In this episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast, I’m joined by Heather Simco, a life and transformation coach whose story takes us from childhood instability and entrepreneurship to major success, addiction, sobriety, loss, rebuilding, and a very different definition of what it means to live a successful life.

Heather shares what happened when the accomplishments, titles, businesses, financial success, and external recognition she had worked so hard for still left her feeling emotionally and spiritually empty.

After years of alcoholism, a devastating personal and professional unraveling, and eventually surrendering to the realization that she could not do it alone, Heather began rebuilding her life from the inside out.

Today, more than 12 years sober, she helps women recognize when they have become trapped by the very lives they worked so hard to create.

Our conversation explores:

• Why high-functioning women can be especially vulnerable to burnout
• The difference between financial success and a genuinely rich life
• What sobriety taught Heather about identity, resilience, and self-leadership
• Why capable people often struggle to ask for help
• How boundaries protect transformation
• Why delegation can actually strengthen leadership
• The danger of constantly chasing the next goal
• Moving from survival mode into “thrive mode”
• How to recognize the “but” in your life—the thing that keeps you from fully enjoying the life you’ve built
• The simple time-inventory exercise Heather recommends as a starting point for change

One of the most powerful ideas Heather shares is this:

You don’t become stronger by holding onto everything. You become stronger by holding onto what you’re actually wired to do—and letting go of what someone else can carry.

If you’ve ever looked at your life and thought, “I should be happy. I have everything I worked for. So why doesn’t this feel right?” this conversation is worth your time.

Sometimes transformation doesn’t mean becoming someone new.

Sometimes it means finally becoming whole enough to stop living behind the mask.

Contact Heather:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathersimco/

Instagram/Tiktok/Youtube @heathersimco

Heathers BIO:

Heather Simco is a transformation coach, founder of Complete Concierge Solutions, and creator of Balanced Boss Babes, where she helps high-achieving women break free from burnout, unhealthy coping patterns, and self-sabotage to build lives and businesses that are both successful and sustainable. Drawing from more than 20 years of entrepreneurship and her own journey of rebuilding through recovery, Heather empowers women to reclaim their health, confidence, and energy, elevate their leadership, and create lasting transformation through greater balance, resilience, and intentional living.

Contact Kristin:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kristingallatin1

Website: https://savvylivingnetwork.com

The Savvy Leaders Lounge

Build a life and career with greater clarity, alignment, and sustainable success. Subscribe for weekly True North Letters, exclusive subscriber resources, practical tools, and thoughtful insights for intentional living and leadership.

By KG

Subscribe to The Savvy Leader Podcast for conversations about leadership, identity, reinvention, resilience, intentional living, and navigating life’s transitions with greater clarity and direction.

Maybe it’s the change in the air. The return to routines. The first hints of autumn. Or perhaps it’s simply that September invites a different kind of reflection.

Summer tends to pull us outward.

We travel. We explore. We say yes to experiences. We stay up a little later and linger a little longer.

Then September arrives and asks a different question:

What are you going to do with what you’ve discovered?

This year, I’m asking myself that question from a new place—literally.

We recently traveled to Utah, a state I’d never experienced before. There was something refreshing about being somewhere completely unfamiliar. New landscapes have a way of interrupting our normal patterns and giving us perspective.

But I’ve been thinking about what happens after the experience.

Because growth isn’t simply about seeing something new, learning something new, or becoming capable of something new.

Growth also requires discernment.

We can be curious about everything.

We can be capable of many things.

We can pursue multiple opportunities, carry multiple responsibilities, and keep adding more to our lives because we can.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean we should.

Focus is a form of alignment.

The older I get, the less interested I am in growth for growth’s sake.

I’m more interested in focused growth.

Growth that is connected to who I am becoming.

Growth that supports what matters most.

Growth that creates greater capacity without creating greater chaos.

Growth that leaves room for the life I’m actually trying to live.

That requires some decisions.

What deserves my attention in this season?

What deserves less of it?

What am I continuing simply because I’ve always done it?

What am I saying yes to because it genuinely aligns—and what am I saying yes to because I’m afraid to say no?

Those aren’t always easy questions.

But they are useful ones.

September feels like an invitation to choose.

As I look toward autumn, I’m thinking less about what I can add and more about what I want to cultivate.

There is a difference.

Adding creates a longer list.

Cultivating creates depth.

And perhaps that is one of the lessons I’m carrying into this next season of life:

I don’t need to pursue everything I’m capable of pursuing.

I need to be intentional about what deserves my energy.

That doesn’t mean becoming rigid or closing ourselves off to possibility.

