Picture this: you're so committed to serving everyone that you literally can't walk. Dr. Nikki Cottis was adjusting patients in professional heels, over-giving her way to financial struggle, until she tore her Achilles. When the orthopedist said she needed eight weeks off for surgery, Nikki knew something had to radically change.

What unfolded was a complete identity reconstruction. She went from the woman who thought she had to save all of Alabama to the systems genius who teaches practitioners how to create sustainable practices without losing their hearts.

🔥 In This Episode:

• The moment her body literally stopped her from over-giving and how that physical breakdown became her greatest breakthrough
• Why switching from heels to sneakers wasn't just about comfort but about stepping into authentic alignment
• How COVID stripped away all the excess and revealed what actually creates growth in practice
• The difference between capacity limits that are real versus the lies we tell ourselves about what we can handle
• How asking ChatGPT to help her be a better coach revealed she wasn't celebrating her own wins
• The conversation every team leader needs to have about life seasons, responsibilities, and shared grace

Nikki proves that the most powerful systems are built on understanding humans, not controlling them. She shows us what happens when you stop apologizing for wanting structure while still crying with your patients, and that you can demand excellence while honoring everyone's different life seasons.

Nikki's journey from the woman who couldn't say no to the coach who helps others find their capacity reminds us that sometimes the most radical act is admitting you're not that serious all the time. She's a Penn State football fanatic who wants to be known as someone's funniest best friend, building something meaningful while staying completely, unapologetically herself.

BONUS: Are you ready to discover what it means to build something beautiful with your team? Join us September 12th and 13th in Knoxville, Tennessee for a leadership experience where people don't just show up, they come alive. This isn't your typical conference. It's where heart meets strategy and your team learns to thrive together. Limited spots available! Register at: https://theheartwork.myflodesk.com/leadershipconference

Connect with Dr. Nikki Cottis: Website: chiroconnectgulfshores.com Coaching Platform: The Wealthy Practitioner Instagram: @drnikkicottis Podcast: Aligned for Success

Connect with us: Instagram:

• Instagram: @drsaranelsongray, @dr.marisa.nicole10, @theheartworkpodcast
• Email: theheartworklife@gmail.com
• Join our community:The Heart Work Life Facebook Group and download our Free Self Love Challenge PDF

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Picture this: You're the CEO of your practice, but every decision still runs through your brain. Every metric, every strategy, every team challenge lands squarely on your shoulders. Sound familiar? Today's conversation dives deep into the messy, magnificent reality of what it actually takes to build a team that thinks like owners, not just employees. Dr. Sara and Dr. Marisa unpack the evolution from solopreneur to strategic leader, sharing the exact frameworks they use to develop team members who ask the same questions they'd ask as business owners.

This isn't about micromanaging with fancy spreadsheets. This is about creating a culture where your team becomes so invested in the business's health that they start solving problems before you even know they exist.

🔥 In This Episode:

• The three essential questions every team member needs to answer monthly to understand their role's impact on business health
• How to identify impact drivers versus KPIs and why most practice owners get this backwards
• The strategic difference between developing leaders who execute tasks versus leaders who think like CEOs
• Real examples of role-specific health indicators that transformed team accountability in both practices
• Why quarterly strategic reviews create sustainable growth instead of constant firefighting
• The art of inviting team members to co-create their own success metrics instead of imposing top-down goals
• Navigating the delicate balance between small business execution and scalable systems without getting your cart before your horse

Here's what this conversation really reveals: the businesses that thrive aren't the ones with the smartest owners—they're the ones where everyone on the team operates from the same strategic mindset. When your team starts asking the questions you'd ask and bringing their own unique genius to it, that's when you know you've built something sustainable.

If you're curious about how you can develop this kind of strategic thinking with your team, join us for The Heartwork Leadership Workshop Weekend in Knoxville, Tennessee this September 2025. This isn't just another conference, it's where you and your team discover what it means to build something beautiful together, creating a culture where people don't just show up, they come alive. Limited spots available! Register at: https://theheartwork.myflodesk.com/leadershipconference

Connect with us:

• Instagram: @drsaranelsongray, @dr.marisa.nicole10, @theheartworkpodcast
• Email: theheartworklife@gmail.com

Join our community:The Heart Work Life Facebook Group and download our Free Self Love Challenge PDF

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Picture this: You're killing it in real estate, everyone calls you "one of the best," money's flowing in—and you're literally writing in your journal that meetings make you nauseous. That was Callan Faulkner's reality until a ChatGPT demo in July 2023 flipped her entire world upside down.

Most people would've pushed through the sick feeling, stayed for the "security." Not Callan. She shut down her profitable land investment business, launched The Uncommon Business Co., and built it to $4 million in revenue at 40% margins in just 18 months. Now she trains what she calls "high-frequency humans" to use AI without losing their souls. Turns out, following your obsessions over your obligations is actually a business strategy.

🔥 In This Episode:

• Why your body's "no" is actually divine guidance trying to save you—and how Callan's nausea in land meetings led to her AI obsession
• Why emotional regulation and nervous system work ARE business strategies for building sustainable success
• How to activate your team's highest potential instead of keeping them busy with low-level tasks
• The hiring philosophy that changed everything: asking about trauma and choosing frequency over skill
• Her mission to free "Donna" from 30 years of cubicle fluorescent lights—and why AI fluency will matter as much as email skills

This conversation will mess with everything you think you know about business, success, and what it means to build something that matters. Callan's not just teaching AI—she's showing us how to stay human while we rebuild the world.

BONUS: Join us for The Heartwork Leadership Workshop Weekend in Knoxville, Tennessee this September 2025! This isn't just another conference—it's where you and your team discover what it means to build something beautiful together. We're filling the gap that's been missing in our profession: how to create a culture where people don't just show up, they come alive. From intimate development sessions at Freedom Chiropractic to transformational experiences on a stunning private property, this weekend is designed for solo entrepreneurs, high-level team members, and entire teams ready to align around something bigger. Limited spots available—register at: https://theheartwork.myflodesk.com/leadershipconference

Connect with Callan:

• Website: https://theuncommonbusiness.co
• Instagram: @callanfaulkner
• Email: hello@theuncommonbusiness.co
• Interesting in one of Callan’s Programs: Start with Foundations of AI (3-hour course)
• Get on the waitlist for Automate to Accelerate (Fall 2025)

Connect with us:

• Instagram: @drsaranelsongray, @dr.marisa.nicole10, @theheartworkpodcast
• Email: theheartworklife@gmail.com

Join our community:The Heart Work Life Facebook Group and download our Free Self Love Challenge PDF

Support the show