Play. Stillness. Curiosity. When did you stop giving yourself that permission? You’re going through the motions in a life you once dreamed of—and wondering when that dream stopped being yours. In this episode—the next in Kris's series on the seven essential transitions every successful woman must navigate—she invites you to consider the one most of us avoid: curiosity, play, and exploration. This isn’t a conversation about productivity or purpose. It’s about what happens when you finally lift your head, look around, and realize: the version of you running the show today isn’t the woman you were 20 years ago. So why are you still living like she’s in charge? Kris shares stories from two recent retreats—including the meditations, discomfort, and unexpected conversations that shook something loose. And she poses a question that might just be your wake-up call: What if it doesn’t matter which path you choose next—only that it brings you joy? Here’s what we explore: Why women who “have it all” still feel restless The comfort cage—and how it tricks you into staying stuck How exploration opens doors clarity alone never could Why you owe it to yourself (and your future) to get uncomfortable The identity shift that comes from doing something—anything—new You can’t find what’s next wearing the coat of who you used to be. So try something on. See how it fits. And don’t be surprised if it changes everything. Contact Information and Recommended Resources The best way to stay in the know? Get on the list. I’ve got some exciting things coming your way, and I always share with my email list first. Head to the thevisionary.ceo/notes and opt in. Loving the podcast? Let me know. If this episode resonated with you, would you take a moment to leave a quick review on iTunes or Spotify? It means the world—and it helps more women find this work. As a thank you, I have a little something I’d love to send your way. Just email a screenshot of your review to [email protected]. Linkedin Instagram Facebook Pinterest
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25:22
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25:22
The Striver’s Dilemma: Who Are You Without the Push?
In this fourth installment of the Seven Transitions Every Successful Woman Must Navigate series, Kris explores the fog that can settle in after years of striving, building, leading, and achieving. When the urgency fades, when the goals have been met, when your days are no longer dictated by survival or ambition... who are you now? This is the striver’s dilemma. In this episode, Kris shares reflections from two recent retreats—one with Arthur Brooks, one with Rebecca Campbell—that offered wildly different but equally profound insights. She weaves together data, mysticism, and lived experience to guide you through the discomfort (and deep potential) of Transition Four: Reclaiming Future Clarity. You’ll hear: Why dreaming after success feels murky, not magical How the absence of urgency can feel disorienting instead of freeing The one question to ask before launching into your next project or business Why the next version of you won’t be found in a revenue dashboard or your to-do list If you’re standing in the in-between—done with what was, unsure of what’s next—this episode will meet you there. Not with answers, but with the kind of questions that can change everything. Contact Information and Recommended Resources The best way to stay in the know? Get on the list. I’ve got some exciting things coming your way, and I always share with my email list first. Head to the thevisionary.ceo/notes and opt in. Loving the podcast? Let me know. If this episode resonated with you, would you take a moment to leave a quick review on iTunes or Spotify? It means the world—and it helps more women find this work. As a thank you, I have a little something I’d love to send your way. Just email a screenshot of your review to [email protected]. Linkedin Instagram Facebook Pinterest
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28:08
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28:08
If You’re Still Holding On, What Are You Really Afraid Of?
You’re not trapped by your business, your team, or even your schedule. You’re trapped by the stories you’ve been telling yourself about what has to happen next. In this third installment of the special mini-series on the seven transitions every successful woman must navigate when she knows it’s time for something new, Kris unpacks the beliefs that quietly hold you back—the false truths that keep high-achieving women stuck in businesses they’ve already outgrown. She gets right to the heart of the stories we cling to when we’re afraid to move on, and dismantles them one by one. Like the belief that if you step back and the business doesn’t thrive, you’ve failed. That if you’re no longer running things, you’ve somehow lost your relevance. That wanting something new makes you ungrateful—or worse, that letting go means it was never enough to begin with. Here’s what we explore: Why it’s not your job to make the business live forever How to let go without guilt, shame, or fear of becoming invisible The difference between relevance and resonance—and why resonance is what actually matters What it means to be a woman in transition and still be powerful How to redefine your value outside of what you produce This episode is not about dismantling your success—it’s about unhooking from the beliefs that keep you small, tired, and holding on too tightly. Contact Information and Recommended Resources The best way to stay in the know? Get on the list. I’ve got some exciting things coming your way, and I always share with my email list first. Head to the thevisionary.ceo/notes and opt in. Linkedin Instagram Facebook Pinterest
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20:08
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20:08
From Operator to Advisor: What Your Business Really Needs From You Now