It means knowing our direction well enough to recognize which possibilities are worth pursuing.

That’s the heart of True North.

Your True North isn’t a destination you finally arrive at.

It’s a reference point.

A way of asking, again and again:

Does this move me toward the person, life, leadership, and work I actually want to create?

As September begins, perhaps that’s the question worth carrying with you.

Not What can I accomplish?

Not What else should I be doing?

But:

What deserves my attention in this season?

Because where your attention goes, your energy follows.

And where your energy consistently goes, your life begins to take shape.

So as we enter a new month and a new season, I’m choosing to think less about doing more—and more about growing with intention.

Focused growth.

Less scattered effort.

More meaningful direction.

Less proving.

More becoming.

And, as always, a little more attention to what is truly worth navigating toward.

Your turn:
What deserves more of your attention this September?

And perhaps just as importantly—

What deserves less?

— Kristin

If this question is hitting a little differently for you right now, I’d love to hear what you’re choosing to focus on this season. Reply to this email or share it with someone who might be asking the same question.

And if you’re feeling pulled in too many directions and need some space to get clear, that’s exactly the kind of work I do through Compass Sessions.
Explore Compass Sessions → savvylivingnetwork.com/compass

Alignment helps you stay on course.

As we move toward September’s Focused Growth theme, here’s the question:

Are you moving faster—or moving in the right direction?

🎥 Watch this week’s Weekend Wisdom and share your answer in the comments.

Purpose → Direction → Alignment → Focused Growth

Read more

In this episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast, I sit down with Tamara Laine, Founder and CEO of MPWR AI, for a wide-ranging conversation about artificial intelligence, financial identity, the changing workforce, ethical technology, and what it means to navigate a rapidly changing world.

Tamara’s journey is anything but traditional. She began her career as an investigative journalist, uncovering corruption, environmental issues, and human trafficking before moving into technology, communications, marketing, and eventually fintech.

Her early work investigating ethical AI gave her a front-row seat to the potential—and responsibility—of technology. Today, she’s focused on helping reshape how financial systems understand people whose lives and careers don’t fit the traditional model.

We talk about:

• Why traditional credit systems are struggling to keep up with today’s workforce

• The rise of gig workers, creators, solopreneurs, and multi-income earners

• How AI could create a more dynamic picture of financial identity

• Why regulation may actually be a good thing when it comes to AI and financial technology

• Privacy, consumer data, and the hidden cost of “free” AI tools

• Why AI literacy matters—even if you don’t think you use AI

• How AI can enhance expertise rather than simply replace it

• The importance of human judgment, EQ, creativity, and discernment

• The challenge of developing the next generation of experts

• Why the future of work may require us to rethink how we define success

• Tamara’s own career pivot from investigative journalism to technology and entrepreneurship

• Her advice for anyone standing at the edge of a major career or life change

One of my favorite takeaways from our conversation is Tamara’s reminder that we can spend too much time worrying about the perfect outcome when what really matters is taking the next step in the direction that feels right.

Because the path rarely unfolds exactly as planned—and sometimes the outcome is better than the one we imagined.

Listen in for a thoughtful conversation about AI, financial identity, reinvention, and navigating what’s next.

Bio:

Tamara Laine is the Founder and CEO of MPWR, the first policy bound agentic infrastructure for lending, and an Emmy Award winning investigative journalist, former financial news anchor, technology founder, and business strategist with expertise in AI, finance, and growth. She has launched and scaled high growth companies and advised startups, fintechs, and mission driven organizations on innovation and expansion. Her reporting on ethical AI and corporate accountability earned national recognition, alongside multiple Telly Awards for investigative journalism and a People’s Choice Award for storytelling and audience impact. Her work has been published in Forbes, Nasdaq, Foreign Policy, The World Bank, DEVEX, and The Journal of Peacebuilding & Development. Tamara is also the co-host of What the Frac?, a YouTube show focused on business growth, innovation, and fractional leadership.

CONNECT WITH TAMARA:

Website: mpwrai.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tamaralaine

LinkedIn (MPWR): linkedin.com/company/mpwrai

CONNECT WITH KRISTIN

Kristin Gallatin Creator of the True North Navigation Method | True North Strategist | Host of The Savvy Leader Podcast

🌐 Savvy Living Network: https://savvylivingnetwork.com
🎯 Work With Kristin: https://savvylivingnetwork.com/work-with-me
💼 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kristingallatin1
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristingallatin/
💬 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/743925124329795

Have a question, idea, or topic you’d like Kristin to explore on the podcast?
Connect with her through Savvy Living Network.

