Starting over doesn't mean starting from zero

What if learning to say no is actually the first step toward saying yes to the life you want?In this episode of She Says It, host Madeline Sargent sits down with Paula Mathias, author, speaker, and creator of The Yes Test, for an honest conversation about setting boundaries, overcoming people-pleasing, finding confidence, and making intentional choices.After years of navigating career expectations, Paula began questioning why so many women say yes out of guilt, fear, or obligation. She shares the experiences that inspired her work, including a pivotal moment when she found herself shrinking in a boardroom instead of using her voice.Together, Madeline and Paula explore boundaries in female friendships, advocating for yourself at work, reinventing yourself at any age, and recognizing the value of your own time.Paula also shares her experience with the 1,000 Rejection Challenge, why she secretly wrote her first book, and how pursuing big dreams requires getting comfortable with uncertainty.This conversation is a reminder that you're not behind, it's never too late to change direction, and saying no can create space for the life you actually want.Because your time matters. Your voice matters. And you get to decide what deserves your yes.Explore The Yes TestDiscover Paula's book, The Yes Test Method, and learn more about her speaking engagements and workshops.Order the book and discover Paula's website. Bring Your Story to Life with MadlyCreativeHave a business, brand, or creative idea you've been wanting to pursue? Madeline's 1:1 Story + Strategy Sessions help you clarify your messaging, explore new ideas, and create an actionable roadmap.You have something to say. I can help you say it.Book a session: https://www.madlycreative.coFollow along on instagram: @she.says.it

Have you ever had a dream that keeps finding its way back to you?For Madeline, that dream has always been New York City.In this solo episode of She Says It: Find Your Voice, Madeline shares a personal story about chasing dreams, navigating rejection, and finding yourself in the life you didn’t necessarily plan.After a spontaneous trip to NYC and two job rejections that changed her plans, she reflects on the complicated relationship between ambition, disappointment, personal growth, and the unexpected beauty of the life she’s built along the way.Through honest storytelling and personal reflection, this episode explores what happens when our dreams evolve alongside us. From building a creative business to navigating life transitions and learning to embrace the present, Madeline considers whether the dreams we carry are meant to come true exactly as we imagined—or whether they sometimes lead us somewhere entirely different.Because we can love the lives we’re living while still making room for the ones we imagine.So, what’s a dream you’ve carried with you? And has it changed as you’ve grown?✨ An exclusive offer for She Says It listeners!Your story matters, and so does the way you tell it.Through MadlyCreative, Madeline helps entrepreneurs, creatives, and businesses find clarity in their messaging, tell meaningful stories, and bring their ideas to life.She’s opening a limited number of 1:1 Story & Strategy Sessions for anyone looking to refine their brand, explore a creative idea, or develop a storytelling strategy for 2027.As a thank-you for listening, enjoy 20% off your session — $400 instead of $500!Mention She Says It when reaching out to claim your listener discount.You have something to say. I can help you say it. Learn more: www.madlycreative.co/servicesFollow She Says It on Instagram: @she.says.it

What if finding your purpose isn’t about having a plan, but following what makes you feel alive?This week on She Says It: Find Your Voice, host Madeline Sargent sits down with Jenni, founder of Body & Soul Pilates in Puyallup, Washington, for an honest conversation about personal growth, body image, self-worth, and finding purpose in unexpected places.From dreaming of becoming a professional dancer to building a Pilates studio rooted in connection and acceptance, Jenni shares the personal experiences that shaped her journey. She opens up about her experience with anorexia, the pressures of perfectionism, and how her relationship with movement, identity, and self-worth has evolved over time.Through Jenni’s story, we explore what it means to redefine success, navigate life’s unexpected transitions, and build something meaningful from the experiences that have shaped us. From creative entrepreneurship and the realities of being a woman in business to the power of community, this episode is a reminder that finding yourself isn’t always about knowing exactly where you’re going.Sometimes, it’s about discovering what matters most along the way.In this episode, we explore:💜 Finding your purpose through personal growth and unexpected life transitions.💜 Navigating body image, perfectionism, and our relationships with movement.💜 Building a business and creating a community rooted in connection and acceptance.💜 Redefining success, embracing change, and finding meaning in your own story.Before you listen: This episode includes discussions of anorexia, disordered eating, and body image.Connect Body & Soul Pilates | Puyallup, WA bodyandsoulpilates.comMadlyCreative | Brand Strategy madlycreative.co

