384. James Wedmore: My $14M Lesson, “This Is The End of Everything I’ve Built” & Navigating Fear!

Why do so many high-achieving women do all the right things - get 8 hours of sleep, take the supplements, follow the routines - yet still wake up exhausted? In the first episode of this series, we unpacked the overwhelm loop. In Part 2 of our 5-part High-Functioning Burnout Exposed series with Awaken the Muse, Natalie, Alexi Panos and Emily Gallagher dive into energy, vitality and why sleep isn’t solving what’s actually nervous-system and emotional-load related. You’ll hear why healthy habits alone can’t create true vitality, how to reconnect with the signals your body is sending, and the exact reflection that reveals where your energy is leaking: What are you avoiding or pretending not to know? After listening to this episode, you will walk away with simple regulation tools, a new way to understand your body’s needs, and a gentler path to real, sustainable energy. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Doing all the things… and still running on empty 01:18 Vitality vs. cortisol: a new definition of energy 04:33 Burnout as initiation (when old tricks stop working) 08:03 Rebuilding self-trust: listening to your body first 12:16 Looks vs. feels: caring for your body from the inside 14:18 Feeling the unfelt (grief, numbness, stored emotions) 16:48 The diagnostic question: What are you avoiding/pretending not to know? 24:07 The true cost of not looking (energy, love, creativity) 29:14 A one-week practice to reveal what you’re avoiding RESOURCES + LINKS Click Here To Join Soft Success: A Free Live Masterclass Experience Taking Place On September 24th To End High-Functioning Burnout And Redefine Success On Your Terms. 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).

Why is it that the very habits that drive ambitious women to succeed - the hustle, the long hours, the “I can do it all” mindset - are often the same ones that lead to burnout, anxiety, and resentment? In the first episode of our 5-part series with Awaken the Muse - Natalie, Alexi Panos and Emily Gallagher pull back the curtain on what they call the overwhelm loop - the cycle of urgency, overcommitment, and dysregulation that so many high-achieving women mistake for normal. Together, they share raw stories of postpartum identity shifts, hidden resentment in relationships, and the nervous system patterns that keep us chasing more even when we already feel depleted. You’ll learn what “functional freeze” actually looks like, why capacity can be a mask for self-abandonment, and the micro-practices that help you exhale, reset, and build a more sustainable kind of success. If you’ve ever felt like slowing down means falling behind, this episode will prove the opposite - that nervous system regulation is the real key to growth, profit, and fulfillment. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 The hidden cost of high-functioning burnout 01:26 From biohacking to balance: how hormones tell the truth before we do 03:35 The LA hustle spell and the pressure to “stay relevant” 05:24 Postpartum wake-up calls: splitting yourself between business and baby 08:49 The identity crisis no one talks about after becoming a mother 11:27 Why your nervous system equates chaos with safety 15:10 How relaxing (not pushing harder) actually expands capacity 16:40 Soft CEO era vs. hustle culture: finding a middle ground 25:36 Functional freeze explained and why high achievers miss the signs 33:37 Resentment as a red flag for self-abandonment 38:23 Simple regulation tools you can use in under a minute 41:34 The myth that transformation has to be hard, and what actually works RESOURCES + LINKS Click Here To Join Soft Success: A Free Masterclass Experience Taking Place On September 24th To End High-Functioning Burnout And Redefine Success On Your Terms. 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).

Why is it that so many ambitious, successful women find themselves feeling disconnected from their feminine energy, and even struggling in their relationships because of it?In this powerful episode, Mama Gena (author of Pussy: A Reclamation and founder of The School of Womanly Arts) joins Natalie to unpack the conditioning that teaches women to “man up” in order to succeed + shares how that very conditioning often leaves us burnt out, resentful, and craving deeper intimacy. You’ll learn why polarity matters in relationships, how to reconnect with your sensuality and pleasure without losing your ambition, and the simple daily practices that can reignite your feminine fire. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing it all but still missing something, this conversation will show you a whole new way forward. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Why high-achieving women often lose touch with their feminine fire02:22 - How childhood conditioning and cultural myths shape our relationships06:32 - The real reason polarity breaks down in modern partnerships11:12 - Why success at work can create challenges in love (and what to do about it)17:45 - A story of choosing love over power + what it taught Mama Gena26:07 - Practices to release resentment and reconnect with your body33:40 - How to turn rage into pleasure (and why it changes everything)41:00 - Simple rituals to bring more turn-on, joy, and ease into your day47:49 - The power of sisterhood in keeping your feminine energy alive55:00 - Redefining value: why money isn’t the only measure of success RESOURCES + LINKSDownload Mama Gena’s Ultimate Guide to Getting What You Want For Free Right Here. Click Here To Join Mama Gena For A Free 4-Day Live Event To Awaken Your Emotional Genius, Uncork Your Stuckness, And Remember The Power Of Your Truth, Your Tears, And Your Turn-On. Click Here To Get Mama Gena’s Course House Of Turn On: An 8-Week Initiation Into The Deepest Power You’ve Never Been Taught To Trust - Your Pleasure. 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)