It’s:

“Am I growing in the direction that actually matters?”

We often measure growth by what is visible.

More clients.
More revenue.
More opportunities.
More responsibilities.
More followers.
More things checked off the list.

And there is nothing inherently wrong with any of those things.

But growth without direction can become another form of busyness.

You can become very successful at building something that no longer fits the life you want to live.

That is one of the reasons I keep coming back to the idea of True North.

Your True North isn’t a rigid destination. It’s the deeper sense of who you are, what matters to you, and what you want your life and work to be aligned around.

Purpose gives you direction.

And direction changes the way you think about growth.

Instead of asking:

“What else can I add?”

You begin asking:

“What deserves my attention?”

Instead of automatically saying yes to an opportunity, you pause long enough to consider whether it actually belongs.

Instead of measuring success by how much you can carry, you begin considering whether what you’re carrying is worth the weight.

And instead of trying to grow everywhere at once, you become willing to focus.

That last one matters.

Because focused growth is often more sustainable than constant expansion.

Sometimes the most strategic thing you can do is narrow your focus.

Choose the work that matters most.

Protect the relationships that matter most.

Create space for the things that restore you.

Let go of obligations that no longer belong to this season.

And give yourself enough margin to actually do the things you’ve decided matter.

A question for this week

Before we move into September and our month of Focused Growth, take a few minutes to consider:

Where am I currently experiencing growth?

Then ask:

Is that growth moving me in the direction I actually want to go?

You don’t have to change everything.

You may simply need to identify the one area that deserves more intentional attention—and the one area where you can stop trying to grow.

That’s part of sustainable success, too.

Not just knowing what to pursue.

Knowing what not to pursue.

From Sustainable Success to Focused Growth

As August comes to a close, I’m thinking less about doing more and more about becoming intentional about where our energy goes next.

September will be about focused growth—not growth for the sake of growth, but growth that is connected to purpose, aligned with what matters, and realistic enough to sustain.

Because your next season doesn’t necessarily need more from you.

It may simply need more of the right things.

That’s the work of finding your direction—and learning to navigate from there.

Recognize → Reorient → Design → Navigate.

Start with direction.

Then decide what deserves your focus.

Your True North is not about moving faster.
It’s about knowing where you’re going.

— Kristin
True North Strategist
Creator of the True North Navigation Method

This week's Weekend Wisdom is a reminder to look beyond what you *can* do and ask what actually belongs in this season of your life.

**Possible gives you options. Purpose gives you direction.**

Watch this week's reflection.

We spend a lot of time learning how to build the life we want. But once we’ve built something meaningful, another question emerges:

How do we protect it?

In this episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin explores the often-overlooked side of success: capacity, margin, reserve, and discernment.

Because being capable doesn’t mean everything is yours to carry.

We’ll explore:

• Why “just because you can doesn’t mean you should” matters for capable people

• The difference between what is possible and what is purposeful

• Why margin is more than extra time

• How reserve protects your future capacity

• The danger of spending every ounce of time, energy and attention simply because you have it

• Why optimizing every inch of your life can actually make it less livable

• What the Cathedral of Palms can teach us about actually living inside what we’ve built

• Why sustainable success sometimes requires subtraction

• Five questions to help you determine what to carry, release, protect and reserve

And we’ll begin looking ahead to September’s theme:

Focused Growth: Where should I invest my time and energy next?

Because before you can decide where to invest your energy, you have to create some capacity to invest.

Possible → Purposeful → Focused.

CONNECT WITH KRISTIN

Kristin Gallatin
Creator of the True North Navigation Method | True North Strategist | Host of The Savvy Leader Podcast

🌐 Savvy Living Network: https://savvylivingnetwork.com
🎯 Work With Kristin: https://savvylivingnetwork.com/work-with-me
💼 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kristingallatin1
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristingallatin/
💬 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/743925124329795

Have a question, idea, or topic you’d like Kristin to explore on the podcast? Connect with her through Savvy Living Network.

IN THIS EPISODE

00:00 — Welcome & The Question We Don’t Ask About Success
How do we protect the life we’re building once we’ve started creating the success we wanted?

02:30 — Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Should
Why capable people can easily turn their strengths into obligations—and the difference between what is possible and what is purposeful.

06:00 — Capacity Is Not the Same as Responsibility
Learning to distinguish between what we can do, what we’re expected to do, and what actually deserves our energy.

08:30 — This Is Where Margin Comes In
Why margin is more than extra time and how it creates breathing room when life doesn’t go according to plan.

11:00 — Reserve: The Capacity You Intentionally Keep
Why you don’t need to spend every dollar, minute, opportunity, or ounce of energy simply because you have it.