What does it mean to be visible as a woman in business? And how do you find the confidence to show up as yourself?In this episode of She Says It: Find Your Voice, host Madeline Sargent sits down with Nathalia (Nat), entrepreneur, digital strategist, and founder of Viksen Creative, for an honest conversation about female entrepreneurship, personal branding, business visibility, and building a business on your own terms.After 12 years of growing her business alongside a corporate career, Nat made the leap into full-time entrepreneurship in 2026. She shares her journey of navigating career transitions, finding confidence as a woman in business, and learning what it means to become the face of your own brand.Together, Madeline and Nat explore the challenges of marketing yourself, the expectations placed on women online, and why building a successful business requires more than a beautiful website. From SEO and strategic messaging to motherhood, identity, and finding your community, their conversation explores the personal experiences behind entrepreneurship and the courage it takes to pursue something of your own.In this episode, we explore:🧡 Finding confidence and visibility as a woman entrepreneur.🧡 Navigating the transition from a corporate career to full-time entrepreneurship.🧡 Personal branding, SEO, and strategic storytelling for small businesses.🧡 Balancing motherhood, identity, ambition, and personal growth.🧡 Building meaningful connections and finding your people in business.Because visibility isn’t just about being seen. It’s about showing others what’s possible. 🧡Connect with Nathalia on Instagram: @viksencreativeFollow She Says It on Instagram: @she.says.it

What happens when you lose your voice? And how do you find the confidence to use it again?In this episode of She Says It: Find Your Voice, host Madeline Sargent sits down with Bia Lopez, sales mentor, coach, speaker, and host of the podcast Dangerously Expressed, for an honest conversation about finding your voice, rebuilding confidence, personal growth, and learning to take up space without apologizing for who you are.After 15 years in pharmaceutical and medical device sales, Bia experienced two firings that left her questioning her abilities, her identity, and eventually, her own voice. What began as a professional setback became a deeply personal journey of rediscovering her confidence and learning how to express herself authentically.Now, Bia uses those experiences to help women entrepreneurs build businesses rooted in confidence, meaningful relationships, and their own definitions of success.Together, Madeline and Bia explore the relationship between identity and entrepreneurship, the challenges of visibility for women in business, and how following too many marketing rules can make us lose sight of what we actually want to say.From navigating career setbacks and overcoming self-doubt to building genuine relationships through sales, finding opportunities beyond social media, and redefining success, this episode explores what happens when we stop measuring our worth by external expectations and start trusting our own voices.Because finding your voice isn’t always about discovering something new. Sometimes, it’s about reconnecting with the parts of yourself you lost along the way.Connect with Bia LopezFollow Bia on Instagram, Threads, and TikTok at @itsbealopez.Listen to her podcast, Dangerously Expressed. Work with MadelineYour story deserves a brand that sounds and feels like you.Through MadlyCreative, Madeline helps founders and creatives find clarity in their messaging, develop intentional brand strategies, and communicate what makes their work different.Ready to bring your story to life? Explore branding, storytelling, and creative strategy services.

What if starting over isn’t about reinventing yourself, but finally recognizing who you’ve been becoming all along?Season three of She Says It: Find Your Voice begins with an honest conversation about personal growth, identity, entrepreneurship, and the experiences that shape who we become.Host Madeline Sargent sits down with Andrea, founder of Brighten Creative and one of the first women she connected with when they were both beginning to build their businesses in January 2026. Nearly a year later, they’re reflecting on what they’ve learned about starting over, finding confidence, taking up space, and building a brand that reflects who you really are.After spending 10 years as a stay-at-home mom, navigating life as a military spouse, living around the world, and exploring careers in yoga, interior design, and website design, Andrea found her way to story-led branding. What once seemed like a collection of unrelated experiences became the foundation of her creative entrepreneurship journey. Looking back, she no longer sees those different paths as failures, but as meaningful chapters in her personal story.Together, Madeline and Andrea explore ADHD and pattern recognition, life transitions, recognizing your own value, turning 40, and the expectations that can make women feel they need to fit into certain boxes. They also discuss the power of personal storytelling, authentic branding, and how embracing your experiences can help you find your voice in both business and life.From navigating career changes to redefining success and discovering your own strengths, this episode is a reminder that every experience contributes to the person you’re becoming.Starting over doesn’t mean starting from zero. It’s not about reinvention, but revelation.Learn more about Brighten Creative and MadlyCreative Explore Brighten Creative and Andrea's branding servicesFollow She Says It for more conversations about voice, identity, business, and becomingWork with Madeline at MadlyCreative.

