The Five Success Wounds: The Mental Roadblocks Holding You and Your Business Back

Burnout, imposter syndrome, and people-pleasing may not be the real problem. Today’s episode reveals the hidden success wounds underneath them. In this episode, executive coach Brooke Taylor and Natalie discuss why so many high-achieving women tie their self-worth to success and how that pattern can lead to burnout, imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and people-pleasing. Brooke breaks down the five “success wound” archetypes, why ambitious women often over-function in business and relationships, and how personal development can help separate achievement from identity. They also explore success addiction, firstborn-daughter patterns, fulfillment, and how women in business can pursue big goals without constantly feeling like they are not enough. In this episode, Natalie and Brooke will discuss: (00:00) The Success Wound in Small Business Owners (03:58) Why Eldest Daughters Are More Likely to Burn Out (07:16) The Drastic Effect of Over-Performing in Every Area of Life (10:36) The Five Types of Success Wounds and How They Show Up (15:55) How Our Different Parts Show Up in Business (20:17) Discovering Who Your True Self Is and Learning to Trust Her (24:46) Addressing the Fear of Losing Your Drive While Healing (27:51) Imposter Syndrome and Burnout Are Symptoms, Not Causes (35:37) Navigating Addictions to Alcohol vs. Success (44:38) Tips to Step Into Your True Self as a Business Leader Today Brooke Taylor is a keynote speaker, former marketing lead at Google, and executive coach for women in tech, finance, healthcare, and consulting. She’s also the author of Healing the Success Wound, the go-to guide for separating your self-worth from your productivity so you can build a career that actually feels fulfilling.  Sponsored By:  Fora Travel - Visit⁠⁠ foratravel.com/bossbabe⁠⁠⁠ to learn how to turn your love of trip planning into a business. FreshBooks - Get FreshBooks for less than $3 a month for your first four months at ⁠FreshBooks.com/podcast⁠.  Faire - Sign up today and get 50% off your first wholesale order, up to $100 at ⁠faire.com/bossbabe⁠.  AG1 - Save 20% on your first subscription order of AG1 Next Gen or AG1 Pro at ⁠drinkAG1.com/bossbabe. ⁠Hostinger - Go to ⁠Hostinger.com/bossbabe⁠ and use code BOSSBABE for 10% off. Resources Mentioned: Steve Jobs's 2005 Commencement Speech Brooke's Book, Healing the Success Wound Brooke's Coaching Program, Finally Fulfilled Connect with Brooke: Website LinkedIn Instagram Connect with Natalie:  Instagram LinkedIn Website YouTube Natalie’s Book, The Freedom-Based Business Method burnout, imposter syndrome, people-pleasing, personal development, women in business, Brooke Taylor, Natalie Ellis, success wound, burnout recovery, women entrepreneurs, female entrepreneurs, entrepreneur burnout, overcome imposter syndrome, stop people-pleasing, perfectionism, self-worth, personal growth, success addiction, high-achieving women, women in leadership, business mindset, work-life balance, career burnout, ambitious women, healing burnout, business coaching

