The High Achieving Female Podcast

Sharon Lechter co-authored Rich Dad Poor Dad as a marketing brochure for a $200 board game — it went on to sell over 40 million copies and spend seven years on the New York Times bestseller list. In this Season 9 finale, Sharon breaks down why 68-70% of women's holdings sit in cash instead of assets, the "Henry" trap (High Earner, Not Rich Yet) keeping high earners from real wealth, and her Personal Success Equation for turning fear into fuel. She also opens up about the hardest lesson she ever learned about money, and why her newest book reframes wealth as legacy, not just dollars. Key Takeaways & Highlights Rich Dad Poor Dad started as a $200 sales brochure — Sharon and her partner never expected it to become more than one book. 80% of men die married, 80% of women die single — the stat Sharon says every woman needs to hear before she needs it. "Henry's": High Earner, Not Rich Yet — the trap of expanding expenses as fast as income, which keeps high earners from building real wealth. The Personal Success Equation — Passion x Talent x Power of Association x Taking Action, all wrapped in Faith instead of Fear. "Let me talk to my advisors" — Sharon's go-to line for slowing down excitement long enough to make a business decision instead of an emotional one. True wealth is who you become, not what you accumulate — the core idea behind her newest book, Old Wealth, New Wealth, True Wealth. If this episode hit home, hit follow so you catch next week's episode, and a quick rating on Apple Podcasts helps more high-achieving women find this show. WATCH & LISTEN TO US AT Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-high-achieving-female-podcast/id1569518130 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wzMvTVtNmCVY5vLoYXZWk YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theknowwomen RESOURCES + LINKS www.SharonLechter.com Read Sarah's Favorite Book: Think and Grow Rich for Women Read Sharon's Latest Book: Old Wealth, New Wealth, True Wealth Take the Quiz: www.personalsuccessequation.com FOLLOW KNOW Women: www.instagram.com/theknowwomen Sarah Benken Foushee: www.instagram.com/sarahbenkenfoushee Visit the KNOW website: www.theknowwomen.com Subscribe to INSIDER for $6.99/mo: www.theknowinsider.com ABOUT KNOW WOMEN AND THE HAF PODCAST The High Achieving Female Podcast, powered by KNOW — where women who've actually built it come to share how they did it. KNOW is a national media and network company for high-impact women in business, spotlighting the founders, CEOs, and leaders who are scaling real companies through KNOW Magazine, live events, the 50 Women to KNOW recognition program, and a curated network of 250 top-tier women entrepreneurs and executives. Every episode is a conversation with someone who's built something real — the wins, the setbacks, and the path — so the next generation of women has a roadmap, not just inspiration. ABOUT SARAH BENKEN FOUSHEE Sarah Benken Foushee is the Founder, Publisher, and CEO of KNOW — an invite-only national media company and network elevating multimillion-dollar women founders across the country. With roots in accounting and operations, she built her business long before she built her brand — five profitable exits and two brands scaled internationally later, she's one of the most credentialed voices in women's entrepreneurship. Her work blends luxury and leadership: sharp business intelligence with a no-nonsense, sister-to-sister delivery. She's been featured in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, and 50+ outlets — and has the awards to match. She believes community is a power move. And that being a founder isn't glamorous. It's strategic.

Episode Summary: Are you running away on vacation just to escape a stressful business, endless family demands, and a chaotic schedule—only to return home feeling more exhausted than when you left? It's time to stop traveling to escape your reality and start living in a way that makes you feel optimized every single day. In this rejuvenating solo episode of the High Achieving Female Podcast, Lauren Pronger—founder and CEO of Well Inspired Travels and creator of the Superwell Living Method—reveals how high-achieving women can seamlessly transition from just being "okay" to being completely superwell. Lauren introduces the concept of daily "habit stacking" using the morning and evening as critical bookmarks for your health. She shares an effortless, zero-anxiety blueprint to regulate your central nervous system, manage cortisol spikes, and optimize your day. Tune in to learn why you need to get your eyes to the sun before looking at a screen, how to lean into your parasympathetic nervous system at night, and what it truly means to be a well woman striving for a superwell lifestyle. Key Takeaways & Highlights: Intentional vs. Escape Travel: Shifting the narrative of a vacation from a chaotic, health-sabotaging escape to a mindful journey where you return home better than when you left. The Morning Bookmark: Why drinking a liter of water and avoiding technology first thing in the morning blocks instant cortisol spikes. The Science of the Optical Nerve: How viewing morning sunlight and evening sunsets resets your circadian rhythm and optimizes sleep. Parasympathetic Evening Stacking: Simple shifts like early dinners, sunset walks, and blue-light blocking lenses to pull your body out of chronic corporate "fight-or-flight" mode. Links & Resources Mentioned: Discover Well Inspired Travels: wellinspiredtravels.com (or preferred brand link) Follow Lauren Pronger: @Lauren_Pronger Follow the Podcast: @HighAchievingFemale Follow on Instagram & LinkedIn: @theknowwomen For more like this head to www.theknowinsider.com 