13:30 — The Danger of Spending Everything You Have
How constant productivity can leave us with no capacity for rest, relationships, creativity, or the unexpected.

15:30 — The Problem With Optimizing Every Inch of Your Life
Why a completely optimized life can leave very little room for spontaneity, creativity, people, or simply being human.

18:00 — What Are You Actually Building Success For?
A deeper look at whether the life you’re building actually supports the freedom, relationships, health, faith, adventure, and purpose you value.

20:30 — The Cathedral and the Spring
Kristin’s Cathedral of Palms story and the reminder that reaching the “cathedral” isn’t enough—you have to actually live inside it.

23:00 — Sustainable Success Requires Subtraction
Why growth isn’t always about adding more—and how removing what isn’t aligned can create space for what matters.

25:00 — The Five-Question Sustainable Success Check
A practical reflection exercise to identify what you’re carrying, what is yours, what needs to be released, what needs protection, and what reserve you need to keep.

28:30 — From Sustainable Success to Focused Growth
The transition into September’s theme: creating capacity first, then deciding where that capacity deserves to be invested.

30:00 — A Final Thought
Why sustainable success isn’t about creating a life that never needs to change, but one that can change without falling apart.

A QUESTION FOR YOU

What are you carrying right now simply because you’re capable of carrying it?

And once you’ve created some space:

Where should you invest your time and energy next?

KEEP CONNECTING

If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who may be carrying more than they need to.

And if you’re looking for greater clarity, alignment, and direction in your life, leadership, or business, learn more at:

savvylivingnetwork.com

And then there are weeks when you look at it and think, Okay. We’re going to need a plan.

That’s where I am this Monday morning.

Last week was full in a different way. Family. BBQs. Catching up with people we want to see before we leave Minnesota. Long conversations. Laughter. Trying to fit in as much time together as possible before we head west.

And, if I’m being honest, not quite enough sleep.

Yesterday, after finally catching up on some rest, I spent the day filming for the YouTube channel.

And this morning?

I’m ready to tackle it all.

There is a lot to tackle.

The Savvy Leader Podcast has a solo episode coming up. I’m preparing for a LEAD AI Show & Tell. I need to cover lead magnets and funnels, build the September LEAD toolkit, host our Leader Huddle, lead the LEAD Book Club immediately afterward, and update the LEAD website based on the decisions we made at last week’s meeting.

There’s also a Hues for Heroes board meeting Friday, which means I need to get a reminder out to our members so they can review candidate applications before we vote on this year’s recipients.

And woven through all of that is real life.

A family meeting tomorrow.

Erech has a doctor’s appointment.

Saturday, I’m driving to the family cabin one last time to see everyone before we leave.

It’s a full week.

But here’s what I’m reminding myself this morning:

A full week does not automatically require a frantic week.

I’ve learned that there is a difference between having a lot of responsibility and carrying everything in your head at the same time.

I don’t need to solve Friday’s problem on Monday.

I don’t need to prepare for Saturday while I’m working on Tuesday.

I don’t need to mentally rehearse every conversation, meeting, project and obligation just because I know they’re coming.

I need to know where I’m going.

Then I need to take the next step.

That’s one of the reasons I keep coming back to the idea of True North.

True North isn’t about creating a life where nothing difficult happens.

It isn’t about perfectly balancing every area of life.

And it certainly isn’t about eliminating ambition or responsibility.

It’s about having enough clarity about what matters that you can make decisions about where your attention belongs.

Sometimes that means saying no.

Sometimes it means simplifying.

Sometimes it means asking for help.

And sometimes it means saying, Yes. This matters, and I’m going to give it my attention.

But one thing at a time.

There is a subtle trap that comes with being capable.

When you’ve proven that you can handle a lot, people begin to expect that you’ll handle a lot.

And eventually, you may begin to expect it of yourself.

You become the person who can figure it out.

The person who gets it done.

The person who steps in.

The person who can carry one more thing.

But capacity is not the same thing as obligation.

Just because you can do something doesn’t mean it belongs on your list.

And even when something does belong on your list, it doesn’t mean it belongs in your attention right now.

That distinction matters.

Because sometimes the most productive thing we can do isn’t adding another task to the list.

It’s deciding what deserves our focus first.

So that’s my orientation for this week:

Know what matters.
Know what is yours to do.
Give the present task your attention.
Let the rest wait its turn.

I have plenty to do this week.

And I’m going to do it.

But I’m not going to confuse movement with progress or urgency with importance.

I’m going to navigate.

One decision.

One conversation.