As high-achieving women, we often pressure ourselves to be perfect in every area of our lives, including motherhood. But what if being the perfect parent isn’t the goal?  In this episode, conscious parenting founder Dr. Shefali joins Natalie to discuss her two new books, Raising Conscious Daughters and Raising Conscious Sons. She dives into the value of maternal energy in early childhood and how to balance career growth with focused, present parenting. She also explains why you should welcome your child’s boredom, anger, and urge to control others during play. Finally, she and Natalie break down the trauma and self-limiting beliefs quietly fueling high performers and how to unlearn them.  In this episode, Natalie and Dr. Shefali will discuss: (01:10) The Cost of Taking on Masculine Energy to Scale (05:15) Identifying Underlying Trauma Responses in Our Ambition (11:14) The Priceless Value of Maternal Energy for Young Children (15:49) Why Your Child's Anger Toward You is a Green Flag (20:03) Controlling Your Child's Conditions Instead of Behavior (23:16) Balancing Ego and Mindfulness as High Performers (27:02) Understanding Why Children Play and How to Engage (32:25) Teaching Your Children to Be Bored (40:54) Antidotes to Common Problems of High-Performing Women (49:49) How to Teach Your Children to Prioritize Their Needs (53:38) Advice for Women Trying to Do It All Dr. Shefali is a New York Times bestselling author and the founder of the revolutionary Conscious Parenting movement, which has transformed the ways in which the world parents their children. She integrates Western psychology and Eastern philosophy to help you heal your past, release your insecurities, and step into your most authentic and empowered self. She is the CEO of the Conscious Parenting and Life Coaching Institute, a globally recognized certification program training coaches in conscious parenting, emotional intelligence, and mindful living that has impacted thousands of families across more than 50 countries. Sponsored By:  Fora Travel - Visit⁠ foratravel.com/bossbabe⁠⁠ to learn how to turn your love of trip planning into a business. FreshBooks - Get FreshBooks for less than $3 a month for your first four months at FreshBooks.com/podcast. Faire - Sign up today and get 50% off your first wholesale order, up to $100 at faire.com/bossbabe. AG1 - Save 20% on your first subscription order of AG1 Next Gen or AG1 Pro at drinkAG1.com/bossbabe. Hostinger - Go to Hostinger.com/bossbabe and use code BOSSBABE for 10% off. Resources Mentioned: ⁠Dr. Shefali’s Book, Raising Conscious Sons⁠ ⁠Dr. Shefali’s Book, Raising Conscious Daughters⁠ ⁠Dr. Shefali and her daughter, Maia, on the Parenting & You podcast⁠ Connect with Dr. Shefali: ⁠Website⁠ ⁠TikTok⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠ Connect with Natalie:  ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Website⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠ ⁠Natalie’s Book, The Freedom-Based Business Method⁠ conscious parenting, gentle parenting, parenting advice, mom burnout, work life balance, Dr. Shefali, Natalie Ellis, parenting tips, motherhood, working moms, parenting boundaries, conscious motherhood, gentle parenting tips, parenting burnout, parenting mindset, raising children, child development, mom guilt, work life balance for moms, parenting podcast, conscious parent, parenting expert, emotional regulation, healthy boundaries, modern parenting, parenting help

Most entrepreneurs think we are destined to live a life of stress, burnout, and a busy calendar. Today, we’re proving that wrong and revealing how your business can give you the emotional, financial, and spiritual freedom you’ve always dreamed of.  In this episode, Natalie Ellis and Lori Harder are joined by a panel of prolific female entrepreneurs to talk about how they overcame intense burnout and found purpose, fulfillment, and freedom in their businesses. They break down how to balance seasons of growth with emotional hardships, how breathwork and intentional presence can make waves in your business, and why authenticity matters to both you and your audience.  In this episode, the panel will discuss: (01:28) The Power of Authenticity in Podcasting (06:11) Building Non-Negotiable Social Media Habits (09:21) The IG Account That Got 800K Followers After Three Videos (13:13) Running a Business From Intuition Over Strategy (20:48) Finding Wisdom in Your Deepest Wounds (25:30) When Living Your Dreams Leaves You Lonely (30:20) How Breathwork Reveals What You Need to Find Fulfillment (34:52) How Entrepreneurs Can Balance Massive Growth With Personal Instability (38:40) Advice for High-Performing Women Struggling With Vulnerability (45:58) A Practical Guide to Abandoning Labels that No Longer Serve You (57:03) Why Not Following Your Purpose Hurts the People You Love Sponsored By:  Fora Travel - Visit ⁠https://www.foratravel.com/bossbabe⁠ to learn how to turn your love of trip planning into a business. Resources Mentioned: Instagram: The Kumar Method Lori Harder’s Podcast, Earn Your Happy  Sacred Woman by Queen Afua Powerhouse Women with Lindsey Schwartz The CHBT Method in Wellbeing Rituals: Science-Backed Practices for Sustainable Healing and Living by Michael B. Beckwith and Koya Webb  Get Loved Up Embodied Leadership Academy with Koya Webb Connect with Natalie:  Instagram LinkedIn Website YouTube Natalie’s Book, The Freedom-Based Business Method

