Happy Productive Podcast Episodes

Your business doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The quality of your relationships affects your happiness, energy, and ability to succeed. This week on the Happy Productive Podcast, Jennifer Dawn sits down with Ann Parnes, a former attorney who became a coach and national matchmaker, to talk about why personal connections matter so much for entrepreneurs. They discuss: Why loneliness can harm your health and your business How to know if your emotional walls are blocking connection The difference be...

What makes people stay or leave a company? According to Dr. Michelle K. Johnston, bestselling author of The Seismic Shift in Leadership, it starts (and ends) with leadership. In this conversation with Jennifer Dawn, Michelle shares powerful insights on why “jerk bosses” are disappearing, how connection is transforming leadership, and what leaders can do to build workplaces where people thrive. If you’re a business owner or leader who wants to retain top talent, foster innovation, and avoid be...

Are you unknowingly holding your business back by trying to do everything yourself? In this episode of the Happy Productive Podcast, Jennifer Dawn and Bhavini Kamdar reveal why delegation and strong systems are the real keys to scaling. Discover how to: • Let go of tasks without losing quality • Build processes that keep your business running smoothly • Find the right people to trust with your work • Stop trading time for money and start scaling smart If you’ve ever said “it’s faster if I just d...

Burnout is not about how much you do. It is about who you are when you are doing it. In this powerful episode of the Happy Productive Podcast, business coach Jennifer Dawn sits down with transformational coach and NLP expert Jocelyn Sandstrom to reveal how shifting your mindset, energy, and beliefs can transform every area of your life and business. Discover how to take aligned action instead of constant hustle, release deep rooted limiting beliefs, and open yourself to synchronicities, abundan...

In this heartfelt and illuminating episode, Jennifer Dawn speaks with energy healer Donna Wallace about why emotional healing is essential for entrepreneurs. With over 25 years of experience, Donna shares her personal story of moving from trauma and depression to intuition and light, and how that journey directly impacts business success. You’ll learn: Why unresolved emotions sabotage your business growth The difference between surface-level coping and true healing How intuition sharpens as ...

Think writing a book is just for authors? Think again. In this episode of the Happy Productive Podcast, Jennifer sits down with author, speaker, and her husband Douglas Robbins to talk about how business owners can write impactful books that boost credibility and open doors. Together, they reveal the behind-the-scenes of the Author Accelerator program, how writing creates authority in your niche, and what it really takes to get your book from idea to published. This is more than just a fun hu...

Want to grow your business like a CEO leading a $100M+ company? In this episode of Happy Productive, Jennifer Dawn talks with John Marvin, President & CEO of Texas State Optical, about how understanding customer behavior is the secret weapon for scaling any business. You’ll learn: • Why most business owners fail to see the big picture • Two simple, low-cost ways to uncover what your customers really want • How to deliver services that create loyal clients and steady growth • Th...

What if breaking bad habits didn’t take 30 days… but just 30 minutes? In this episode, Jennifer sits down with John Kennedy—creator of Combat Brain Training and author of Hack Your Habits in 30 Minutes—to uncover how neuroplasticity can help you rewire your brain, improve processing speed, and even ditch those stubborn habits for good. From training Navy SEALs and CEOs to helping kids with ADHD and dementia patients, John shares how his system-based brain training transforms lives in...

You worked hard to build a profitable business—but making money is only half the battle. In this episode, Jennifer sits down with financial advisor and retirement planner Michelle Brown to reveal the three critical steps every entrepreneur needs to take to protect their profits and secure long-term wealth. From setting up your emergency fund to retirement planning and finding an advisor who truly acts in your best interest, this conversation will give you the roadmap to financial fre...

Are you still buried in your inbox, running every task, and calling it “leadership”? Think again. In this episode, Jennifer sits down with Renee Hastings, founder and CEO of Executive Help Now, to break down the real cost of trying to do everything yourself—and how hiring the right assistant is the most strategic move a CEO can make. Renee shares her powerful journey from corporate burnout to building a thriving virtual assistant agency. They dive into how to delegate with confidence, what...

Can AI write your content? Sure. But can it connect, convert, and build trust with your audience the way a human can? Not even close. In this episode, Jennifer sits down with Emmy-winning journalist and Fractional CMO Becky Freemal to talk about the real edge businesses still have in an AI-powered world: storytelling. From building a magnetic brand voice to actually making sense of your data, this episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs who want to lead with strategy and soul. Tim...

If your work feels draining, your team’s energy is low, and productivity is stalling, it’s not a systems problem—it’s a flow problem. In this episode of the Happy Productive Podcast, Jennifer sits down with Diane Allen—keynote speaker, violinist, and author of Flow: Unlock Your Genius. Love What You Do—to unpack the science and strategy behind getting into your flow state on demand. Diane shares how a career-defining onstage freeze led her to reverse-engineer flow so leaders and business o...

