights you can't get anywhere else.

Episode Highlights:

• Generative AI in OKRs: why draft quality is improving, but real strategic impact is still lagging behind
• TRV (Technology Realized Value): the Big Five’s new metric for linking OKRs to actual tech investment outcomes
• The “Two Lists” Problem: how teams are secretly working off dual strategies—and why it’s undermining OKR focus
• Cascading and Localization: evolving models for aligning across global teams, even amid geopolitical complexity
• Culture-First OKRs: tailoring implementation to readiness, from transformation-driven overhauls to scrappy gradual rollouts
• Retrospectives that matter: how deeper reflection—not just review—builds quarter-over-quarter OKR maturity

Key Concepts Explored:

• Generative AI in OKRs: Where it's accelerating strategy work, where it's falling short, and the risk of generic, uncontextualized models
• Technology Realized Value (TRV): A new metric used alongside OKRs to measure the tangible impact of tech investments
• The “Two Lists” Problem: How parallel strategic workstreams outside the OKR framework dilute focus and undermine accountability
• Localization & Alignment: Why clear, bottom-up contribution is critical in global, matrixed organizations—especially in high-stakes geopolitical climates
• Culture-Responsive Implementation: Tailoring OKR rollouts based on organizational readiness, risk appetite, and transformation goals
• Iterative Learning over Perfection: Why OKR maturity builds quarter over quarter—and how learning from retrospectives is more valuable than writing the “perfect” OKR
• Leading vs. Lagging Indicators: The power of AI to help surface potential leading indicators clients may struggle to define on their own
• Transformation & Change Management: How OKRs, when paired with transformation strategy, become powerful drivers of organizational evolution

Notable Quotes:

"Is this really driving the value you wanted to achieve? How do you know who cares? So what happens if this is done or not done? These things that don't get asked are so critically important to make sure that people are focused on the right work." — Natalie Webb [00:12:00]

"If I could only tell clients one thing about OKRs, it would be we spend all of our time focused on writing them and then way too little time focused on learning from them." — Sara Lobkovich [00:23:00]

"I think the best way to use OKRs initially is always the way that the company is willing and able to adopt it. Me talking about the gold star way of doing OKRs isn't gonna help clients that are at the crawling level and not a hundred percent convinced yet." — Maria Rowcliffe [00:21:00]

"OKRs are really hard. We're talking about change - really hard for people to stick with when it gets challenging." — Sara Lobkovich [00:28:00]

Chapters:

[00:00:00] Introduction:...

If you’ve ever felt like community just isn’t for you… this episode might just change everything.

Episode Highlights:

• Carrie’s journey with social anxiety and building inclusive, "quiet" communities
• Belonging without active participation—research and real-life insights
• Using bodily awareness and boundaries to stay grounded as a community creator
• Self-leadership and support systems to prevent burnout in community work
• Practical tips for both hosts and participants to feel more confident and aligned

Key Concepts Explored:

• Self-Regulation in Online Spaces: How digital communities offer spaces for thoughtful connection for introverts and neurodivergent people.
• Quiet Communities: Community spaces that don't demand constant engagement and allow people to participate on their own terms.
• Meaningful Engagement vs. Engagement for Engagement's Sake: The importance of connecting community activities to purpose and growth rather than arbitrary metrics.
• Body Awareness as Community Evaluation: Using physical reactions and feelings as guidance for whether a community is a good fit.
• Belonging Without Participation: Research findings on how affiliation alone can create a sense of belonging without requiring active involvement.
• Self-Leadership in Community Building: Managing internal dialogues and anxieties that arise when creating and managing communities.
• Community as Healing Practice: How creating spaces for others can help heal our own relationship to connection.
• Distributed Leadership: Inviting others' contributions rather than trying to do everything yourself.
• Community Building as a Long Game: The importance of patience and persistence in both building and participating in communities.

Notable Quotes:

"If there's a place that you wish existed... why not be the person that starts that?"

— Carrie Melissa Jones [00:13:00]

"You cannot do it alone. It's not a solo activity. To really create a community, you've got to see, recognize, and invite in the gifts of others and others' contributions."

— Carrie Melissa Jones[00:42:32] - [00:42:54]

I start everything I do scared and then once you get rolling it gets fun. Nothing starts fun. Everything starts with anxiety.

— Sara Lobkovich [00:46:45]

Chapters:

[00:00:00] Introduction and Meet Carrie Melissa Jones

[00:05:51] Social Anxiety and Career: Turning Challenges into Expertise

[00:11:22] Redefining Community: "Quiet Communities" and Meaningful Engagement

[00:15:38] Challenging the "Not a Joiner" Identity and Finding Your Fit

[00:19:53] Body Awareness: Using Physical Responses as Your Community Guide

[00:25:32] Advice for Shy Community Creators: Boundaries and Sustainability

[00:29:42] Research Insights: Belonging Without Active Participation

[00:39:03] Self-Leadership and Distributed Responsibility in Community Building

[00:44:30] Practical Pre-Launch Strategies and "Doing It Scared"

[00:48:10] The Long Game: Advice for Participants, Hosts, and Closing Thoughts

Upcoming Events:

• Q3 Strategic Achievement Intensive is now waitlisting!...

Are you struggling to maintain strategic focus in today's unpredictable environment?

In this lo-fi, candid episode, Sara shares her insights on navigating strategic planning during persistent uncertainty. Whether you're impacted by shifting tariffs, changes in public funding, or volatile market conditions, this episode offers practical frameworks to maintain strategic momentum when forecasting feels (or is) impossible.

• The Twin Traps: Why both over-planning and strategic abandonment are dangerous reactions to chaos
• OKRs as an Antidote: How focusing on outcomes rather than activities creates strategic flexibility
• Three-Step Framework: A practical approach to maintaining strategic momentum during turbulent times
• Building in Public: The strategic advantage of quick launches during rapid change

• How do you create strategic plans when the environment is constantly changing?
• What should replace detailed action planning when circumstances shift frequently?
• How can leaders maintain team focus during periods of high uncertainty?

[00:00:00] Introduction to Thinkydoer Shorts

[00:00:36] Current Challenges in Strategic Planning

[00:01:49] Upcoming Workshop: Strategy During Chaos

[00:02:46] Adapting Strategic Plans to Uncertainty

[00:03:06] Avoiding Over-Planning and Abandonment

[00:06:49] Three Steps for Strategic Resilience

[00:08:07] Focusing on Immediate Priorities

[00:09:26] The To-Done List Approach

[00:12:03] Conclusion and Upcoming Events

• Strategy During Chaos Workshop: May 7th at 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM Pacific. Just $19 (scholarships available). Register at findrc.co
• No-BS Strategic Achievement Intensive: May 15th-16th (two half-days). Create chaos-proof strategic plans with structured exercises and supported coworking. Register at findrc.co

"You Are a Strategist: Use No-BS OKRs to Get Big Things Done" will be available in print (hardback and softback) on May 6th. Get the ebook now wherever you buy books. More info: youareastrategist.com

• Join Sara's newsletter at findrc.co/newsletter.
• Send questions through findrc.co/contact.
• Find Sara @saralobkovich on most social media platforms.
• For show notes and the full episode transcript, visit