Are you the biggest bottleneck in your business—and don’t even realize it? You didn’t build your company to babysit it. But if you’re still the one making every call, solving every fire, and holding the reins so tightly no one else can lead...this episode is your wake-up call. In this second installment of the special mini-series on the seven essential transitions every successful woman must navigate when she knows it’s time for something new, Kris explores what it really means to step into the advisory consultant role for the very business you created and the team you built. If you’ve ever felt the urge to evolve beyond the business you built, this is your roadmap—and your invitation. It’s not just about delegation. It’s about identity. Because learning to release control doesn’t start with your team—it starts with you. Letting go of being the person who approves every decision, solves every problem, or catches every dropped ball requires more than systems—it requires a shift in who you believe yourself to be. Kris walks through why founders get stuck in a cycle of over-functioning, how perfectionism masks fear, and why holding the metaphorical bat too tightly means no one else will dare take a swing. Here’s what we explore: The difference between being essential and being in the way Why your team may be relying on you more than they need to What mentorship and true leadership actually look like How to grow your business by getting out of the weeds What really happens—emotionally and practically—when you loosen your grip This episode calls you forward—not to abandon your company, but to evolve into a different kind of leader: one who guides instead of manages, who advises instead of reacts, and who trusts her team to rise. Contact Information and Recommended Resources Wanna know if your business is ready to run without you? Take the short quiz here: www.thevisionary.CEO/businessready. Linkedin Instagram Facebook Pinterest
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15:10
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15:10
When You’re Ready to Move On, But You’re Still Afraid to Let Go
You say you want freedom. But are you really ready for it? This week, Kris kicks off the first of seven essential transitions every successful woman must navigate when she knows it’s time for something new. It starts with a brutally honest question: Is your business ready to run without you? And are you ready to let it? In this episode, Kris unpacks what readiness really means—not just logistically, but emotionally. Because saying you’re done and being done are two very different things. Here’s what we explore: The trap of being needed—and why it’s so hard to let go How your team might be holding you back (even if they mean well) Why control feels safer than it really is And how to know if you’re truly ready for what’s next This isn’t about stepping down. It’s about stepping into a new version of you. And readiness is just the beginning. Contact Information and Recommended Resources Wanna know if your business is ready to run without you? Take the short quiz here: www.thevisionary.CEO/businessready. The One Hour Leader Blueprint thevisionary.ceo/onehourleaderblueprint The One Hour Leader Coach thevisionary.ceo/onehourleadercoach Linkedin Instagram Facebook Pinterest0
For most women, when we are invited to study leadership the teachers, scholars, authorities and models are primarily… men. We are indoctrinated from the time we are born that men are the leaders and that natural male characteristics are the strengths you must also possess to be a good leader.
Powerful.
Strong.
Authoritative.
Direct.
Assertive.
Decisive.
These and so many more are attributes that are typically associated with the male model of a leader.
And so, for the better part of the last one hundred years as women have made their way into the fold, in a variety of leadership roles, we have learned and studied to walk the way of a men to achieve success.
Women dismiss their own knowing because we’ve been so indoctrinated in male leadership models.
We dismiss what we know for what others tell us to be and how to be seen.
There is another way to lead.
To be in alignment.
To not feel like an imposter.
It’s time for the reimagining of leadership. That’s not to disparage any of the progress that has come before us. Progress is progress. For those of us who stand in the footsteps of the women who came before us we are here because of their courage, bravery and resilience.
I wonder instead if women equally looked to the characteristics they learned from their mothers for leadership. I wonder if we were taught to lean on different qualities to drive success. I wonder what might happen then?
The traditional qualities of mothering are communication, nurturing, listening, strength, support, grace, and yes… love.
What if to be the best leader you can be as a woman, you integrated the best of both?
This is how women will stand with integrity in their role as leaders.
As women, we can be assertive, direct, powerful, and authoritative but we need not only rely on those attributes for success.
After 25 years of watching and studying leaders, I can tell you that for sure many traditional male attributes are effective in the short run, but they typically only serve a few. Whereas, when leadership is feminine. When the leader possesses the strengths of femininity and grace the results are for all.
This podcast is my like my gentle request and invitation to my fellow female leaders that we reclaim the world leadership as one that is a feminine definition. That we continue to work with all of our allies to build organizations and systems that include more support, collaboration, grace and communication. And that we do so not because we are uncomfortable with the more traditional male-dominating models, but because we truly do know that leadership is a feminine strength and attribute.
And the world needs more of us leading. Now more than ever.
South Africa