What if the way you dress is silently costing you sales, clients, and credibility? In this episode of the Happy Productive Podcast, Jennifer sits down with personal brand strategist and Prosperous Image founder Lee Hayward to talk about why your image is one of the most underused tools in your business, and how aligning your presence with your power can fuel serious growth. This isn’t about fashion. It’s about identity, alignment, and energy. You’ll learn how to show up like the 7-figure version...

Most people cringe at the word “sales”, but what if you could master it with authenticity and integrity? In this eye-opening episode, Jennifer sits down with Geoffrey M. Reid, bestselling author of The Revenue Catalyst, former university professor, and globally recognized sales leader. From public policy analyst to top revenue generator across North America, Geoffrey shares how smart, genuine sales isn’t about pressure. It’s about powerful conversations that create pull, not push. Whether you’re...

Men aren’t broken—they’re just missing the tools. In this episode of the Happy Productive Podcast, Jennifer sits down with Owen Marcus, founder of MELD and a pioneer in men’s emotional fluency. For decades, Owen has helped men drop the armor, ditch the isolation, and reconnect with who they truly are—not just for their relationships, but for their leadership, their careers, and their peace of mind. You’ll hear: ✔ The biggest lie men are taught about emotions (and how it holds them back) ✔ Why em...

Are your emails going straight to spam? If you’re relying on outdated outreach strategies — or worse, blasting 1,000 cold emails with zero engagement — this episode is for you. Jennifer Dawn sits down with Shira Simmonds, CEO of SSC Digital and founder of SmartReach AI, to unpack why your cold outreach is failing and what actually works in 2025. Learn how to: • Warm up domains (and why it matters) • Send only 30 emails a day per domain • Use AI to write emails in your tone and ...

What happens when women rise to the top—only to find themselves mimicking the very systems they hoped to change? In this honest and powerful episode, Jennifer sits down with Megan Bozzuto, Interim CFO of Professional Diversity Network and longtime President of the International Association of Women. Together, they unpack what it’s really like to lead inside toxic corporate cultures, the silent sacrifices women make in the name of success, and what it takes to reclaim your voice in environment...

Dr. Laurel Mellin is a health psychologist who founded and developed emotional brain training (EBT). She is an associate clinical professor of family and community medicine and pediatrics at the University of California San Francisco. Dr. Mellin has authored papers on the science and efficacy of EBT and is a New York Times bestselling author of four books on the method. Stress and trauma—especially from early childhood—can create survival circuits in the brain, which drive coping mechanisms s...

Burnout is preventable. It's within our control to take action and prioritize self-care. Dr. Nekeshia Hammond is a leadership development coach, mental wellness expert, and keynote motivational speaker who helps high performers navigate burnout, exhaustion, and resiliency. In this episode, she dives deep into the importance of self-care for maintaining mental, physical, and emotional well-being. It is important to recognize burnout and find personal ways to reset, it with the help of support. J...

Businesses suffer when their owners do not prioritize their health. Ellen Goldman, M.Ed., NBC-HWC, PCC, is a wellness coach, healthy lifestyle and weight loss coach, speaker, and author. She is passionate about serving others and helping them achieve their health and wellness goals. Ellen explains that the real challenge lies in behavior change. Many people attempt to overhaul their lifestyles, but this approach often leads to burnout and failure. The key is mindset and motivation, which s...

Achieving success in any area—health, career, or relationships—requires consistent, intentional actions over time. Drewbie Wilson is the CEO of Call the Damn Leads, a bestselling author, podcaster, consultant and mentor. He inspires leaders to become the most elite version of themselves. Drewbie shares his transformation story from weighing over 300 pounds to losing 100 pounds—not just once, but twice. "The truth will set you free, even if it hurts sometimes," explaining how tough love fro...

If you don’t have a way to receive honest feedback, you’re missing out on the opportunity to become the leader you could be. Beate Cheleete is a podcast host, facilitator, author, business and growth strategist, and founder of "The Woman’s Code." She offers practical strategies, blueprints, and tools to enhance women’s leadership skills and amplify their impact. Beate simplifies complex processes into repeatable steps, helping women turn their talents into thriving businesses and seize career...

Running the business with the end in mind improves its future saleability and also enhances how the business operates today. Laurie Barkman, is the CEO of The Business Transition Sherpa, adjunct professor of entrepreneurship, and podcast host. She is the former CEO of a $100 million revenue company that was sold to a Fortune 50. Her expertise in business transition, succession, entrepreneurship, marketing, and M&A has been spotlighted in various media like Newsweek, Forbes, Yahoo! Finance, WT...

It's not about fixing emotional eating—it's about loving yourself through it. Marla Mervis Hartmann, is a coach, TedX speaker and creator of Love Your Body, Love Yourself. She shares her personal journey of struggling with restrictive dieting, over-exercising, and body dissatisfaction despite having a healthy physique. Women face societal pressures and diet culture that often lead to a cycle of criticism and control, particularly as the body changes through different life stages like menopaus...