Melissa Parvis built Fresh Clean Threads from her guest bedroom, packing subscription boxes by hand until USPS needed a bigger truck for pickup, into a venture-backed, multi-million dollar DTC apparel empire. Now, instead of starting a third brand from scratch, she's done something most founders don't: she acquired one. In this episode, Melissa breaks down why she and her husband bought Recess Pickleball instead of building a new label, how she's rebranding it into Club Recess, and the lawyer-and-paperwork lesson she says is non-negotiable for anyone considering a brand acquisition.   Key Takeaways & Highlights: Strive for excellence, not perfection: Melissa's core operating principle, and the one thing she says has kept her from burning out across two brands. The first hire that changed everything: warehousing. Once Fresh Clean Threads hit 1,000 subscribers, getting packing and shipping out of the house freed her up for strategy and marketing. Brand recognition was the deciding factor: Melissa and her husband almost started a third brand from scratch before realizing buying an existing community was the smarter move. A rebrand isn't a demolition: Club Recess kept the backbone of what people already knew and loved about Recess Pickleball while updating colors, logo, and product line. Get a great lawyer, get everything in writing: Melissa's non-negotiable advice for anyone building, buying, or exiting a business. Believe in yourself, follow your heart, enjoy the journey: her closing advice to any woman building or rebuilding something of her own. If this episode hit home, hit follow so you catch next week's episode, and a quick rating on Apple Podcasts helps more high-achieving women find this show.   WATCH & LISTEN TO US AT Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-high-achieving-female-podcast/id1569518130 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wzMvTVtNmCVY5vLoYXZWk YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theknowwomen   RESOURCES + LINKS Fresh Clean Threads, freshcleanthreads.com  Club Recess, clubrecess.com   FOLLOW KNOW Women: www.instagram.com/theknowwomen Sarah Benken Foushee: www.instagram.com/sarahbenkenfoushee Visit the KNOW website: www.theknowwomen.com Subscribe to INSIDER for $6.99/mo: www.theknowinsider.com   ABOUT KNOW WOMEN AND THE HAF PODCAST The High Achieving Female Podcast, powered by KNOW, where women who've actually built it come to share how they did it. KNOW is a national media and network company for high-impact women in business, spotlighting the founders, CEOs, and leaders who are scaling real companies through KNOW Magazine, live events, the 50 Women to KNOW recognition program, and a curated network of 250 top-tier women entrepreneurs and executives. Every episode is a conversation with someone who's built something real, the wins, the setbacks, and the path, so the next generation of women has a roadmap, not just inspiration.   ABOUT SARAH BENKEN FOUSHEE Sarah Benken Foushee is the Founder, Publisher, and CEO of KNOW, an invite-only national media company and network elevating multimillion-dollar women founders across the country. With roots in accounting and operations, she built her business long before she built her brand, five profitable exits and two brands scaled internationally later, she's one of the most credentialed voices in women's entrepreneurship. Her work blends luxury and leadership: sharp business intelligence with a no-nonsense, sister-to-sister delivery. She's been featured in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, and 50+ outlets, and has the awards to match. She believes community is a power move. And that being a founder isn't glamorous. It's strategic.  