One project.

One day at a time.

Because the goal isn’t to prove how much we can carry.

The goal is to make sure we’re carrying the things that are actually taking us where we want to go.

Your reflection for this week:

What is asking for your attention right now?

And perhaps more importantly:

What are you carrying mentally that doesn’t actually need your attention yet?

You don’t necessarily need a shorter list.

You may simply need a clearer direction.

That’s where we begin.

— Kristin

Sometimes narrowing your focus is exactly what allows your expertise to shine—and gives you the margin you need to actually enjoy the life you're building.

This week's Weekend Wisdom: **what are you willing to leave out?**

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SavvyLeaderPodcast

Subscribe for more conversations about leadership, intentional living, business growth, personal development, and creating a life aligned with your True North.

#SavvyLeaderPodcast #Leadership #BusinessLeadership #FractionalCIO #TechnologyLeadership #DigitalTransformation #LeadershipDevelopment #WorkLifeBalance #IntentionalLiving #FamilyLeadership

Podcast Summary
Technology is only part of the equation.

Leadership is what determines whether technology becomes a competitive advantage or another source of frustration.

Kristin Gallatin welcomes Monica Swanson, Founder of MonRoe Business Solutions and former technology executive with more than three decades of leadership experience at Thomson Reuters and Cargill.

Monica shares how her corporate career led her into Fractional CIO consulting, why growing businesses often outgrow their technology without realizing it, and how strategic leadership can simplify complex systems.

The conversation then shifts from the boardroom to the family room as Monica discusses her upcoming book, The Family Phone Contract, explaining how the same leadership principles that strengthen organizations can also strengthen families.

Listeners will leave with practical insights on leadership, communication, empathy, technology strategy, and building healthier relationships both at work and at home.


Chapter Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

02:15 Monica's journey from corporate executive to entrepreneur

06:40 What work-life balance really means

13:20 Technology as a business strategy

19:05 Warning signs your technology is slowing growth

25:10 What a Fractional CIO actually does

32:30 Consultant vs. Fractional Executive

37:10 Leadership lessons beyond business

40:30 The Family Phone Contract

48:40 Building healthier technology habits

56:00 Leadership at home

1:02:30 Advice for leaders

1:06:30 What's next for Monica

The way we communicate.

The way we market.

The way we organize information.

The way we build businesses.

And now, with artificial intelligence becoming increasingly accessible, the pace of change is accelerating again.

There is a lot to be excited about.

There is also a lot to be overwhelmed by.

And I think there is an important question we don’t ask often enough:

Are we using technology to move toward what matters—or are we letting technology decide where we’re going?

Because those are two very different things.

Technology is remarkably good at helping us move faster.

It can organize our thoughts, automate repetitive work, analyze information, generate ideas, improve communication, and open doors that once required significant time or resources.

But technology cannot determine your True North.

It can’t tell you what kind of life you want to build.

It can’t decide which relationships deserve your attention.

It can’t determine what success means to you.

It can’t know whether the next opportunity actually aligns with your values.

And it certainly can’t answer the question:

“Is this the direction I really want to go?”

That part is still ours.

Recognize

The first step is simply noticing how technology is influencing your decisions.

Are you using another platform because it genuinely solves a problem—or because everyone else seems to be using it?

Are you adding another automation because it creates meaningful capacity—or because doing more has become the default definition of productivity?

Are you adopting AI because it supports your goals—or because you’re afraid of being left behind?

Those questions matter.

Reorient

Before asking, “What can this technology do?”

Sometimes we need to ask:

“What am I actually trying to accomplish?”

Your direction should come first.

The tool comes second.

Design

Once you know what matters, you can intentionally decide where technology belongs.

Maybe it helps you eliminate repetitive work.

Maybe it gives you back several hours a week.

Maybe it allows a small business to compete with organizations that have much larger teams.

Maybe it helps you finally turn an idea into something tangible.

Those are meaningful uses of technology because the technology is serving the vision—not replacing it.

Navigate

This week, I want you to consider one simple question:

Where could technology give you back time, energy, or capacity without taking you further away from what matters?

You don’t need another app.

You don’t need to master every new AI tool.

You don’t need to keep up with everything.

You need to know where you’re going.

Then you can decide which tools belong in the journey.

That’s one of the principles behind the True North Navigation Method:

Recognize → Reorient → Design → Navigate.

Because the goal isn’t to move faster simply for the sake of moving faster.

The goal is to move in the right direction.

And sometimes the smartest thing technology can give us isn’t more productivity.

It’s more capacity for the things technology can’t do for us.

The conversations.

The relationships.