Every story has a beginning. This is where She Says It started. 🧡Before Season 3 begins, Madeline Sargent goes back to the very first episode of She Says It — and the conversation that started it all.Madeline revisits her first interview with publicist, podcast host, and author KJ Blattenberg, reflecting on what she hears differently now after two seasons behind the microphone. She shares what she's learned about interviewing, storytelling, listening more closely, and helping someone find the thread in their own story rather than simply moving to the next question.You'll also hear pieces of that original conversation with KJ about visibility, confidence, messaging, and having the courage to put your ideas into the world before you know exactly where they'll lead.Looking back at the beginning also gives Madeline a chance to think about what She Says It has become — and where she wants to take it next: deeper stories, more curiosity, creative challenges, and conversations that leave room for complexity.The first episode wasn't perfect. It wasn't supposed to be. It was the beginning.And sometimes the only way to find out what something can become is to be willing to start it.Season 3 of She Says It begins in October. 🧡Be part of the next chapter: Have feedback, a story you think belongs on the show, or someone Madeline should meet? Reach out at [email protected] with Madeline: Explore brand strategy and storytelling at MadlyCreative.co.

In the Season 2 finale of She Says It, Madeline Sargent turns the microphone on herself to reflect on a year shaped by one word: stay.Through her 32 Before 32 list, Madeline looks back at the choices and unexpected moments that changed the direction of her year — joining a hiking group, hearing something during a meditation that eventually became She Says It, returning home, and learning that staying can mean something very different from standing still.She also shares the story behind the half marathon she spent months training for but ultimately chose not to run. After a season of learning when to push, when to walk, and when to listen, deciding not to cross that starting line became its own lesson in trusting herself.This is a conversation about coming home without giving up your desire to explore, getting older without needing to have everything figured out, and realizing that sometimes the most meaningful part of a goal isn’t checking it off the list. It’s noticing who you became while trying.Maybe staying isn’t about refusing to leave. Maybe it’s about learning what you want to stay true to, wherever you go next. 🧡Season 3 of She Says It begins in October.Be part of the next chapter: Have feedback, a story you think belongs on the show, or someone Madeline should meet? Reach out at [email protected] with Madeline: Explore brand strategy and storytelling at MadlyCreative.co.

A new chapter of She Says It starts here.Hosted by writer and brand strategist Madeline Sargent, She Says It brings you honest conversations with women across industries, places, and chapters of life. Together, we explore identity, creativity, ambition, courage, and what becomes possible when we learn to trust our own voice.Intentional conversations, not polished perfection.Welcome to the story. Let’s get into conversation 🧡

Long before science became her career, Rose loved looking at the moon.In this episode of She Says It, Madeline Sargent sits down with Dominican-born astronomer, storyteller, and advocate Rose for a conversation about curiosity, identity, science, and learning to use your voice in spaces where you don't always feel expected to belong.Rose shares the story of the curiosity that shaped her from an early age, her path through higher education and astronomy, and the experiences that eventually led her to NASA.But the path wasn't always straightforward. Rose reflects on navigating spaces where representation mattered, learning when to advocate for herself, and refusing to let other people's perceptions determine what she was capable of becoming.Together, Rose and Madeline talk about resilience, belonging, the importance of telling your own story, and what it means to hold onto the parts of yourself that make you curious — even when the path forward isn't clear.And through the different chapters of Rose's life, one thing has remained:“No matter what I was going through, looking up at the moon brought me peace.”Sometimes finding your voice begins by remembering what made you look up in the first place.Resources:Follow Rose's journey and visit her Official Website. Follow Rose on Threads and visit her website. Clarify your message and elevate your brand voice with Madeline at madlycreative.co.