Episode Summary: You're still showing up. You're still building. You're still leading. But quietly, your body has shifted from whispering to screaming that something is off. You're exhausted but can't sleep, your outfits aren't fitting like they used to, and the routines that always worked for you in the past are suddenly yielding zero results. In this vital solo episode of the High Achieving Female Podcast, Dr. Neema Moore—chiropractor, speaker, and founder of Dr. Neema's Wellness Co. and Revive and Thrive Retreats—shines a light on the health transition no one prepares ambitious women for. Dr. Neema reveals why this shift can hit as early as 35 years old, linking it directly to perimenopause, nervous system overload, and years of chronic "go-mode." This isn't a sign of failure; it's your body calling you to a higher level of care. Tune in to learn why willpower won't fix a hormonal burnout, how to track your energy instead of just your time, and why real healing requires stepping outside of your daily routine. Key Takeaways & Highlights: The 35+ Invisible Shift: Why hormonal changes and perimenopause hit high-achieving women earlier and harder than expected. The Cost of "Go-Mode": How relying on pure willpower and constant hustle deregulates the nervous system and alters how your body processes stress. Energy Tracking vs. Time Management: Shifting your daily metrics from how much you can get done to how much fuel you actually have left in the tank. The Power of Stepping Away: Why true physical reset and restoration cannot always happen inside your everyday routine—and the science behind luxury wellness resets. Links & Resources Mentioned: Connect with Dr. Neema on Instagram: @DrNeemaDC Learn About the Glow Code & Luxury Wellness Retreats: www.doctorneema.com/  Follow the Podcast: @HighAchievingFemale Follow at Instagram & LinkedIn: @theknowwomen For more like this head to www.theknowinsider.com   

Ann Meyers Drysdale is the only woman in history to sign an NBA contract — and that's just one line on a resume that includes an Olympic silver medal, a spot in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, and three decades as a broadcasting and front-office executive for the Phoenix Suns and Mercury. In this episode, Ann traces her path from a family of 11 kids where sports belonged equally to sons and daughters, to becoming the first woman to receive a full Division I athletic scholarship under Title IX, to trying out for the Indiana Pacers in 1979. She also opens up about the grief of losing her husband, Baseball Hall of Famer Don Drysdale, at 33 while raising three young children alone, and the faith and resilience that carried her through. Key Takeaways & Highlights: Title IX opened the door, but family opened it first: Ann's parents treated their five daughters and six sons as equals in sports long before Title IX became law. I've never liked the term glass ceiling: Ann's mindset was always the sky's the limit, not a ceiling to break through. Being the only woman in the room takes practice: the confidence to try out for the NBA in 1979 traces back to a bruising decision she made five years earlier as a high schooler. Grief doesn't cancel resilience: raising three kids alone after Don Drysdale's death, Ann leaned on faith, family, and the get up and do it mindset her own mother modeled. The next barrier isn't the court, it's the boardroom: Ann says the real work now is getting more women into decision-making roles, writers, producers, directors, owners. Don't ask what if: Ann's core advice for any woman weighing a leap she's not sure she's qualified for, jump in anyway. If this episode hit home, hit follow so you catch next week's episode, and a quick rating on Apple Podcasts helps more high-achieving women find this show. WATCH & LISTEN TO US AT Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-high-achieving-female-podcast/id1569518130 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wzMvTVtNmCVY5vLoYXZWk YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theknowwomen RESOURCES + LINKS You Let Some Girl Beat You by Ann Meyers Drysdale FOLLOW KNOW Women: www.instagram.com/@theknowwomen Sarah Benken Foushee: www.instagram.com/@sarahbenkenfoushee Visit the KNOW website: www.theknowwomen.com Subscribe to INSIDER for $6.99/mo: www.theknowinsider.com ABOUT KNOW WOMEN AND THE HAF PODCAST The High Achieving Female Podcast, powered by KNOW, where women who've actually built it come to share how they did it. KNOW is a national media and network company for high-impact women in business, spotlighting the founders, CEOs, and leaders who are scaling real companies through KNOW Magazine, live events, the 50 Women to KNOW recognition program, and a curated network of 250 top-tier women entrepreneurs and executives. Every episode is a conversation with someone who's built something real, the wins, the setbacks, and the path, so the next generation of women has a roadmap, not just inspiration. ABOUT SARAH BENKEN FOUSHEE Sarah Benken Foushee is the Founder, Publisher, and CEO of KNOW, an invite-only national media company and network elevating multimillion-dollar women founders across the country. With roots in accounting and operations, she built her business long before she built her brand, five profitable exits and two brands scaled internationally later, she's one of the most credentialed voices in women's entrepreneurship. Her work blends luxury and leadership: sharp business intelligence with a no-nonsense, sister-to-sister delivery. She's been featured in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, and 50+ outlets, and has the awards to match. She believes community is a power move. And that being a founder isn't glamorous. It's strategic.  