The creativity.

The judgment.

The courage.

The life we’re actually trying to build.

**Your tools can help you navigate.

But they shouldn’t become your compass.**

What is one area where technology is genuinely helping you—and one area where it may be creating more noise than value?

All my best, KG
Creator; True North Navigation Method
Founder; Savvy Living Network

Not to plan.

Not to solve.

Not to catch up.

Just to reflect.

Sometimes the clarity we’re searching for isn’t found in what’s next.

It’s found in taking an honest look at where we’ve been.

Sometimes the next step isn’t forward. It’s inward.

I hope this week’s Weekend Wisdom gives you permission to pause before you begin again.

Have a peaceful weekend. 🌿

We’re often encouraged to keep pushing.

Work harder.

Move faster.

Set the next goal.

Chase the next opportunity.

But there are seasons when the most important progress doesn’t come from doing more.

It comes from pausing long enough to ask better questions.

• Am I still building the life I truly want?

• Does my schedule reflect what matters most?

• Is the pace I’m keeping sustainable?

• What needs my attention before I take another step?

Sometimes the greatest act of courage isn’t moving forward.

It’s being willing to look inward first.

Because lasting success isn’t just about momentum.

It’s about direction.

If you’re ready to pause, reflect, and evaluate whether your current path is aligned with the life you’re trying to build, I’ve created a complimentary Sustainable Success Assessment to help you get started.

It’s available to all subscribers of The Savvy Leaders Lounge, along with the growing True North Resource Library.

What question are you asking yourself in this season of life?

Subscribe to The Savvy Leaders Lounge to access the complimentary Sustainable Success Assessment and the True North Resource Library.

Subscribe now

If your calendar is full but your energy is gone…

If your achievements keep growing but your peace keeps shrinking…

It may not be a motivation problem.

It may be an alignment problem.

That’s why I believe sustainable success requires more than ambition. It requires regular moments of reflection to ask:

• Am I building a life I actually want to live?

• Does my pace support my priorities?

• What needs a small course correction before it becomes a major one?

If today’s episode resonated with you, I invite you to take the next step.

I’ve created a new Sustainable Success Assessment to help you evaluate five key areas of your life and leadership. It’s available to all subscribers of The Savvy Leaders Lounge, along with the growing True North Resource Library.

Sometimes the most productive thing we can do is pause long enough to make sure we’re still headed in the right direction.

What’s one area of your life that could benefit from a small course correction this week?

In this episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin sits down with entrepreneur, photographer, wellness coach, and sustainability advocate Sarah Filipi for an inspiring conversation about trusting yourself, embracing life’s transitions, and creating a life that aligns with your values.

Growing up in Minnesota, Sarah developed an early appreciation for nature, helping milk cows, exploring the outdoors, and even making trips to Wisconsin just to see kangaroos. After attending college in Idaho and beginning a successful legal career on the East Coast, she eventually returned to Minnesota to continue working as a litigation paralegal. Although she excelled professionally, she reached a point where both her mind and body made it clear she was living a life that no longer aligned with who she was.

That pivotal moment led Sarah to leave a 12-year legal career and pursue entrepreneurship full-time through Sarah Grace Photography, where she has spent the past 17 years helping individuals, executives, families, and organizations tell their stories through authentic portrait photography. Her commitment to helping people feel comfortable, confident, and seen naturally evolved into a second career as a certified fitness instructor, and eventually into the creation of Your Wellness Compass, where she now serves as a Certified Health & Wellness Coach and Energy Wellness Practitioner.

Together, Kristin and Sarah explore:

• Recognizing when your life is no longer aligned with your purpose

• Navigating major life and career transitions

• Trusting your intuition during seasons of uncertainty

• The power of “micro shifts” to create meaningful, lasting change

• Building businesses that reflect your personal values

• Sustainable living and eco-conscious entrepreneurship

• Mental wellness, stress, and self-awareness

• AcuEnergetics and supporting the body’s natural healing processes

• Why wellness extends far beyond diet and exercise

• Finding motivation through purpose rather than pressure

Sarah also shares why she believes our bodies often communicate what our minds haven’t yet acknowledged, why learning to trust yourself is one of life’s greatest skills, and how small, intentional decisions can transform every area of your life.

Whether you’re considering a career change, navigating anxiety or burnout, searching for greater purpose, or simply wanting to live a healthier and more intentional life, this conversation offers practical wisdom, compassion, and hope.

About Sarah Filipi

With nearly three decades of professional experience spanning law, entrepreneurship, photography, and wellness, Sarah Filipi brings a unique combination of analytical expertise, creativity, and compassion to every client relationship.

