#211 - Breaking Barriers: How One Woman Redefined Resilience in Business

In this special comeback episode of The Alden Report, host Mike Alden welcomes his wife, Dr. Taryn Marie Stejskal — renowned resilience expert, bestselling author, and global leadership coach — for a deeply personal and powerful conversation.

Dr. Taryn Marie shares her journey from overcoming childhood trauma to executive leadership roles at Nike and Cigna, and ultimately launching her own resilience-focused companies just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Together, Mike and Taryn explore what resilience really looks like behind the scenes: vulnerability, loneliness, entrepreneurship, burnout, and the complicated realities women face in business — including navigating inappropriate advances while maintaining integrity.

This episode is honest, emotional, and full of practical wisdom for anyone rebuilding, pivoting, or searching for meaning in their work and life.

⏱ Episode Highlights

00:00 – Empowerment & self-worth in business
03:09 – Divine timing and book origins
08:38 – Childhood trauma and why she wrote her book
14:10 – Vulnerability and loneliness
20:28 – Leaving Nike and corporate life
35:51 – Navigating sexism in business
41:07 – Advice for women facing unwanted advances
57:01 – Burnout, empowerment & what’s next

About Dr. Taryn Marie

Dr. Taryn Marie Stejskal, PhD, is a #1 Wall Street Journal Best-Selling Author, keynote speaker, and one of the world’s leading experts on resilience, mental health, and wellbeing. She is the author of The 5 Practices of Highly Resilient People, endorsed by Arianna Huffington, Daniel Pink, Maria Shriver, and more.

🔗 Connect with Dr. Taryn Marie

🌐 https://www.resilience-leadership.com
📘 https://www.facebook.com/DrTarynMarie
📸 https://www.instagram.com/drtarynmarie
💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/taryn-marie-stejskal
📺 https://www.youtube.com/@dr.tarynmarie1729

Companies Co-Founded Dr. Taryn Marie

https://bodycaremd.com/

https://bioaccesslabs.com/

📖 Book:
https://www.resilience-leadership.com/5-practices-highly-resilient-people-book

🎧 Flourish Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/flourish-with-dr-taryn-marie/id1589306573

For more info on Michael Alden visit: https://www.mikealden.com/

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