If you’re struggling to gain traction on social media for your business, this episode will give you the blueprint on how to revitalize your digital marketing strategy and scale your business without burning out.  In this special interview at the iconic Godmothers bookstore, Jamie Kern Lima interviews Natalie Ellis about her step-by-step formula for creating viral content and building a loyal audience on social media. She also breaks down how she uses Wispr Flow, Claude Code, and Replit to automate mundane tasks and provide a more personalized experience for her community, along with her advice on how entrepreneurs can better regulate their nervous systems to increase performance, productivity, and fulfillment, even in their busiest seasons.  In this episode, Natalie and Jamie will discuss: (00:00) Celebrating BossBabe's Impact on Women Globally (09:18) The Cost of Never Being Satisfied (17:33) The Myth of Having One Purpose in Life (26:07) The Value of Hustle Culture (30:56) Nervous System Regulation 101 for Entrepreneurs (36:24) My Tested Formula for Creating Content that Goes Viral (47:48) Easy Ways You Can Use AI Today to Grow Your Business (1:03:30) How to Inspire the Next Generation of Female Entrepreneurs (1:08:04) Maintaining Relationships While Healing Generational Trauma (01:13:10) When to Seek Investors Jamie Kern Lima is an entrepreneur, 2x New York Times bestselling author, and host of the #1 self-improvement podcast in the US, The Jamie Kern Lima Show. She co-founded IT Cosmetics, which she sold to L'Oréal for $1.2 billion in 2016, becoming the first female chief executive officer of a L'Oréal brand. Jamie has been included on Forbes’ list of "America's Richest Self-Made Women" since 2017. She's also an active philanthropist who has funded leadership training in more than 100 prisons and shelters across the US and has donated over $40 million in product and funds to help women face the effects of cancer with confidence.  Sponsored By:  Fora Travel - Visit https://www.foratravel.com/bossbabe to learn how to turn your love of trip planning into a business. Resources Mentioned: Godmothers Natalie’s Book, The Freedom-Based Business Method Wispr Flow Claude Code Replit Connect with Jamie Kern Lima: Instagram LinkedIn Website YouTube Jamie’s Podcast, The Jamie Kern Lima Show Connect with Natalie:  Instagram LinkedIn Website YouTube Natalie’s Book, The Freedom-Based Business Method artificial intelligence, AI tools, AI for business, social media marketing, personal branding, entrepreneurship, content creation, Natalie Ellis, Jamie Kern Lima, BossBabe, Claude Code, Replit, Wispr Flow, AI automation, AI marketing, business automation, social media growth, build a personal brand, audience growth, content strategy, viral content, creator economy, digital marketing, AI for entrepreneurs, business growth, online business, community building

Want to build an audience that AI can’t replace? Natalie Ellis and Lori Harder reveal the personal branding strategy behind real business growth. In this episode, Lori and Natalie discuss how entrepreneurship can create more freedom when it’s built around focus, systems, and community. They break down personal branding, business growth, social media marketing, how to build an audience you actually own, and why that audience can become a powerful advantage in the age of AI. Natalie shares her one-product, one-client, one-funnel, one-platform approach to growth, while Lori explains how podcasting and strategic guest appearances can expand your reach, relationships, and revenue. In this episode, Natalie and Lori will discuss: (03:47) How Entrepreneurship Creates Freedom (07:27) Path to Growth: Hustle Culture or Soft-Life CEO? (10:41) Abandoning People’s Expectations of You (16:50) How Trauma Can Create Freedom (18:01) Future-Proofing Your Business in the Age of AI (21:27) Want to Build a Loyal Audience? Do THIS (25:47) The Ugly Truth About Launching New Ventures (29:39) Podcasting as a Vehicle for Building Online Communities (33:49) Replacing Jealousy With Collaboration (37:33) The Podcast Industry’s Most Gatekept Rules Lori Harder is a serial entrepreneur, author, and founder of beauty and wellness brand Glōci. She has built and scaled multiple million-dollar businesses and hosts the Earn Your Happy podcast, which has surpassed 65 million downloads. Lori also invests in more than 10 companies and helps entrepreneurs grow their brands, businesses, and networks. Resources Mentioned: Natalie’s Book, The Freedom-Based Business Method Mel Robbins’s Podcast, The Mel Robbins Podcast Connect with Lori: Lori’s Podcast, Earn Your Happy  YouTube Instagram LinkedIn Website Lori’s Book, A Tribe Called Bliss Connect with Natalie:  Instagram LinkedIn Website YouTube Natalie’s Book, The Freedom-Based Business Method Entrepreneurship, personal branding, business growth, social media marketing, how to build an audience, AI for business, Natalie Ellis, Lori Harder, bossbabe, build a personal brand, audience growth, grow on social media, online business, business systems, business strategy, content marketing, community building, podcast marketing, podcast guesting, entrepreneur mindset, brand building, grow your business, social media growth, AI marketing, freedom based business