If you’ve ever wondered how to turn your passion into profit - whether that’s writing a book, building a coaching business, or creating a funnel that actually works - this episode is for you. Ashley went from three years of rejection as an aspiring author to becoming an international bestseller and scaling a $2.5M business. Inside, she shares the exact system she used to finally get published, the framework she now teaches her clients, and the sales engine (built through Freedom Fast Track) that continues to bring in consistent revenue. You’ll walk away with practical insights on building a business that feels aligned, marketing without overwhelm, and structuring your weeks for both creative flow and growth. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - The surprising reason most authors face rejection (and how to avoid it) 02:28 - The step-by-step system to finally get your book finished 06:32 - A wake-up call that changed how Ashley approached business and life 11:53 - What to do if you’re multi-passionate but struggling to find your “thing” 17:13 - Why every business has its own DNA (and how to honor yours) 20:35 - Behind the scenes of a sales engine that brings consistent revenue 26:07 - How to stop guessing and start using data to fuel growth 33:40 - A weekly structure that balances creative flow with profitability 38:49 - The real challenges of building a business as a new mom 44:19 - The nine secrets to writing and publishing a book that actually sells RESOURCES + LINKS Join The Freedom Fast Track Waitlist Here. Grab Ashley’s Book, The Author Success Code Right Here. Ready To Write The Book That Builds Your Brand, Your Business, And Your Legacy? Click Here To Book Your Private Book Breakthrough Call With Ashley. The Book Accelerator Is Back. Early Bird Enrollment Ends August 31st. Click Here To Learn More. Try Kajabi Free Here: www.bossbabe.com/kajabi Follow Ashley On Instagram:@ashleymwrites 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).

Feeling overwhelmed by everything on your plate? From client work to admin to endless content creation, it can feel like there’s never enough time in the day. The logical next step seems to be hiring help, but without a strategy, you can end up with more chaos, more payroll, and not necessarily more freedom. In this episode, Natalie breaks down how to hire like a founder - strategically, intentionally, and for ROI. You’ll learn how to identify the real bottleneck in your business (whether it’s admin, delivery, or sales), when to choose a person versus an AI tool, and how to design roles around outcomes instead of to-do lists. If you’ve been stuck in panic hiring or paralyzed by the fear of building a big team, this conversation will show you how one smart hire (or system) can unlock the next level of growth without adding unnecessary overhead. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Why you don’t need a big team to scale, you just need the right hire 01:13 - The danger of panic hiring and how it keeps you stuck 02:36 - The real question to ask before you ever post a job description 03:27 - Bottleneck #1: Admin and operations (why AI might be your best first hire) 04:49 - Bottleneck #2: Delivery and fulfillment + how to systematize or bring in specialists 06:16 - Bottleneck #3: Sales and traffic: why this requires a different kind of support 07:51 - The simple audit that reveals your true bottleneck 09:14 - How to define roles around results, not tasks 10:36 - Why ownership (not just assistance) creates real ROI 11:47 - Teaching every hire to connect their work to revenue 12:16 - The clarity test before you hire anyone 13:36 - The real goal: leverage, freedom, and growth RESOURCES + LINKS Want to know if your next move should be hiring a person or implementing AI? Download the FREE One Smart Hire AI prompt here and get instant clarity on your biggest business bottleneck. Join The Société: Build Your Freedom-Based Business™ With Systems, Templates, Coaching + Community. Just $97/Month. Imagine Having Natalie As Your CMO, On Call 24/7 To Help You Make The Right Moves In Your Business. That’s Exactly What You Get With Bossbabe AI The Freedom Engine™: AI-Powered Strategy And Systems That Show You What To Sell, How To Sell It, And How To Scale - Without All The Guesswork. Learn More And Unlock It Here. 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).