Episode Summary: How do you pitch the global CEO of one of the world's largest financial institutions on menstrual equity? You ask him if he carries toilet paper in his pockets. In this high-energy solo episode of the High Achieving Female Podcast, Denielle Finkelstein, co-founder and co-CEO of Unicorn, breaks down the strategic power of getting the right people into the right rooms. Denielle shifts the conversation away from cold, transactional networking and dives deep into the art of building a "personal board of directors." She shares the exact sequence of events—fueled entirely by an internal relationship with a local banker—that landed Unicorn an exclusive invite to a Boston cocktail party with JPMorgan Chase CEO, Jamie Dimon. Denielle pulls back the curtain on how to pitch high-net-worth decision-makers by making the corporate human, why women must stop acting like polite "observers" once they get access to major rooms, and her four-part framework for building a circle that changes your future. Key Takeaways & Highlights: Humans, Not Logos: Why modern business requires moving past job titles and org charts to focus entirely on genuine, non-transactional human connection. The Jamie Dimon Catalyst: The exact internal relationship that bypassed standard corporate channels and got Unicorn into an exclusive, male-dominated room. The Power of the Bold Pitch: How Denielle used a disruptive, relatable question to get the head of Chase Bank to instantly understand Unicorn's mission to put period products in every bathroom stall. The Observer Trap: Why women freeze or become overly polite once they finally get a seat at the table, and how to actively combat the urge to shrink. Links & Resources Mentioned: Discover Unicorn's Mission: unicorn.com (or insert preferred brand link) Connect with Denielle Finkelstein: LinkedIn Follow the Podcast: @HighAchievingFemale Follow on Instagram & LinkedIn: @theknowwomen For more like this head to www.theknowinsider.com   

Episode Summary: How do you balance high-growth entrepreneurship, venture capital fundraising, and motherhood without completely burning out? In this episode, we sit down with Nicole Centeno, the visionary founder and Co-CEO of Splendid Spoon. Nicole's career is a masterclass in cross-disciplinary brilliance—transitioning from research biology and media to revolutionizing the direct-to-consumer health space. After launching Splendid Spoon from a Brooklyn pizza kitchen in 2013, she has scaled the brand to over $25M in funding and recently acquired Mosaic Foods. Nicole gets raw and real about the "imposter syndrome" of the founder's journey, the strategic power of bringing in a Co-CEO, and why she credits meditation with saving her life. Key Takeaways & Highlights: The Curiosity Trap: How Nicole's background in biology and culinary arts turned her "founder frustration" into a multi-million dollar solution. Scaling Through Inflection Points: Why the 0-1 phase of business is fundamentally different from 10-20, and why you have to "invite the imposter" to grow. Fundraising While Pregnant: How Nicole commanded pitch rooms during her Series B round and why she decided to bring in a Co-CEO to balance the "visionary vs. operational" divide. Strategic Acquisitions: How to leverage aligned interests and manufacturing partnerships to scale through M&A (The Mosaic Foods acquisition). Mindful Leadership: Why meditation is a non-negotiable for high-achieving women and how to stop the "laptop" from telling you what to do. The 24-Hour Non-Negotiable: A simple, actionable step for every burnt-out founder listening right now. Connect Here:  splendidspoon.com mosaicfoods.com Connect with Nicole on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolecenteno/ Connect with KNOW:  Become an INSIDER: www.theknowinsider.com  Follow on Instagram: @theknowwomen

Episode Summary: If you have your life savings sitting comfortably in a cash or money market account earning 2%, you might think you are protecting your future. In reality, you could be making one of the most expensive financial mistakes of your career. In this high-stakes solo episode of the High Achieving Female Podcast, Kaitlyn Laney, founder and CEO of Laney Wealth Management, unpacks why simple saving is a defensive strategy—but building long-term wealth requires an offensive playbook. Kaitlyn shares the heartbreaking story of a highly educated Stanford physician who, out of fear following the 2008 crash, hoarded her wealth in cash for a decade, unknowingly delaying her dream retirement by five years due to the silent erosion of inflation. Kaitlyn delivers a masterclass on how high-achieving women can stop viewing investing as "gambling" and start stepping into the "financial front seat." She breaks down her framework for strategic wealth management, explaining why choosing products before defining a purpose ruins portfolios, and how an independent, fee-based fiduciary can help you build a work-optional lifestyle. Key Takeaways & Highlights: The Palo Alto Paradox: Why even top-earning, highly educated professionals fall into the trap of letting wealth sit idle in underutilized cash buckets. Defensive vs. Offensive Wealth: Understanding the core psychological shift between defensive cash hoarding and offensive asset cultivation (investing, ownership, tax leverage). The Hidden Cost of Safety: Why opportunity cost and poor tax structuring are often far more destructive to retirement goals than standard market volatility. The "Job Description" for Your Money: Laney Wealth Management's step-by-step approach to giving every single dollar a designated purpose (lifestyle, legacy, or optionality) before buying financial products. Links & Resources Mentioned: Access Financial Calculators & Tools: laneywm.com Follow the Podcast: @HighAchievingFemale Follow on Instagram & LinkedIn: @theknowwomen For more like this head to www.theknowinsider.com   