This is the conversation about the part most founders don't say out loud: the moment you hit the revenue number and feel nothing. Natalie sits down with Jenna Wright — a Pilates studio owner who built a 7-figure business from $1,000 and an air mattress. From the outside, she'd made it. From the inside, she was running at 9% profit, paying herself $80K a year, and calling it — in her own words — a pretty prison. So she did what most founders won't: she dismantled it on purpose. They go inside the math (she was running $1.2M at 9% profit, paying herself $80K/year), the team mutiny that finally broke the model, and the deliberate revenue cut from $1.2M to $650K that tripled her margin to 30%. If you've ever hit the revenue numbers and felt nothing, this episode is the operating system for what comes next. Time Stamps: 07:40 "Tired at a soul level" — the burnout most founders hide 10:00 $1,000 and an air mattress: the rebuild from zero 14:05 $250K to $875K in one year (and the cost it hid) 19:10 The misery beneath success 25:15 The team mutiny that broke the business model 28:33 The math: cutting 4 studios to 2, profit triples 31:50 "Your business will expose every wound you have" 33:00 The 7-day retreat that reorganized everything  40:05 The lessons Jenna is rewriting today Resources + Links: Pre-Order The Freedom-Based Business Method. Follow Jenna: @iam_jennawright Learn more about Jenna's Teacher Training Follow Jenna Wright + Read Her Substack "The Shift" Where She Documents The Scale-Down Publicly Sign Up For Our Free Weekly Newsletter & Get Insights From Natalie Every Single Week On All Things Strategy, Motherhood, Business Growth + More.  Drop Us A Review On The Podcast + Send Us A Screenshot & We’ll Send You Natalie’s 7-Figure Operating System Completely FREE (value $1,997).

In this episode, Natalie sits down with Keren Eldad — coach to some of the world's highest achievers and author of Gilded and the new Gilt Free — to unpack why external success never delivers the safety it promises. Keren shares the three core wounds beneath achievement addiction, the "gilded cage" so many high-achieving women are trapped in, and the surprising income threshold where what you want out of life finally starts to change. You'll learn how to recognize the wound driving your hustle, why "assume everyone likes you" became her most viral piece of advice, and the riptide rule for holding onto success without letting it consume you. If you've ever achieved everything you set out to and quietly wondered why it's still not enough, this episode is the reframe and the way out. Time Stamps:  03:50 The gilded cage: when the shiny life is the trap 07:50 "Yes, we're addicts" — achievement as addiction 15:30 The 3 core wounds behind every overachiever 18:18 The success coach who still spirals when business slows 21:34 The $500K line that changes what you actually want 27:50 "Assume everyone likes you" — the rule that went viral 38:11 The riptide rule for holding onto success 48:28 Why scaling might be the wrong goal entirely 53:46 What real credibility in coaching actually looks like Links & Resources:  Pre-Order The Freedom-Based Business Method. Follow Keren: @coachkeren  Grab a copy of Keren’s book - Gilded: Breaking Free from the Cage of Ambition, Perfectionism, and the Relentless Pursuit of More Listen to Natalie on COACHED by Keren Eldad Sign Up For Our Free Weekly Newsletter & Get Insights From Natalie Every Single Week On All Things Strategy, Motherhood, Business Growth + More.  Drop Us A Review On The Podcast + Send Us A Screenshot & We’ll Send You Natalie’s 7-Figure Operating System Completely FREE (value $1,997).

Most course creators add more channels to scale. Anna Konchar did the opposite and now runs a 7-figure business on 2 days a week. Natalie sits down with Anna Konchar — the funnel strategist behind a 7-figure evergreen course business that runs on 2 days a week while she's home with her three kids. Anna shares the exact mechanics of the evergreen funnel + paid ads engine she's used for eight years, why she cut her podcast and YouTube last year to focus on ONE offer, and how she rebuilt after her payment processor shut down her account overnight. Expect specific numbers, uncomfortable honesty about AI in funnels, and a framework you can test against your own course business this quarter. If you've ever wondered how a course creator can scale to seven figures without launching live, this episode is the operating system. Time Stamps: 03:11 From laid-off to full-time entrepreneur in 30 minutes 07:33 The funnel that sells while she sleeps 16:55 When the offer stops converting, fix THIS first 21:30 The pricing test most course creators never run 24:00 The webinar mistake 99% of course creators make 32:13 The day her recurring revenue disappeared overnight 39:10 How a 7-figure founder preps for maternity leave Resources + Links Annakonchar.com/bossbabe Find Anna on IG: https://www.instagram.com/annakonchar/ Pre-Order The Freedom-Based Business Method. Sign Up For Our Free Weekly Newsletter & Get Insights From Natalie Every Single Week On All Things Strategy, Motherhood, Business Growth + More. Drop Us A Review On The Podcast + Send Us A Screenshot & We’ll Send You Natalie’s 7-Figure Operating System Completely FREE (value $1,997).