After spending 12 years as a litigation paralegal, Sarah built a successful career as a professional portrait photographer and entrepreneur, celebrating more than 17 years helping individuals and organizations tell their stories through executive headshots, senior portraits, and corporate photography. Her gift for helping people feel comfortable, confident, and authentically themselves naturally led to a deeper passion for supporting personal transformation.

Today, Sarah is the founder of Your Wellness Compass, where she works as a Certified Health & Wellness Coach and Energy Wellness Practitioner. Integrating evidence-informed wellness coaching, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) principles, and AcuEnergetics, her approach focuses on the connection between the body’s electrical, physiological, and nervous systems to help clients reduce stress, restore balance, and cultivate lasting well-being.

A lifelong learner, Sarah proudly operates Certified Woman-Owned and Certified Green businesses and is dedicated to helping others create healthier, more intentional, and fulfilling lives through science-informed, compassionate care.

Connect with Sarah

📸 Sarah Grace Photography: https://www.sarahgracephotos.com

🌿 Your Wellness Compass: https://www.urwellnesscompass.com

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgracephotography/

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to The Savvy Leader Podcast, leave a review, and share this conversation with someone who may be navigating a transition of their own. Every journey toward a more intentional life begins with one small step.

Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, personal growth, intentional living, entrepreneurship, and finding your True North.

Connect with Kristin

LinkedIn: https://Linkedin.com/in/kristingallatin1

Website: https://SavvyLivingNetwork.com

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SavvyLeaderPodcast

#SavvyLeaderPodcast #IntentionalLiving #Leadership #PersonalGrowth #Entrepreneurship

Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

01:12 Meet Sarah Filipi

03:15 The emotional moment that changed everything

08:30 Leaving a successful legal career

13:20 Becoming a professional photographer

18:40 Building an eco-conscious photography business

26:15 Helping clients feel comfortable in front of the camera

30:10 Creating Your Wellness Compass

37:25 What are “Micro Shifts?”

44:50 Why wellness is more than fitness

50:30 Information overload and protecting your mind

57:40 Learning to trust yourself

1:03:15 Sarah’s advice for anyone starting over

1:07:00 Where to connect with Sarah

“How do I know if the life and career I’m building are actually sustainable?”

It’s a question I’ve asked myself many times, too.

Success isn’t just about accomplishing more. It’s about creating a life that aligns with your values, protects your well-being, and gives you the capacity to enjoy what you’ve worked so hard to build.

That’s why I’ve created a new resource for The Savvy Leaders Lounge community:

The Sustainable Success Assessment

This guided self-assessment will help you reflect on five essential areas of long-term success:

• Alignment

• Capacity

• Margin

• Resilience

• Direction

It’s designed to help you pause, recognize patterns, and identify one intentional next step toward a life that’s not only successful—but sustainable.

Even better...

This assessment is now part of the True North Resource Library, an exclusive collection of subscriber resources that will continue to grow throughout the year with new assessments, planners, reflection guides, and practical tools.

If you’re already a subscriber, you’ll find it waiting for you in the Resource Library.

If you’re new here, subscribe today to unlock the library and receive weekly True North Letters, practical tools, and thoughtful insights designed to help you navigate work and life with greater clarity, alignment, and intention.

Subscribe now

I’m excited to continue building this library and sharing these resources with you.

Thank you for being part of this community.

— Kristin

You can spend years building a life you love...

Or you can unintentionally give it away one commitment at a time.

This weekend, ask yourself:

What is worth protecting?

That's where August begins.

🎥 Watch this week's Weekend Wisdom and, if it resonates with you, share it with someone who's working to build a life that's not only successful—but sustainable.

Working harder.
Doing more.
Helping everyone.
Pushing through exhaustion because that’s what committed people do.

From the outside, it looked like progress.

Inside, it felt like I was constantly trying to catch my breath.

I’ve since learned that there is an important difference between building a successful life and building one that is sustainable.

A life can look impressive while quietly draining the very person living it.

Many professionals, business owners, caregivers, and leaders know this feeling.

The calendar is full.

The responsibilities keep growing.

People depend on you.

Yet somewhere along the way, your own priorities become the first thing sacrificed.

Sustainable success asks a different question.

Not:

“How much more can I accomplish?”

Instead:

“Can I continue living this way a year from now?”

If the honest answer is no, something needs to change.

This doesn’t necessarily require a dramatic life overhaul.

Often, it begins with small adjustments.

Removing unnecessary obligations.

Creating healthier boundaries.

Choosing work that aligns with your values.

Protecting your physical and emotional capacity.