Episode Summary: Why do 20% of women-owned businesses reach $100k in revenue, while only a tiny fraction ever break past the seven-figure mark? In this episode, host sits down with Coco Selman—a 5-time serial entrepreneur, impact investor, and the visionary behind A Force for Good. Coco pulls back the curtain on how she took her company, Illume Home Care, from absolute zero to an eight-figure powerhouse with a seven-figure profit in just four years before navigating a massive strategic exit. Inspired by her stepdaughter Amelia's complex medical needs, Coco shares how she built a deeply emotional, purpose-driven brand without letting it cloud her operational strategy. She details her "special sauce" for scaling—including treating a startup like a Fortune 500 company from Day 1, auditing your time for "high-potency actions," and establishing rigid operational rituals. Now, she is on a massive mission to help 1,000 purpose-driven women founders break through their growth plateaus and scale to $20 million and beyond. Key Takeaways & Highlights: The Spark Behind Illume: How an unmet insurance need for Coco's stepdaughter Amelia exposed a massive systemic gap in home nursing care for medically fragile children. Operating in the Red for Licensure: The grueling, capital-intensive 18-month journey to secure CMS licensure and public health accreditation while paying staff out-of-pocket. Finding the Area of Chosen Greatness: How focusing exclusively on the recruitment and retention of high-quality nurses solved the industry's biggest bottleneck and unlocked rapid scale. The Psychological Pivot of a Serial Founder: Why treating your business as a "chapter" rather than your entire identity protects your strategic vision. The Fortune 500 Framework: Why putting your 10-year vision into clear language is the only way to step back and let your leadership team execute. Auditing for High-Potency Actions: How to define your "highest and best use" as a CEO by setting a singular 12-month breakthrough goal. Daily, Weekly, and Quarterly Rituals: The exact rhythm of operational reviews needed to keep the business steering toward True North when chaos hits. Coco's Next Move: Why Coco is currently hunting to acquire a soul-satisfying, cash-flowing business with $1M to $2M in EBITDA, and why acquisitions are the ultimate growth shortcut for women. Links & Resources Mentioned: Explore A Force for Good: aforceforgood.biz Learn About the Founders Circle Program: aforceforgood.biz/founders-circle Follow the Podcast: @HighAchievingFemale  

Episode Summary: How do you take a single, simple product—a flexible, weather-proof plastic bangle—and turn it into a multi-million dollar, decades-long global movement without ever losing its core identity? You sell the meaning, not just the merchandise. In this beautiful solo episode of the High Achieving Female Podcast, Jessica Jesse, the CEO, founder, and creative director of BuDhaGirl, pulls back the curtain on the art of mindful retail. Inspired by her deep experiences with contemplative practices in Thailand, Jessica set out 14 years ago to prove that women could be simultaneously "mindfully glamorous." Jessica shares how she resisted the fast-fashion temptation to constantly reinvent her brand, choosing instead to anchor her signature All-Weather Bangles in daily morning rituals, moon cycles, and seasonal intentions. From starting with just one single gold bangle to scaling a powerhouse direct-to-consumer and wholesale empire spanning Dillard's and hundreds of independent boutiques, this episode is a masterclass for any entrepreneur wanting to build a timeless, legacy brand that transcends passing fads. Key Takeaways & Highlights: The Thai Inspiration: How immersive contemplative practices inspired Jessica to infuse a simple, fashion-forward accessory with a sense of sacred morning intention. Evolution Without Extinction: The strategic journey from a single gold bangle to 47 distinct colorways while preserving the exact same product essence and material integrity. The Art of Stackable Design: How BuDhaGirl leveraged consumer behavior to turn a singular product into a collectible, highly personalized movement. Storytelling vs. Hype: How aligning product marketing with timeless spiritual anchors—like the zodiac and lunar phases—shields a product from the standard fashion hype cycle. Links & Resources Mentioned: Shop the Collection: budhagirl.com Follow BuDhaGirl on Instagram: @budhagirl Follow the Podcast: @HighAchievingFemale Follow on Instagram & LinkedIn: @theknowwomen For more like this head to www.theknowinsider.com