Ever wondered why every time you reach a new revenue level, the same exhaustion shows up — just dressed differently? In this conversation, Natalie sits down with Julie Santiago — founder of We Are The Women, former Wall Street operator, and one of the rare guests who can break down what high-functioning burnout actually looks like at the 7- and 8-figure mark. Julie walks through the three burnouts that shaped her career: the Wall Street year that put tumors on her ovary at 28, the coaching practice she rebuilt in a San Francisco apartment, and the post-motherhood collapse that brought her to her knees again. The takeaway isn't grit. It isn't quitting. It's something Julie calls evolution and it's the framework most high-achieving women never get taught. This isn't about hustle, balance, or finding your why. It's a brutally honest breakdown of what high-functioning burnout actually looks like at the 7- and 8-figure mark, why the same pattern that builds your success eventually breaks you, and how to evolve past the cycle so you stop ending up in the same place at every new level. Time Stamps: 00:59 The childhood imprint that built an 8-figure business and broke it 05:45 Wall Street, tumors at 28, and the body's verdict 13:10 The 2-path trap: why pushing through OR quitting both fail 20:45 Why clunkiness is a season change, not a failure to optimize 28:40 The match-my-salary moment her therapist shut down 33:22 Safety, surrender, and a new relationship to money 38:18 The metaphor that broke her thinking about money's source 43:30 Going all-in vs. knowing when to evolve Resources + Links: Pre-Order The Freedom-Based Business Method. Follow Julie on Instagram Learn more about We Are the Women Sign Up For Our Free Weekly Newsletter & Get Insights From Natalie Every Single Week On All Things Strategy, Motherhood, Business Growth + More.  Drop Us A Review On The Podcast + Send Us A Screenshot & We’ll Send You Natalie’s 7-Figure Operating System Completely FREE (value $1,997).

Organic content builds your brand. But ads? Ads build your bank. In this episode, Natalie sits down with Brooke Shelton — a former Meta insider who helped train the platform's ad AI and advised advertisers spending hundreds of millions of dollars on Meta. Brooke delivers a full tactical masterclass on running Meta ads with AI: the strategy most founders get wrong, how to build AI agents that create and manage your campaigns, and why the next 9 to 12 months are a rare window to master this before Meta automates it all away. You'll learn the one-campaign, one-ad-set rule that stops you competing against yourself in the ad auction, why creative (not audience targeting) is your only real advantage in 2026, and how Brooke runs her entire business on AI with zero team after 6X-ing her revenue. She also breaks down the difference between an assistant, an agent, and agentic AI, then gives a step-by-step walkthrough for building your very first AI agent today. If you've ever felt like ads are too technical, too expensive, or too overwhelming to touch, this episode is the reframe — and the operating system behind it. And if this conversation lights you up, Natalie and Brooke are taking it live and hands-on at their AI hackathon in New York City on June 10th. All the details are linked below. Time Stamps: 00:00 - From Meta's ads AI team to building her own business 06:30 - Why organic builds brand, but ads build bank 09:49 - The 9-month AI window before Meta does it all for you 14:27 - The one-campaign, one-ad-set rule most founders get wrong 18:14 - How to let AI run your entire ad account 21:58 - Why creative is your only real bid in 2026 26:11 - Can AI really build hundreds of ads? The 10/80/10 reality 29:32 - Assistant vs agent vs agentic AI, finally explained 34:19 - The full AI tool stack behind a zero-team business 41:53 - How to build your first AI agent today 46:53 - Inside the June hackathon with Natalie + Brooke Resources + Links: Join Natalie + Brooke At The Freedom AI Hackathon In NYC On June 10th: Spend One Day Building Your Entire AI-Powered Sales + Marketing Engine, Done With You In The Room Get Inside Brooke's AI Ads Coaching Membership At Atelier AI Natalie + Jamie Kern Lima At GodMothers: An Evening Of Connection, Wisdom + Community For Ambitious Women Join The Earn Your Happy Live Podcast Taping With Lori Harder: Be In The Room For A Live Recording With Natalie + Lori Harder (plus a Q&A session with Powerhouse Female Entrepreneurs) Pre-Order The Freedom-Based Business Method.