Making decisions your future self will appreciate.

This is one of the reasons I created the True North Navigation Method.

Direction matters more than speed.

Alignment matters more than appearances.

And long-term consistency almost always beats short bursts of unsustainable effort.

As we begin August, I want to leave you with one reflection:

What part of your current definition of success isn’t sustainable anymore?

That question may reveal exactly where your next course correction begins.

Small changes, made consistently, create remarkable change over time.

Success isn’t about how much you can carry.

It’s about building a life you still want to be living years from now.

Stay true to your North,

Kristin Gallatin
Creator, True North Navigation Method

For many of us, saying yes has become second nature. We say yes to opportunities, requests, obligations, and expectations—often at the expense of our own health, peace, and purpose.

In this episode of The Savvy Leader Podcast, Kristin Gallatin explores why “No is the most freeing word in the English language.” She shares personal stories of being a lifelong “yes girl,” why saying no can feel so heavy, and how learning to protect your time and energy is essential for creating a life of lasting freedom.

This episode concludes our July series, Freedom & Flexibility, and introduces August’s new theme: Sustainable Success.

You’ll also get a preview of the Four Pillars of Sustainable Success:
• Alignment
• Capacity
• Resilience
• Margin

If you’ve been working hard to build a meaningful life or business, this conversation will challenge you to ask an important question:

What greater “yes” is waiting on the other side of your next “no”?

CHAPTERS

00:00 – Welcome & July Reflection
02:35 – The Freedom We Think We’re Chasing
07:15 – Confessions of a Recovering “Yes Girl”
15:20 – Why Is “No” So Heavy?
24:10 – Every Yes Costs Something
30:45 – Protecting the Life You’re Building
35:15 – Introducing the Four Pillars of Sustainable Success
41:30 – Looking True North
45:10 – Closing Thoughts

Connect with Kristin Gallatin

🌐 Website:
https://www.savvylivingnetwork.com

🎙 The Savvy Leader Podcast:
https://www.savvylivingnetwork.com/podcast

💼 Work With Kristin:
https://www.savvylivingnetwork.com/work-with-me

Watch on YouTube:

🤝 LEAD Network Professionals:
https://www.leadnetwork.pro

📖 Read more on Substack:

The Savvy Leaders Lounge

Savvy Leaders Lounge is for high-capacity individuals ready to cut through the noise, recognize their patterns, and realign with their True North.

By KG

If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs permission to protect the life they’re are building.

Until next time…

Stay aligned, stay intentional, and keep moving toward your True North.

Over the weekend, I heard a simple statement that stopped me in my tracks:

“No is the most freeing word in the English language.”

At first, it sounds backward.

Most of us associate freedom with saying yes.

Yes to opportunities.
Yes to experiences.
Yes to helping others.
Yes to growth.

But over time, I’ve realized that many of the people who feel the least free aren’t saying yes because they’re excited.

They’re saying yes because they feel obligated.

They say yes because they don’t want to disappoint someone.

Because they’re afraid of missing out.

Because they haven’t stopped to ask whether the opportunity aligns with the life they’re trying to build.

That’s when our calendars become crowded.

Our priorities become blurry.

And the freedom we’ve worked so hard to create quietly slips away.

Freedom Is Only the Beginning

Throughout July, we’ve talked about freedom and flexibility.

For many people, freedom means having more choices.

But choices alone don’t create a meaningful life.

The ability to choose wisely does.

As we move into August, our focus shifts to a new question:

How do I protect the life I’m building?

Because sustainable success isn’t about doing everything.

It’s about intentionally choosing what deserves your time, attention, energy, and heart.

Every time you say no to something that pulls you away from your values...

You’re saying yes to something that brings you closer to them.

Sometimes “no” protects your peace.

Sometimes it protects your family.

Sometimes it protects your health.

Sometimes it protects your purpose.

Every “no” creates space for a better “yes.”

Your True North Reflection

As you begin this week, ask yourself:

What is one thing I need to say “no” to so I can say “yes” to the life I’m intentionally building?

It may be an obligation.

A distraction.

An unhealthy habit.

Or even a belief that’s been quietly steering you off course.

Whatever it is, remember this:

Every intentional “no” is an act of alignment.

And alignment is what turns success into something sustainable.

Have a purposeful week.

— Best, Kristin

This Week on The Savvy Leader Podcast

On Wednesday, I’ll be exploring why protecting your time, energy, and attention is one of the most important leadership skills you’ll ever develop—and why learning to say “no” may be the key to building a life that lasts.

I hope you’ll join me.

www.youtube.com/@SavvyLeaderPodcast